Towards an Urban America

Immigration Immigrants came to the U.S. for various reasons. They include: 1. Hope for better opportunity, i.e. land and jobs 2. Religious Freedom 3. Escape from political governments (also described as political freedom) 4. Adventure

Old versus New Immigrants Old immigrants – Came from Northern and Western Europe Most arrived before 1895 Protestant Spoke fairly good English Blended in well to American Society New immigrants Came from Southern and Eastern Europe Most arrived after 1895 Jewish and Catholics Didn’t speak English Didn’t blend in well to American Society

The Immigrant Experience Difficulties included 1. Finding work 2. Discrimination 1. Many saw immigrants as being different 2. Believed immigrants would lower wages and take away jobs. 3. Adjusting to America – most wanted to keep some aspects of their own culture but at the same time wanted to assimilate. 4. Nativist movement – people in America who believed that there should be limitations on immigration

Moving to the City Cities in the U.S. expanded rapidly in the late 1800s. Reasons include: Cities in the U.S. expanded rapidly in the late 1800s. Reasons include: 1. Immigration from other countries – immigrants moved to cities to find jobs 2. Specialized industries developed in particular cities such as steel in Pittsburgh PA and meatpacking in Chicago, IL 3. Movement of Americans from rural to urban areas for job opportunities

Cities in Crisis  Rapid industrialization and urbanization led to overcrowded immigrant neighborhoods and tenements  Tenements – found in the most crowded and biggest cities, the poorest residents (mostly immigrants) lived in tenements. Most were found in slums or ghettos.

Cities in Crisis continued  Sanitation problems – garbage and horse manure accumulated in the streets. Sewers could not handle the flow of human waste.  Health problems – disease spread rapidly in the conditions mentioned above. Whooping cough, diphtheria, measles, and tuberculosis killed both infants and adults.  Fire  Crime

Solutions to Solve Immigration and City Problems Settlement Houses – these were located in poor neighborhoods and provided medical care, playgrounds, and other services to those in need. Settlement Houses – these were located in poor neighborhoods and provided medical care, playgrounds, and other services to those in need. Those who worked in settlement houses pushed for garbage removal and police protection. Those who worked in settlement houses pushed for garbage removal and police protection. The most famous settlement house was Hull House, founded by Jane Addams The most famous settlement house was Hull House, founded by Jane Addams Jacob Riis was a reformer, photographer, and writer who was known for his work for improving the conditions in the slums of New York City. His pictures and his book How the Other Half Lives brought the conditions of the slums to the attention of readers. Jacob Riis was a reformer, photographer, and writer who was known for his work for improving the conditions in the slums of New York City. His pictures and his book How the Other Half Lives brought the conditions of the slums to the attention of readers.

The Changing City Urban growth led to important new developments. In the late 1800s, cities saw the introduction of a new type of building, new public transportation, and public parks.

The Changing City In 1884, William LeBaron Jenney constructed the first skyscraper in Chicago. Frederick Law Olmsted designed New York’s Central Park New forms of public transportation was another cause for the growth of cities. These included 1. Cable Cars – San Francisco, CA 2. Trolley Cars – Richmond, VA 3. Subway – Boston, MA 4. Paved streets 5. Bridges – Eads Bridge in St. Louis, MO and Brooklyn Bridge in New York These also allowed some people, such as the middle class, to move to the suburbs. These were areas that sprang up outside the city centers.

Changing Culture More of an emphasis was starting to be placed on education during this time span. More of an emphasis was starting to be placed on education during this time span. As opportunities for education grew, more Americans became interested in reading. As opportunities for education grew, more Americans became interested in reading. 1. Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst – Pulitzer created a new style of writing known as yellow journalism which was imitated by Hearst. Both used this technique to sell newspapers. Yellow journalism is a sensational style of writing that attracts readers by focusing on dramatic or gruesome aspects of stories. 2. Many writers used realism (shows things how they really are, depicts real life situations) and regionalism (focusing on one particular region of the country) A. Mark Twain – both a realist and regionalist, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer B. Stephen Crane – wrote The Red Badge of Courage C. Jack London – wrote The Call of the Wild

Art, Music, and Literature For most of the 1800s, the work of American artists and musicians reflected a European influence. After the Civil War, Americans began to develop a distinctively American style. 1. Thomas Eakins – painted human anatomy and surgical operations 2. Winslow Homer – painted Southern farmers, Adirondack campers and stormy seas scenes 3. Henry Tanner – depicted warm family scenes of African Americans in the South

Art, Music, and Leisure cont’d James Whistler – Arrangement in Grey and Black also known as “Whistler’s Mother” is one of the best known American paintings

Art, Music, and Leisure cont’d John Philip Sousa – composed marches, including “Stars and Stripes Forever” Jazz – developed by African American musicians in New Orleans, jazz combined elements of work songs, gospel music, spirituals, and African rhythms. Ragtime – Related to jazz. One of the best known ragtime composers was Scott Joplin, who wrote “Maple Leaf Rag”

Spectator Sports - Sports like baseball, basketball, and football become popular. Tennis, golf, bicycling were activities Americans started to participated in. Vaudeville – variety shows with dancing, singing, comedy, and magic acts Thomas Edison invented “moving pictures” in the 1880s. Movies soon became very popular. This was the beginning of today’s film industry.