Immigration and Urbanization

The “New” Immigrants Between 1870-1920: 20 million Eastern and Southern Europe (religious/political freedom) Before 1870 (“old imm”): Northern and Western Europe 300,000 Chinese (gold and railroads) 200,000 Japanese (Hawaii-sugar industry) 260,000 from W. Indies 700,000 from Mexico

Ellis Island Located in New York City 2% denied entry Requirements: physical exam, document check, literacy exam 17 million checked in

Ellis Island

Ellis Island

Dormitory (Ellis Island)

Angel Island Located in San Francisco 1910-1940: 50,000 from China Endured harsh questioning and a long detention in harsh conditions

Bathrooms (Angel Island)

Barracks (Angel Island)

Interrogation Room (Angel Island)

Discrimination Nativism: overt favoritism toward native- born Americans Reasons: religion, appearance, willing to work for lower wages Chinese Exclusion Act Banned all Chinese except teachers, merchants, students, tourists, and gov’t officials Gentlemen’s Agreement Japan agreed to limit immigration to the US

Urban Problems Housing: tenements- multifamily dwellings Transportation: street cars, electric subways Water: no indoor plumbing, diseases Sanitation: sewer lines created by 1900 Crime: NYC- first full-time police Fire: Chicago and San Francisco

Political Machines Attracted immigrants: provided housing and jobs in exchange for votes Led by political bosses who controlled cities, usually corrupt Tweed Ring NYC; led by William M. Tweed Exposed by political cartoonist Thomas Nast and he was arrested for embezzlement

Federal Jobs Graft: illegal use of political influence for personal gain Patronage: giving gov’t jobs to people who helped a candidate get elected (not the most qualified) Pendleton Civil Service Act: used a merit system to appoint federal jobs

Voting Restrictions (Af. Amer.) Poll Tax Grandfather Clause Literacy Test http://www.crmvet.org/info/litques.pdf

Mexican Americans Came to US to work on Railroads Debt peonage: forced labor to work of debts (illegal in 1911)