Chapter 16: The Transformation of American Society

Chapter 16: The Transformation of American Society
“The hook: The industrial revolution and increasing immigration to America in the latter half of the 19th century would quickly transform cities ”

The Big Picture: Transforming America
The Industrial Revolution generated opportunities and challenges Great wealth for some and jobs for many New products and transportation links enriched and connected many people Cities grew at great rates- America quickly becoming an urban (city) society Growing numbers of immigrants look for opportunities Much of what we associate with city life was taking shape in the 19th century

The Industrial Revolution and Urban Society
The Industrial Revolution provided a great variety of opportunities for a great variety of people. Entrepreneurs like Carnegie and Rockefeller would draw on existing populations and transportation systems to build great corporations and historic fortunes (Upper Class) A growing number of merchants and small entrepreneurs would find growing number of opportunities to cater to the needs of growing urban populations (Middle Class) Immigrants and rural immigrants looked for work in factories- Lacked social safety nets common today Poor day laborers and street criminals

The Immigrant Transformation

New Immigration Immigrants- people who come into a land from a different land Push factors Famine and poverty in home country Political and social problems in home country Pull factors Economic opportunities in America Available land to farm Jobs in industrial workforce (most immigrants in this period ended up in cities Political freedom

“Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses…”
European immigrants typically arrived in New York City Ellis Island opened 1892 Physicals and criminal checks Most immigrants accepted Angel Island near San Francisco handled Chinese immigrants Strict limits

Your Opinion Counts How does immigration help America? How does it challenge America?

Challenges for New Immigrants
Many had no money or skills- forced to find low paying low skilled jobs Crowded in poor housing Feared and hated by Americans Lowering wages and taking jobs Fear of religious and cultural differences Nativism- Organized efforts to intimidate immigrants and restrict future immigration Particularly hard on Chinese- Chinese Exclusion Act 1882 Assimilation- Education and pressure to become American

How Immigrants Coped With Challenges
Immigrants often flocked to neighborhoods with populations from their homelands Little Italys Chinatowns Creation of benevolent societies Organizations where people polled resources to help- like insurance companies Church groups

How does this cartoon reveal nativism?

Chapter 16: The Transformation of American Society (1865-1910) Section 2: The Urban World
“The hook: The industrial revolution sweeping America in the latter half of the 19th century would quickly transform cities ”

What is meant by class? Class- a concept that people live under different conditions and levels of privilege Power- ability to control the activities of others --examples? Prestige- The esteem by which others hold you ---examples? Wealth– The amount of money and other assets you control – examples? While the American ideal is that of a classless society where no group has privilege over another, the economic nature of capitalism shows that this is not true Meritocracy- risk taking and the accumulation of wealth

The Urban Rich The industrial revolution created a new class nouveau-riche – “The new rich” This class often attempted to imitate the lives of old world nobility Huge mansions and ostentatious cottages Philanthropy for show Victorian morality Very visible in the community Rags-to-riches dream… You too can be a millionaire!” Horatio Alger novels

John D. Rockefeller’s Home on Millionaire's Row Euclid Avenue- Cleveland, Ohio

Vanderbilt’s “Cottage” at Newport, RI

The Nouveau Riche (New Rich) and the City
The rich held enormous power Relatively few people would control industry- wages and conditions for millions of Americans Controlled state and national politics The rich had great prestige- captains of industry and fathers of philanthropy The rich of the late 19th century controlled a greater percentage of American wealth and paid no income tax!

The Middle Class The wealth generated by the industrial revolution supported a growth of a middle class. The middle class was diverse consisted of small business owners and administrators, lawyers, doctors, teachers, police and other such folks Wealth varied but income was more predictable and conditions largely safer than working class

Professionalization Education and licensing standards became common among professionals in the late 19th century Certification process to become a teacher, lawyer, doctor etc… Higher standards represented greater knowledge and demands put upon professions Increased the prestige and income of professionals by weeding out quacks and hacks Professional associations- AMA, NEA , Bar Associations (Attorneys) etc…

What was the middle class lifestyle?
Incomes of middle class rose by about 1/3 between and 1910 These people could afford the new luxuries of the period… Ready-made clothes- rise of fashion as a way to show middle class wealth New foods available- canning and refrigeration Vacations and leisure- Come to Cambridge Springs! Enjoyed a career rather than working from day to day The New middle class- between the new rich and working class

The Middle Class and the City
The power prestige and wealth of the middle class varied greatly depending on occupation As Americans became more interested in the work of “experts”, professionals among the middle class would gain power, prestige and wealth. The Middle Class would move out of crowded industrial sections of town into new “streetcar suburbs” and commute into the center city

Mt. Lebanon: A Street Car suburb of Pittsburgh

The Working Class The industrial revolution required a growing number of unskilled workers Workers concentrated within walking distance of mills- very crowded. Lower Manhattan (New York) had the highest population density in the world(One district had 347,000 people per square mile!) Rents were relatively high and conditions deplorable Wages were driven down by periodic depressions and competition by immigrant labor- unskilled labor had no job security

