Urbanization & Social Reforms in the Gilded Age

Goal We will: Understand urbanization Identify the underlying beliefs of Social Reformers of this era

Progressives Today: left side of the Democratic Party

Progressive Era Movement from 1890-1920 Wanted progress towards better conditions in government and society A more humane and fair society

Context for Social Reform: Urbanization

Think/Pair/Share: Where do you want to live? City Suburb Small town Rural area

Discuss In America TODAY: What are the benefits of cities? What are the drawbacks of cities?

Analyzing Urbanization Use the charts to examine urbanization in America Answer the questions, citing specific documents

1. WHEN DID URBANIZATION HAPPEN? Urbanization primarily took place between _______ and _________. As Document ____ shows, in 1880, only ____________ state(s) had more than ____% of their population(s) living in cities. By 1920, however, _____________ state(s) had over ___% of their populations living in cities. CONCLUSION CITE DOC EVIDENCE

Urbanization: The Move to the Cities Between 1880 and 1920, 11 million Americans moved to the cities Most from farms New immigrants African-Americans began to migrate to cities

Cities in the Gilded Age Expanded outwards First suburbs Subways & trains make this possible Cities grew upwards Buildings taller and taller America: The Story of Us. Cities CLIP: 17:43-21:30

Benefits of the cities Jobs Strong communities Specialized labor Particularly for immigrant groups Specialized labor

Entry Task What is a social problem/challenge that exists in the world today? How were you made aware of it?

Problems of the cities Slums Tenements Low-cost apartment buildings designed to house as many families as possible

Problems in the Slums Poverty Crime Disease Organized gangs gained power during this time as a result of urbanization Disease Cholera and typhoid In one NYC tenement, 6 out of 10 babies died before the age of one

Reform: The Social Gospel In the 1880s and 1890s, urban charities began to try to apply religious beliefs directly to society Philosophy based on Christian ideas of charity & justice Aimed to improve living conditions for poor in cities.

Examples YMCA Salvation Army Bible study prayer meetings “citizenship” classes fitness Salvation Army Aid for the urban poor Religious counseling

Settlement Houses Jane Addams and Hull House Community centers that offered a range of social services Classes Child-care centers Playgrounds Help finding jobs

What are the underlying beliefs of the Social Gospel movement? Document Examination What were the underlying beliefs of the Social Gospel movement? Describe the document What are the underlying beliefs of the Social Gospel movement? Document A: Dance Halls Document B: Americanizing Forces Document C: Jacob Riis

“Americanization” Immigrants were taught: English language American culture & U.S. history —> citizenship/assimilation

Eugenics Many Progressives believed in eugenics HUGE failure of Progressive reformers: to address disenfranchisement and increasing racial violence in the South

Other Methods for Reform

Muckrakers

Are there modern muckrakers?

Muckraking Photography Jacob Riis – Journalist who wrote about and photographed poverty in NYC’s slums in the 1880s “How the Other Half Lives” - 1890

Photographs of the late 1800s Could take detailed photos Subjects had to be still for several minutes

Jacob Riis Bandit's Roost 1888

Jacob A. Riis A Growler Gang in Session (Robbing a Lush) 1887

Jacob A. Riis, Street Arabs in Sleeping Quarters, circa 1880s

Jacob Riis, Five Cents Lodging, Bayard Street. Circa 1889.

Story of Us Clip on Riis Clip: 28:52-31:32

Partner summary questions 1. Does the fact that these photographs are posed take away some of their trustworthiness about how poor, urban Americans lived? 2. What do you think Riis wanted to communicate to his audience? 3. What might these photographs tell you about the middle class Americans who bought Riis’ books and attended his lectures? What did his audience believe about children? About photographs? 4. What information do these photos give you about urban life in the Gilded Age?

Muckraking Journalism Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle 1906 exposes health violations & unsanitary practice of American meatpacking industry http://www.powayusd.com/online/usonline/worddoc/jungle.htm - could read excerpts

Impact of “The Jungle” Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) First law regulating food and drugs Labels must be accurate Meat Inspection Act (1906) Dept. of Agriculture responsible for conducting inspections of factories Designed to protect American consumer

Exit Ticket Who were the Progressives? What did they believe, and what was their impact on U.S. society in the early 20th century? Use at least two pieces of evidence from lecture & document analysis.