1. The Age of the City APUSH MS. Vargas

2. Urbanization By 1920 a census revealed that the majority of Americans lived in “Urban areas = +2500 people This influx of population was largely from immigration 1880s largest immigrant populations from Southern Europe – by 1890 ½ of all immigrants came from this region While earlier immigrant waves had come with money and professional skills – this new wave came without startup capital – so they settled in cities and worked in Industrial jobs 87% of Chicago’s population was immigrants; 80% in NYC

3. Immigrant Experience The transition to life in cities from rural areas of Europe was dificult Development of “immigrant Ghettoes”  close-knit ethnic communities within cities Newspapers and theaters in native languages, stores with ethnic foods, church and fraternal organizations Who were the immigrants? Young: 15-45 Assimilation Policies Public Schools taught English; some employers made workers speak English; Church leaders encouraged parishioners to assimilate to American ways Anti-immigration societies: Immigration Restriction League

4. Public Spaces Reaction to the growing congestion of the city by middle and upper class Americans Park as refuge Central Park – focus on natural looking spaces rather than orderly gardens Great Public Buildings: libraries, art galleries, theaters, concert halls 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago – became the inspiration behind the “Beautiful City” Movement

5. Housing in Cities Development of railroad suburbs Tenement Housing – NYC = 143 people per acre Jacob Riis – How the Other Half Lives

6. Out and Up 1870s – Above ground railways in cities Skyscrapers Bridges The Impact of STEEL

7. Downside of Urban Life Fire – terrible fires in cities in 1871 encouraged building fire-proof buildings and professional fire fighting units Disease – inadequate sanitation – typhoid fever and cholera; Flush toilets and sewer systems began to appear in the 1870s but most places, especially lower- class neighborhoods still had sewage free flowing through the street - more widespread by 1910 Air pollution Public Health Services – charged with regulating health codes for industries

8. Urban Crime and Politics Crime rates rose steadily toward the end of the century The “Urban Boss” – win votes for their party – patronage jobs William Tweed  Tammany Hall (1860s-70s) – use of public funds and kickbacks

9. Mass Consumption Rising income – especially for the middle class – increase of 1/3 between 1890-1910 Ready Made Clothing Middle and Working class women could engage in Fashion and develop a distinctive style of dress Chain stores, mail-order houses and department stores Impact of women as consumers – National Consumers League (Florence Kelley) mobilizing women as consumers to influence manufacturers

10. Leisure Growth of free time Spectator Sports – Baseball, Football, and Basketball Vaudeville and Theater – few avenues open to black performers; birth of movies – D.W. Griffith Birth of a Nation and Intolerance Coney Island Dime Novels

11. Mass Communication Hearst and Newspapers – 9 newspapers and 2 magazines – new layout technologies and the ability to print pictures in color Telephone – Bell System – Major monopoly – impact on women