Urban America 1865-1900

Urban Growth Electric Trolley Car Encouraged growth of the central business district Promoted physical expansion of cities Commute to work from a new ring of streetcar suburbs

The New Immigrants Second Wave of Immigration Prior to 1870s, N and W Europe 1870s on, S and E Europe Mainly Italy, Poland, Austro-Hungary, and Russia Most Italy and S Europe - unemployment and crushing poverty Jewish immigrants from Poland and Russia -escape from widespread persecution Saw America as a land of freedom and opportunity Arrival at Ellis Island

The New Immigrants A hard new life Settled in large cities in the NE Tenements living & 12-hour work days Often congregated into urban enclaves “Little Italys” “Little Hungarys” Could speak their native language & practice their religions

Political Machines Big city political machines Early form of welfare Help poor for votes Early form of welfare Corrupt bosses often engaged in illegal schemes that cost their cities millions of dollars NYC: group of corrupt politicians known as the “Tweed Ring” led by “Boss” William Marcy Tweed Stole as much as $200 million from the public treasury

Political Machines End of Boss Tweed Thomas Nast exposed Tweed’s fraudulent practices in a series of political cartoons

Nativism Nativist reaction Wave of new immigrants sparked nativist response New immigrants spoke different languages, practiced different religions, and worked for low wages Threat to their jobs & way of life

The New Immigrants The Chinese Exclusion Act, 1882 Largest non-European group in CA Mainly in sections of cities - “Chinatowns” unfair competition b/c worked for low wages Suspended immigration of all Chinese laborers for 10 years Renewed in 1892 & made permanent in 1902 First law to exclude a specific ethnic or racial group from immigrating to the U.S.

Urban Reformers Jacob Riis and How the Other Half Lives NYC Journalist & photographer -exposed the poverty and despair of the Lower East Side Led to NYC tearing down some of the worst slums - replaced with new parks and playgrounds

Urban Reformers Jane Addams & the settlement house movement Devoted life to helping the urban poor Hull House – settlement house Daycares for working mothers & classes teaching English Later reading room & installed showers in the basement

The Social Gospel Walter Rauschenbusch and the Social Gospel Advocated Christian principles of love & justice be applied to the urban problems Philosophy = the Social Gospel America’s churches had a moral responsibility to take the lead in actively confronting social problems and helping the poor

Popular Culture New forms of popular culture Sports generated major businesses Professional team sports - last quarter of the 19th century Baseball began its reign as the national pastime 1896 Baltimore Orioles

Popular Culture Launch of American film industry America’s 5th largest industry, and Hollywood is center of movie production D.W. Griffith - innovative and controversial director The Birth of a Nation was Hollywood’s 1st blockbuster film Glorified depiction of the rise of the KKK after the CW Inspired resurgence of the KKK in the 1920s

Realistic Art and Literature Romanticism dominated the 19th century Industrialization & urbanization led to harsh new social realities Realism focused on the facets of the modern world Idealized landscapes and sentimental love stories seemed out of touch with raw and loud cities

The Gross Clinic – Thomas Eakins

New York City – George Bellows

McSorley’s Bar – John Sloan

Nighthawks – Edward Hopper