Bell Ringer

Video “American Dreams: Becoming an American”

Life at the Turn of the 20th Century Day 1 Note #10

Key Quote “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free, the wretched refuge of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I will lift my lamp beside the golden door.” Emma Lazarus – inscribed on the Statue of Liberty 1903

The Old Immigrants 10 million immigrants came between 1800 and 1900. Known as the old immigrants, they came from Northern and Western Europe. Most were Protestant Christians, and their cultures were similar to the original settlers. They came for economic opportunity, attracted to the open farm land in the United States.

The New Immigrants From 1880 to 1910, a new wave brought 18 million people to America. Most came from Southern and Eastern Europe. They were Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christians and Jews. Arabs, Armenians, and French Canadians came as well. Smaller numbers came from East Asia. The makeup of the American population had changed. By 1910 about 1 in 12 Americans were foreign-born.

Limiting Chinese Immigration Chinese workers were not allowed state jobs, and local governments could ban them from communities or restrict them to certain areas. The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in 1882, banning Chinese immigration for 10 years. None of the Chinese in the U.S. would be allowed citizenship. The law was renewed in 1892, and Chinese immigration was banned indefinitely in 1902.

Other Limits to Immigration The Japanese Nativists also resented the Japanese. Japanese students in San Francisco were segregated from other children. Theodore Roosevelt negotiated a Gentlemen’s Agreement with Japan. No unskilled workers from Japan, and in return Japanese children could attend schools with other children.

Nativists opposed immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe. They claimed these folks were poor, illiterate, and non-Protestant and could not blend into American society. They called for a literacy test to see if test takers could read English. The Literacy Test Act was passed in 1917, over President Wilson’s veto.

Primary Source Read the Chinese Exclusion Act and answer the following: 1. Why was this act passed? 2. How were people punished for bringing Chinese to the United States? 3. How might this act violate the Privacy Act in place today? 4. To whom did this law not apply? 5. How did the act define “Chinese laborers?”

Urbanization: What was good about the city? Skyscrapers and invention of the elevator – Elisha Otis America’s greatest contribution to architecture was the skyscraper Electronic transit: Streetcars, subways Railroads also in the cities

Suspension bridges – Brooklyn Bridge City planners provided for parks where people could “get away” – Frederick Law Olmstead- designed Central Park NYC Factories – provided jobs Department stores – clothing, cameras, other items People did not have to work long days on farms

Newspapers With the advent of mass production of paper, newspapers were read more than ever William Randolph Hearst – told tall tales in his publication to sell papers Joseph Pulitzer – began publication of a Sunday edition of his paper

Mass Migration Problems Housing Transportation Sanitation Crime Fire Clean water

Housing – apartment buildings- tenement buildings such as those photographed by Jacob Riis (“How the Other Half Lives”) Transportation – mass transportation – street cars introduced in San Francisco in 1873; electric subways in Boston by 1897 Sanitation – waste in the street

Crime – Police force not very effective; many times were corrupt Fire – Close proximity of buildings made this more of a problem Great Chicago Fire in 1871 – said to have been caused by “Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicking over the lantern” but dry weather and the close proximity made this a huge disaster

1906 – The San Francisco Earthquake – another disaster that killed about 1,000 – 28,000 buildings destroyed by quake and dozens of fires Water – many times, water unsafe to drink, little or no indoor plumbing

Settlement Houses Reformers like Jane Addams were inspired by people in London who set up settlement houses – places for the disadvantaged – Hull House was established in Chicago They not only gave them places to stay, but provided training to help them help themselves out of poverty

Lillian Wald established the Henry Street Settlement in New York City Janie Porter Barrett started the first settlement house for African Americans called the Locust Street Social Settlement in Hampton, VA

Social Gospel The term “social gospel” was a ideology held by many workers in settlement housing that religious faith should be expressed through good works However, this idea was criticized by Social Darwinists that social reform could not help them

Review What was the Chinese Exclusion Act and why was it passed? Why were newspapers so important? Who was Frederick Law Olmstead and what was his contribution to New York City? Who was Jane Addams? What was Hull House?

Assignment You have been awarded the job of planning a new city on 75,000 acres. You must: Have at least 3 parks/20 streets Define the downtown business district Label 4 nearby interstate systems Circle the suburban areas; label 4 shopping centers Include 2 museum areas; 10 schools Name all your streets and parks Must use a ruler and colored pencils