Transforming American Society New Immigrants Growth of Cities Life in the Cities

THE NEW IMMIGRANTS Came in search of opportunity and a better life 1800-1880 10 million old immigrants arrived in the United States 1891-1910 12 million New Immigrants arrived in the United States 70% from southern and eastern Europe Came to escape poverty and persecution

New Immigrant Societies Immigrants would generally move to urban industrial areas They would settle in immigrant communities which made the transition to America easier

CONT… Immigrants came by way of ships Accommodations were in the steerage-below deck in the ships lower levels Came through Ellis Island or Angel Island All were subject to a physical exam Also questioned about their background, skills, and criminal records Ellis Island Immigration Museum - Home

CONT… New churches started to spring up in communities all over cities Helped immigrants keep a sense of identity and belonging What immigrant communities are still in this area? Benevolent societies were set up to help the poor immigrants by immunization and employment

IN THE WORK PLACE Immigrants were given the dirty jobs Were paid less and worked longer hours than old immigrants Were treated poorly by society Blamed for crime, poverty, and violence

American Liberty and Exclusion Welcome to Discovery Education Player Immigrants came to America with the dream of golden streets Found exclusion, poverty, and hate Chinese Exclusion Act-denied citizenship to Chinese immigrants Immigration Restriction League-wanted to impose literacy tests on all immigrants Immigration continued despite the discrimination

Growth of Cities Before the 2nd industrial revolution, most people lived on farms. 1865-1900, the size of cities doubled The development of the elevator and steel made skyscrapers possible Decreased the size of cities Mass transit extended U.S. cities outward

Cities Suburbs grew on the outskirts of cities Upper and middle class moved to the suburbs Nouveau riche emerge in the cities Families that became newly rich such as Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Vanderbilt Conspicuous Consumption-spent money freely-MTV cribs

Middle Class Middle Class also emerged Professionals such as doctors and lawyers Middle class women were not permitted to work Roots of the women's movement start to emerge with women professionals

Lower Class Most of the poor lived in tenements-poorly constructed apartments Lived within walking distance of work-pollution and smell, raw sewage and garbage. Rooms were the size of a classroom and housed families of 5-10. One bathroom per floor Tenement Museum | Virtual Tour

Lower Class Had little running water and many code violations Building inspectors were paid to look the other way Tenants who complained were evicted Some citizens wanted reform Poverty was confronted with settlement homes-community centers

Lower Class Social Gospel-Christian principals to social problems Reform started for public education for children / Compulsory education laws Reform for child labor Cities were still on the decline Disease will lead to the 1918 flu epidemic

Lower Class Lower Class will make possible political corruption and Political Machines. Why were new immigrants taken advantage of by democracy? How did the lower class and city life contribute to the worst pandemic since the Plague? ( Page 372)