Gilded Age Coined by Mark Twain Gilded = Covered in Gold New Inventions Skyscrapers Electricity Great wealth Covered Poverty Crime Corruption Gap between rich and poor

Urban American Social Issues Immigration Urbanization Patronage Segregation Suffrage

Individualism Belief that despite their origins, one could rise to as far as talent and commitment would take them.

Immigration E. & S. European Asians Latin America European Old Immigrants N & W Europe New Immigrants S & E Europe Emigrate- Exiting a Country Immigrate- Entering a Country

Immigration Poverty Worker Uncertainty Political tyranny Religious Oppression Land and Work Better standard of living Stable government Opportunity for Social advancement PUSH FACTORS PULL FACTORS

Steamships Huge cargo ship Travel was cheap, crowded, miserable

Ellis Island- European Immigrants & Angel Island- Asian Immigrants Processing center for immigrants Frantic pace, Lost Identities, Health Inspections

The Melting Pot? Cultural Mosaic- A mix of cultures, languages, and ethnic groups that coexist in a society.

Ethnic Cities Immigrants move to neighborhoods where other like immigrants already live. + Promotes stability + Gives sense of security -Assimilation into American culture and language is a slow process. -Promotes hostilities between other ethnicities & natives

Nativism Movement of Extreme dislike for foreigners Focused on Jews Catholics E. Europeans Asians pro immigration limits Labor Unions are anti- immigration Chinese Exclusion Act-1882 Banned for 10 years, but renewed over and over until 1940s Chinese in US could not become citizens

Urbanization- Major growth in US Cities.

Political Reform Segregation

Migration to the City

Urbanization What did Immigrants Lack? Money-Cant buy land or farms Education-Forced to stay in cities to work jobs that have: Long Hours, Little Pay, Poor Working conditions

Urbanization What are the benefits of the living in the Cities? Plumbing Running water Electricity Cultural Centers Museums Libraries Theaters

Class Division- High, Middle, Low Wealthiest Families Lived in the heart of the city. Extravagant homes High Society( Wealthy)

Class Division Doctors Lawyers Teachers Architects “streetcar suburbs” They took a train to their houses right outside of the city. MIDDLE CLASS

Class Division They lived in Tenements- poor run down apartment in the slums. Unsanitary Crowded Dangerous Low Class- Working Class( Poor)

Why were immigrants forced to stay in cities? What were the consequences for living in the city. The jobs available to them were in the city, and the immigrants lacked money to afford their own farmlands, or the education to seek higher paying jobs. The consequences were working long hours for little pay with poor working conditions. The New Urban Environment

What were some differences between the social classes? The social classes differed in their level of income and the area in which they lived. The wealthy lived in the heart of the city in elaborate homes. The middle class lived away from the central city and used commuter lines to get to work. The working class lived in cities in tenements. Separation by Class

Urban Problems 4 Major Problems: Overcrowding Crime/Violence Blamed on Immigrants Blamed on Alcohol Sanitation Political Corruption

Urban Problems Were native-born Americans correct in blaming immigrants for the increase in crime and violence? Why or why not? The crime rate for immigrants was not significantly higher than that of native- born Americans.

Urban Politics Cities grow faster than government What is a Political Machine? What is a Political Machine? 1. Informal political group –Gain & keep power 2. Got things for the working class like… Jobs, homes, food, clothes, heat, protection, etc… –Positive note Provided necessary services & helped assimilate the new city dwellers. Party BossParty Boss received votes for Providing “things” –Once elected used political power for greed. GraftsGrafts=getting money through dishonest or questionable means. Bribes Negative Note

“I just get housing for them, buy clothes for them if they were burned up and fix them up till they get things runnin’ again. It’s philanthropy, but it’s politics too---mighty good politics. Who can tell how many votes one of these fires bring me? The poor are the most grateful people in the world, and, let me tell you, they have more friends in their neighborhood than the rich have in theirs.” -George Plunkitt (party boss): after a tenement building fire.

Tammany Hall William “Boss” Tweed Tweed Headquarters Grossly overpaid contractors for work 13 million. 180,000(2.5mil) for 3 tables & 40 chairs. Imprisoned for corruption. Died. Famous Example

What were some of the problems caused by political machines? The bosses that ran the political machines grew rich by accepting bribes, selling permits to friends, and dealing in other corrupt ways to benefit themselves. Urban Politics

"I am a Stalwart of the Stalwarts! I did it and I want to be arrested! Arthur is President now!” Charles Guiteau Assassinated President Garfield in July 1881

Political Reform ***(spoils system) Patronage- Gov. jobs are given to the supporters of the winning party. ***(spoils system) 1880 Garfield assassinated Pendleton Act- You get jobs based on merit, and you have to pass a test to get a government job

Checking for Understanding __ 1. __ 1.the acquisition of money in dishonest ways, as in bribing a politician __ 2.an organization linked to a political party that often controlled local government __ 3.the person in control of a political machine __ 4.System where jobs are given to supporters of candidates based on who you know in power __ 5.multi-family apartments, usually dark, crowded, and barely meeting minimal living standards A. A.patronage B.tenement C.political machine D.party boss E.graft Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on the left. C D E A B

Muckrakers 1906 They expose problems to inform the average citizen by writing about them Meat Inspection Act-1906 Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)-require accurate labeling of food and drugs.

Jacob Riis How the Other Half Lives Jane Addams Tenements- 2-3 families crammed into one slum Apartment. Settlement Houses- community centers in slum areas run by middle class women. They provided classes, medical care, day-care, kindergarten Hull House- Chicago

What did Political Machines do and what did they expect in return? When party bosses were elected into office what did they do? Real Quick