Chapter 14: A New Spirit of Change Section 1: The Hopes of Immigrants Section 3: Reforming American Society 1-2 F

Around the 1850’s – a lot of immigrants began coming to America An immigrant is: someone who comes into a country. An emigrant is: someone who leaves a country. F

Coming to America was much different 150 years ago. At that time, about 2/3 of all immigrants came from Europe. They probably came over on a ship – with the cheapest passage possible. Conditions were filthy and people were often sick on the way over here. When they got here, many did the “Ellis Island thing” F

There are “push-pull” factors for moving 3 4 Europe had started to become too crowded. Many European farmers were forced off their lands. They needed a new place to live and America had places they might be able to continue to farm. Some countries had crop failures and famines – people came here rather than starve (The Irish Potato Famine). The Industrial Revolution meant people had to look for jobs in factories – and there were more of those jobs in the U.S. Many people left Europe for religious and even political reasons. Freedom – people in the United States could be / do anything they wanted. There were better economic opportunities in the United States. There were millions of acres of open and unclaimed land – just waiting for the opportunity to be settled. F

One of the large immigrant groups: The Scandinavians They liked that America had a lot of land. They moved to places here that were very much like their homeland – farming areas with lakes, forests, and colder weather (Minnesota and Wisconsin) F

Another 1800’s immigrant group: The Germans Liked Wisconsin – they could farm and grow oats and grains (beer?) (and for a while the Catholic Bishop in Milwaukee was a German). Many also settled in Texas. Many also became bakers, butchers, carpenters, printers, shoemakers, and tailors. F

The largest 1800’s immigrant group: The Irish Most were Catholic. At that time Britain ruled Ireland and gave the Irish no rights – they couldn’t vote, own land, or go to school, so some came to get away from that. But… in 1845 a disease attacked the Irish potato crop and destroyed much of the Irish food supply. Over 1 million Irish starved to death and almost 2 million more left and came to America. F

The Irish In America they stayed in the cities they sailed to – they had no money to move anywhere else. By 1850 they were ¼ of the populations of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. They were mostly uneducated with few skills and little training. They had to take the worst jobs. Irish immigrants often were not wanted in America. Ads for employment often were followed by "NO IRISH NEED APPLY." Immigration laws F

With all these immigrants cities became VERY crowded – especially east coast cities. Many cities doubled in size every 5-10 years. There often wasn’t enough housing and many immigrants would have to share the same apartments – because of money too). It was also a time without modern plumbing, sewer, and water systems, garbage pickup, police and fire departments, and had overall poor general sanitation F

NYC - 1849 F

Wall Street - 1850 F

F NYC – 1850 Tenement

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There have always been people who are prejudiced A negative opinion that is not based on facts. Some people felt these immigrants would never learn American ways. Some felt they might take over. Some felt all the Catholics might somehow overthrow our country’s ideals of democracy. 6 F

These people who felt they needed to eliminate foreigners were called nativists People who believed they were way better than immigrants F

Of course, the only group that is really “native” to America:

In the early 1800’s Americans began to believe they could try and make their lives better There were several different ways they thought people could improve their lives. F

Temperance Societies: (not drinking alcohol) People drank a lot of alcohol in the early 1800’s. Some workers (men) spent too much money on getting drunk and their wives got upset. Many women joined the temperance movement. They were also supported by business owners who wanted their workers at work (not hung over and not drunk). 7a F

Organized group that protects and watches out for workers Workers Rights Labor unions began to form – and they demanded better working conditions. They’d even go on strike if they needed to – for shorter working hours, higher wages, and better working conditions. In 1840, President Van Buren even passed a law – government employees were limited to 10 hour working days. 7b F

Improving Education 7c F Better schools started in the 1830’s. Blame Horace Mann – the first person put in charge of schools. Boston – 1821 – 1st public high school. Churches and private groups began to open up a lot of private colleges. F

But… 7d F Women usually couldn’t go to college. Elizabeth Blackwell: 1st woman with a medical degree – 1849. African-Americans In the south – illegal to teach slaves after the Nat Turner rebellion. In the north – they usually were not allowed. Later on – after the civil War (1865) – more Black colleges / universities opened in the South F

Caring for the needy Dorothea Dix did a lot to help both women – and women/people in jail. In those days the mentally ill were put in jail – and all the jails were horrible. They’d put criminals, mentally ill, and even children all in the same cells. They also started looking at the possibility of rehabilitating prisoners. Another was helping the blind and/or deaf – like Thomas Gallaudet – who’s school is still the best school in the country for the deaf 7e F

Newspapers were really starting to grow – and then everyone could know what was going on and be better informed. Papers only cost a penny and people could hear all the up to date news. More magazines started to be published – even special interest magazines (Ladies’ Magazine / Godey’s Lady’s Book) 8-10 on your own F