Wages and Conditions Workers had little or no control over wages and conditions of work In 1900, the average worker made $ to $ a year (Poverty level was $600.00 New technology made labor repetitive, monotonous and often dangerous

Living Conditions Because of crowding and poverty, life in working class neighborhoods was very dangerous Lived in close proximity of polluting factories Lack of water treatment facilities promoted water-born disease like typhoid Overcrowded wooden structures created great urban fires Poverty and misery a breeding ground for crime

How the Other Half Lived…
Jacob Riis- Danish immigrant Used developing photographic technology to penetrate the lives of “the other half” Urban poor who lived in crowded tenements in lower Manhattan Exposed the deplorable conditions of urban tenements to the nation… and to us today Let’s explore some of his work to find evidence that supports Riis’s observation listed on the worksheet for section 2 Jacob Riis Gallery

The Drive for Reform In the late 1800s few government programs existed to help the poor. Some poor city-dwellers received charitable handouts of food and clothing. However, a group of idealistic young Americans was certain that more must be done.

The Settlement Houses Jane Addams
She established Hull House, located in a run-down mansion in one of Chicago’s poor immigrant neighborhoods.

The Settlement Houses educational opportunities skills training
Settlement houses are community service centers that offer: educational opportunities skills training cultural events

The Settlement Houses Addams also promoted women’s suffrage and served as president of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. She received the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Social Gospel Movement
begun by Protestant ministers called for people to apply Christian principles to address social problems believed the church had a moral duty to confront social injustice

The Social Gospel Movement
Many churches offered: classes counseling job training libraries other social activities

Questions What services did settlement houses and churches following the social gospel movement offer to the poor?

The hook: The industrial revolution sweeping America in the latter half of the 19th century would quickly transform cities

Daily Life in the Cities
America’s Birth as an Urban Society

Goals for this presentation…
Understand the growing role of urban areas in shaping American culture in the late 19th Century Describe the causes and effects of growing literacy in urban areas. Explain the role of newspapers and other forms of mass literature in shaping the opinions and attitudes of Americans Discuss how sports and entertainment were transformed in urban areas supporting the birth of a mass culture

The Hook and Key Questions
Hook: “ Growing cities developed many of the habits and institutions that we take for granted today in modern America .” Key Questions: What factors would support the growing influence of books and newspapers in the late 19th century? How did the growing wealth and influence of cities support changes in American culture? How did the institutions of sports and entertainment create the beginning of opportunities that many of us hope to enjoy today in the 21st century?

Cities and the Rise of Mass Society: 1880 to 1910
In 1880, America was still a primarily a rural nation Percentage of population living in urban areas % % % % Urban- Incorporated areas (such as cities and townships) with over people Since 1900, most of America’s population growth has been urban Cities grow in power and influence relative to rural areas

The Emergence of Cities, 1880
America, 8th Edition Copyright © W.W. Norton & Company

The Emergence of Cities, 1920

America’s Move to Town We have noted the some of the challenges faced by the rapid growth of urban areas driven by the demands of the industrial revolution and fueled by a wave of immigration. It is in these cities we see some very important changes in American society that would eventually spread across the nation Mass education and literacy Mass leisure and spectator sports Mass entertainment Citizens who immigrated from rural communities to the cities usually traded one set of problems for another. Unregulated urban growth created immense problems in sanitation, health, and morale. In these areas, mortality rates were exceptionally higher. The growth of the cities overwhelmed the local governments, which were often fragmented and poorly staffed. Thus the rise of the political boss and urban political machines, which specialized in helping those who needed assistance – for a price, be it in the form of a vote or a economic kickback.

Urbanization and the environment
Bettmann/Corbis America, 8th Edition Copyright © W.W. Norton & Company

Urban mass transit The Art Archive/Culver Pictures

Mulberry Street, Little Italy, New York City, ca. 1900
Library of Congress America, 8th Edition Copyright © W.W. Norton & Company

Mass Education in the late 19th Century
Social reformers saw education as a way to improve the lives of urban poor Teach immigrants patriotism and the American way of life Civil loyalty and democratic values American history to unite people- fear of foreign ideas and revolutionary ideas Compulsory Education Laws spread % of school age children were attending school % The increase in immigrants in the cities led to a desire for public education to “Americanize” their children. Before the Civil War, private academies bore the brunt of educating America’s populace, but after it, schools embraced vocational studies to train those not interested in attending college. The first vocational schools created after the Civil War were established by missionaries for African Americans, to provide them a trade. The Morrill Act of 1862 allowed for public land to be set aside for teaching agricultural and mechanical arts.

