URBAN AMERICA 1865-1896

WHY IT MATTERS European and Asian immigrants arrived in the United States in great numbers during the late 1800s. Providing cheap labor, they made rapid industrial growth possible. They also helped populate the growing cities. The immigrants’ presence affected both urban politics & labor unions. Reactions to immigrants & to an urban society were reflected in new political organizations and in literature and philosophy. Industrialism & urbanization changed American society’s ideas & culture in the late 1800s THE PRESSING PROBLEMS OF THE URBAN POOR IN THE LATE 1800s AND EARLY 1900s EVENTUALLY STIMULATED ATTEMPTS TO REFORM INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY  The Progressive Era

URBANIZATION & IMMIGRATION MAIN IDEA: During the three decades following the Civil War, the U.S. transformed rapidly from a rural nation to a more urban one. With the end of the Civil War, American industry expanded and millions of people left their farms to work in mines and factories. Many found work in cities which led to urbanization as cities rapidly expanded. Immigrants before 1870 – Northern and Western Europe, assimilate easily. Immigrants after 1870 – (during peak of industrial era) – Southern and Eastern Europe, not easily assimilated.

NATIVISM Nativism = extreme dislike for immigrants by native-born people & a desire to limit immigration In 1840s/50s it focused primarily on Irish immigrants. Now anti-immigrant feelings focused on Asians/Jews/eastern Europeans. Nativists opposed immigration for many reasons. Feared Catholics from Ireland & southern/eastern Eur. would overpower Protestants & give Catholic Church too much power in American gov. Many labor unions opposed immigration because immigrants would work for low wages/strikebreakers. Anti-Immigration movement  widespread racial violence Chinese Exclusion Act = barred Chinese immigration for 10 yrs & prevented Chinese already in the country from becoming citizens

Americans Migrate to the Cities Urban population grows from around 10 million in 1870 to over 30 million in 1900 131 cities 1840  over 1,700 cities by 1900 Most immigrants stay in cities because lack $ to buy farms & education to obtain higher- paying jobs Rural Ams  cities bc more/better paying jobs & offered things to do/see Millions into cities  engineers/architects develop new housing/transporting approaches Skyscrapers = tall steel frame buildings City populations growing  land price rises  build upward not outward Bright lights, running water, museums/theater/libraries -1st = Chicago’s 10 story Home Insurance Building 1885 Louis Sullivan =contributed to design – simple lines, spacious windows, durable plate glass Cities aimed to develop mass transit systems Frank J. Sprague = engineer developed electric trolley

URBAN PROBLEMS City living posed threats such as crime, violence, fire, disease, & pollution. Alcohol & saloons  violent crime, “breeding poverty,” corrupt politics 3 classes emerged: high society, middle-class gentility, & working class

URBAN POLITICS Political machine = informal political group designed to gain/keep power, came about partly because cities had grown much faster than their governments In exchange for votes, political machines & party bosses who ran them provided necessities like jobs, housing, food, heat, protection that new city dwellers needed. Party bosses who ran political machines controlled the city’s finances & many grew rich through graft = getting $ through dishonest or questionable means. Ex: Tammany Hall & William M. “Boss” Tweed – New York Democratic political machine

Jacob Riis (1890) – How the Other Half Lives Exposing the deplorable living conditions in New York City tenements

BENEFITS OF INDUSTRIALIZATION Mass production in factories  more affordable/cheaper products New technology/developments and cheaper products  increased standard of living for many Improved standard of living  changing popular culture Spend $ on entertainment and recreation The Saloon Amusement Parks Sports Vaudeville & Ragtime

THE GILDED AGE (1870-1900) 1873 Mark Twain & Charles Warner co-wrote novel The Gilded Age Term “gilded” refers to something being gold on the outside while the inside is made of cheaper material Although this was a time of growth, beneath the surface was corruption, poverty, & a huge gap between rich & poor Industrialization & urbanization  new values, art, & forms of entertainment. In 1873 Mark Twain and Charles Warner co-wrote the novel, The Gilded Age Historians use this term to refer to the time between 1870 and 1900. The term “gilded” refers to something being gold on the outside while the inside is made of cheaper material. The authors tried to point out that although this was a time of growth, beneath the surface were corruption, poverty, and a huge difference between rich and poor.

REALISM Realism replaces romanticism in art & literature = new movement in art/literature - portrayed people in realistic situations instead of idealizing them Portray real life situations to draw attention to problems faced by urban poor & focus on society as it actually was

INDIVIDUALISM & SOCIAL DARWINISM A strong belief during the Gilded Age was the idea of individualism = belief that regardless of your background, you could still rise in society. Horatio Alger, a minister from Massachusetts, left the clergy and moved to New York where he wrote over 100 novels about rags-to-riches stories. English philosopher Herbert Spencer 1st proposed the idea of Social Darwinism when he took Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution & natural selection & applied it to human society Human society evolved through competition  society progressed because only the fittest people survived Industrial leaders agreed with Social Darwinism. Upsets many Christians who believed in creationism. Social Darwinism paralleled laissez-faire. If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher, first proposed the idea of Social Darwinism Spencer took Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and natural selection and applied it to human society.  Like Darwin’s theory–that a species that cannot adapt to the environment will eventually die out–Spencer felt that human society evolved through competition. He concluded that society progressed and became better because only the fittest people survived.  Many devout Christians and some leading scientists opposed the idea of Darwin’s conclusions about the origin of new species. They rejected the theory of evolution because it went against the Bible’s account of creation. *individualism reinforced by social darwinism

HELPING THE URBAN POOR Andrew Carnegie (prominent business leader) softens Social Darwinism with Gospel of Wealth = philosophy that wealthy Americans bore the responsibility of engaging in philanthropy Philanthropy = using great fortunes to further social progress/contribute to social causes Social Gospel = 1870-1920 reformers worked to better conditions in cities according to biblical ideals of charity/justice –apply “Christian law” to social problems. YMCA & SALVATION ARMY EMERGE TO HELP AID URBAN POOR Workers in industrial America faced monotonous (boring, unfulfilling, and repetitive) work, dangerous working conditions, & an uneven division of income between the wealthy & the working class. This distinction of social classes could be seen in cities throughout the US that had very wealthy sectors and very poor sectors. Many of the impoverished lived in deplorable conditions: in dirty one room apartments called tenement apartments. Settlement houses- houses where the poor could have their basic needs provided for; food, clothes, shelter. Jane Addams was a leading advocate & creator of settlement houses. Ex: Hull House Andrew Carnegie, a wealthy business leader, believed in Social Darwinism and laissez-faire. However, he also felt those who profited from society should give something back, so he softened Social Darwinism with his Gospel of Wealth.  This philosophy stated that wealthy Americans were responsible and should engage in philanthropy, using great fortunes to further social progress.

REFORM: PUBLIC EDUCATION Spread of schools: # public schools increased quickly after the Civil War Public schools crucial to the success of immigrant children – Americanization = process of becoming more knowledgeable about American culture  worked to assimilate immigrants Schools helped workers prepare for the jobs they hoped would lift their families out of poverty  timely attendance, neatness, efficiency, etc… Higher education expanded: Morrill Land Grant Act helped colleges multiple in the late 1800s by federal gov. giving land grants to states for the purpose of establishing agricultural & mechanical colleges. Public libraries made education available to city dwellers.