IMMIGRATION AND URBANIZATION

NEW IMMIGRANTS Many Europeans migrated to American cities at the end of the 19 th century Until 1880’s most came from British Isles and Western Europe high rates of literacy and were familiar with representative forms of government After 1880 character of immigrant changed New Immigrants came from Eastern Europe, many Jewish or worshiped in Orthodox churches, poor, illiterate Came to urban areas to seek jobs, some went back many stayed Settled in ethnic neighborhoods and did not assimilate easily into American life

NEW IMMIGRANTS 60 million left Europe in the late 19 th and early 20 th century, more than half came to US Wars, religious persecution, land reform in home country pushed many to the U.S. US seen as land of opportunity American industry needed their low wage labor, wanted buyers for western land, Jews had best experience with city life and they assimilated and experienced success in cities Many immigrants that stayed struggled to preserve their traditional culture, established schools, newspapers and ethnic restaurants to preserve culture of home Children of immigrants typically adopted American language and culture

COMING TO AMERICA European immigrants arrived in America at Ellis Island Immigration officials decided who could enter Chinese and Asian Immigrants arrived at Angel Island, many were held for a much longer time that European immigrants

REACTION TO NEW IMMIGRANTS Government did little to weed out new immigrants or help them adjust to American life City government was the most proactive force for their assimilation and they did very little Political machines and party bosses took care of many immigrants; they provided jobs, housing, food and public services in return for votes Immigrants awakened social consciences of American reformers, many used ideas of Christian charity to help immigrants (Christian Socialists), paved the way for Progressive movement of early 20 th century

REACTION TO NEW IMMIGRANTS Jane Adams, reformer form middle class family 1889 opened Hull House in Chicago Settlement House movement began Helped immigrants assimilate to life in America Located in poor neighborhoods; provided instruction in English, daycare, counseling on how to cope with new life, cultural activities Other settlement houses were opened in big cities Became centers of women's activism and social reform Lobbied for women’s protection in factories, battled for welfare for consumers, African- Americans

REACTION TO NEW IMMIGRANTS 1880’s nativism returned New immigrants seen as un-American in their ways Anti-foreign organizations grew Competition was fierce for American jobs Worry about dangerous doctrines of socialism, communism, anarchism Hard to unionize new immigrants and they were usually used as “scabs” during strikes American workers wanted to be protected from foreign labor like American industry was protected from foreign competition 1882 Congress passes first restrictive laws to check flow of immigrants, many more passed over the next few decades

CITIES EXPAND AND CHANGE

AMERICA BECOMES A NATION OF CITIES Decades following Civil War, population doubled, population of American cities tripled By % of Americans were urban dwellers European peasants pushed off land to cities by lure of industrial jobs, revolution in American agriculture fed growing American and European cities 1860 no city in US had 1 million people, by 1890 three cities had over 1 million population (NYC, Chicago, Philadelphia) Skyscrapers became a symbol of the growth of the American city Americans became commuters, mass transit lines spread out from central city to suburbs City became immense, impersonal, megalopolis Different distinct enclaves emerged for business, industry and residential living (often separated by race, ethnic and social class)

WHAT ATTRACTED PEOPLE TO CITIES? Farmers (rural to urban migrants) – agriculture became more mechanized, making a living farming became harder, city life seen as more exciting Move to city was hard, worked on schedule, confined factories African- Americans left the south for Midwestern cities Economic opportunity (factory jobs, service industry) More opportunity and promise for women and children (jobs, schools) Variety, glamour- theaters, social clubs, museums Opportunity for people to raise their standard of living Products available at lower prices, advertising, money back guarantee, trademarks, distinctive brands emerged, contributed to mass culture of Americans Department stores (Macy’s, Marshall Fields) provided urban workers jobs (many women), ushered in age of consumerism

TECHNOLOGY IMPROVES CITY LIFE Growth caused cities to respond to new problems (water, sewers, schools, safety) New technology developed to meet challenges Skyscrapers- more efficient use of space, gave cities recognizable skylines Mass Transit - moved the middle class out of the cities and created suburbs Technology - steel frames, elevator, central heat, telephone, electricity Architecture - emerged as a specialized career, new buildings used artistic design to magnify height City Planning designed to make cities more beautiful, functional, control growth Zoning laws- certain areas for certain functions Public libraries, public buildings, parks and recreational spaces Fredrick Law Olmsted designed Central Park nations first urban public park (1860’s)

I. THE URBAN FRONTIER Overcrowding, poverty caused problems Poor lived near their work Lived in densely populated neighborhoods, tenement buildings (low- cost housing designed to house many families) Cities were filthy Unpaved streets, trash, dead horses, animal waste all left in the streets Many tenements had no indoor plumbing Late 1880’s government, city planners regulate housing, sanitation, public health, water quality Developed police force and firefighters, improved safety with streetlights Tension between ethnic groups, race, class, neighborhood loyalties defined life for many generations