What does this table tell us about the growing role of education in America?
Table 1: Average Years of Schooling in the Labor Force United States New England Middle Atlantic South Atlantic E.South Central W.South Central Mountain Paciﬁc From: Income and Education of the States of the United States: Scott Baier, Sean E. Mulholland, Robert Tamura and Chad Turner ∗ October, 2005

Women as students Special Collections, Vassar College Libraries

Mass Literacy, Popular Journalism and Literature
Growing literacy rates increasing leisure time and improved printing technology supported the first mass media and popular literature Number of newspapers in circulation multiplied 5X between 1865 and 1910 Cites and most towns had many newspapers competing with each other Attracted readers though features, comics, advice columns, serial stories Inflammatory reporting called yellow journalism lured readers with sensational stories (Like the Weekly World News today) This marks the beginning of a truly mass media where millions of people experience the same thoughts and ideas at roughly the same time- Begins the process of homogenizing American experiences The city dwellers overwhelmed what sanitation systems the cities had installed. Sewage flowed freely in the streets, and access to clean water was a problem. Cholera, yellow fever, and typhoid fever ravaged the populace. At the end of the century, a drive to reform the sanitation systems in cities succeeded in banning animals from the cities, building separate water and sewer systems, and establishing trash-collection services.

Leisure and the Cities The concentration of population with a diverse background and talent helped support Vaudeville Included comedians, singers, musicians and dancers- a live variety show Would gradually be replaced by the movies in the 1920’s Nickelodeons- Father of movie theatres- short “films” viewed through a hand cranked machine Wild West shows presented a romanticized view of the disappearing frontier Rag time music became the rebellions rock music of the “Gay Nineties” (The traditional meaning of gay is happy) Dance music with heavy rhythms Scot Joplin's Maple Leave Rag recored on a piano roll Growing incomes and the availability of public transportation enabled more people to take advantage of life in the city. One form of entertainment there was vaudeville, a variety show of comedians, singers, musicians, and dancers. The saloon had been the social club of the poor since the late nineteenth century. Dominated by male patrons, women were regulated to small separate rooms.

Vaudeville Bettmann/Corbis America, 8th Edition

The Kenetoscope: The Featured Technology at a Nickelodeon
Bettmann/Corbis America, 8th Edition Copyright © W.W. Norton & Company

The King of Rag Time Bettmann/Corbis America, 8th Edition

Parks and Leisure Time As cities grew, a movement to manage growth and reserve public spaces grew The Cities Beautiful Movement Create wide open streets and public parks for people to gather New York Central park- an attempt to maintain a rural landscape in a growing city Amusement Parks cater to Middle Class and increasing number of middle class Apply new electrical technology to provide an enchanted experience Coney Island- The Grandfather of Disney Land

Steeplechase Park, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York
Old York Library America, 8th Edition Copyright © W.W. Norton & Company

Participatory Sports: The Bicycle
Bicycling began in the late 19th Century Recreation and later a form of transportation Introduced in 1870 Became widely popular by 1880 The congestion of urban life led to the creation of city parks, with the most famous one, New York’s Central Park, being established in The bicycle, which was introduced in the 1870s, swept the country by the end of the decade. Women at this time still remained more restricted in their options than did their male counterparts. Married women were expected to raise their children and keep up with their housework while their husbands frequented the saloons.

Tandem tricycle Brown Brothers America, 8th Edition

America’s Three major spectator sports took shape in the late 19th Century
Baseball- America’s Past Time Football- Too Violent to be Legal? Basketball- America’s gift to the world Hockey? College football, basketball, and professional baseball gained supporters during this time. These sports in turn relied on the large cities to support their events. Baseball laid claim to being America’s national pastime. Only white players were allowed in the major leagues. African Americans were allowed in the minor leagues or in the Negro leagues.

Baseball: America’s Past Time
Based on British game rounders Grew widely popular during the Civil War- rules regularized 1869- First Professional team: Cincinnati Redstockings 1876- The National League formed Reflected the trend of professionalization and regimentation Drew crowds in the thousands Grew segregated due to “The gentlemen's agreement” First World Series in 1901 between National and the new American League (Sometimes called the junior circuit)

Baseball card, 1887 Library of Congress America, 8th Edition

America’s Past Time Library of Congress America, 8th Edition

Football Based on the British game of rugby
Grew in popularity in the “Ivy League” colleges of the Northeastern United States Walter Camp- player at Yale attempted to fix rules for a unique game Line of scrimmage, snap, center and quarterback added Emerges distinct from rugby and soccer Professional teams by the late 19th century- in the shadows of baseball Incredibly violent- talk of outlawing it (18 college and 46 high school players killed in games in 1905)

America’s Past Time Library of Congress America, 8th Edition

Basketball: The Most American of Sports
Baseball is the most international of the three sports that rose in the late 19th Century- Wholly developed in America Dr. James Naismith- Physical Education instructor in Springfield MA invents a sport that could be played indoors Placed peach baskets on two ends of a gymnasium First rule change- cut out the bottom of the baskets! Game grew international as Dr. Naismith had students from around the world Grew more slowly as a spectator sport than football and baseball

Basketball Library of Congress America, 8th Edition

Chapter 16: The Transformation of American Society

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