What conditions did European immigrants find? Nativism – American Protective Association Hated Catholics Had 1 million members at height – Workingman’s Party of California Founded by Irish against Chinese Won government seats in CA Turned immigration into national issue

What conditions did European immigrants find? Government policies – Ban on convicts, paupers, and mentally disabled – 50 cent tax per person – Chinese Exclusion Act No more Chinese for 10 years No citizenship to Chinese already in USA Not repealed until 1943 Caused huge decrease in Chinese population in America

How did growing populations affect cities? Key numbers – Urban population tripled between 1870 and 1900 – NYC: 800,000 to 3.5 million – Chicago: 109,000 to 1.6 million – 131 cities in 1840 to 1,700 cities in 1900

How did growing populations affect cities? Reasons to live in cities – Lacked money to buy farm – Lacked education for good jobs – Factory job = better standard of living Plumbing, running water, electricity – Social mobility Even over Nativist prejudices – Entertainment Libraries, theaters, clubs/saloons

How did growing populations affect cities? Growth of the modern city – Rapid growth creates shortage of land – Higher demand = higher prices Build up rather than out Skyscrapers Chicago’s Home Insurance Building

How did growing populations affect cities? Growth of the modern city – Mass transit – Horsecar: rail car pulled by horses – Cable cars: underground cables – Electric trolley cars – Too many people created need for other levels Subway and Chicago L

How did class divisions affect the growth of cities? City divisions – Upper class Built huge, extravagant structures in middle of cities

How did class divisions affect the growth of cities? City divisions – Middle class Growing in size Lawyers, engineers, managers, social workers, architects, teachers Move away from city centers – Suburbs – Commuted by rail lines

How did class divisions affect the growth of cities? City divisions – Working class 3 out of 4 lived in tenement apartments – Dark, dirty, crowded Annual income of ~$500 – Half as much as middle class Supplement income by allowing boarders and sending kids to work in factories

How did class divisions affect the growth of cities? City conditions – Infrastructure couldn’t handle growth Improper sewage and waste disposal – Contaminated water – Horse waste – Smoke from factories Crime – Pickpockets, thieves thrived in crowded areas – Rise in murder rate – People blamed murder and alcohol Fires – Run by gangs – Few safety regulations

How did government respond to these conditions? Rise of the political machine – Informal political group that exchanged help for power – The exchange Immigrants & poor: need jobs, housing, food, protection Politicians: need votes – Control over city’s finances and services Graft and fraud—taking money by dishonest means Buying soon-to-be-developed land and selling it to city for profit Accepting bribes Control of police meant impunity – Couldn’t be punished

What is the Gilded Age? Gilded Age – Mark Twain – 1873 novel satirizing greed and corruption Gold on outside Cheap on inside Individualism – Background didn’t matter— someone could rise through society – Horatio Alger Rags to riches novels

What is the Gilded Age? Social Darwinism – Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution – Survival of the fittest – Laissez faire But for society Philanthropy – Opposition to Social Darwinism – Wealthy Americans must use own fortunes to help social progress Gospel of Wealth Andrew Carnegie donated millions to science, libraries, and schools

What did people do for fun during the Gilded Age? The Arts – Realism Realistic portrayals of American life Art and literature Themes reflected everyday, common values Entertainment – Industrialization meant free time Work  Wages  Shorter hours  free time – People needed things to do

What did people do for fun during the Gilded Age? Entertainment (continued) – Saloons Central role in male working class life Political centers – Exchange for votes Free toilets, newspapers, and food – Salty food so they’d be thirsty! – Amusement parks Coney Island – Water slides and rail car rides

What did people do for fun during the Gilded Age? Entertainment (continued) – Sports Boxing Baseball – Cincinnati Red Stockings, 1869 Football – Public universities – Theater Vaudeville – Based on French theater – Acrobats, animals, dancers, gymnasts Ragtime – Fast paced music

How did Americans want to solve society’s problems? How best to fix society’s issues? – Gaps in wealth between workers and owners – Poor living conditions – Crime – Poor working conditions Henry George – Progress and Poverty – All this wealth—why are so many still impoverished?

How were society’s problems addressed during the Gilded Age? Lester Frank Ward – Reform Darwinism – Government should do more to solve society’s problems Edward Bellamy – Looking Forward – Government should spread the wealth – Socialism is perfect Or is it?