1. Urban Problems and Politics

2. Urban Problems
Rapid urbanization, or people moving to the cities, caused a large growth in population for most American cities.
Led to increased amounts of crime, violence, fire disease and pollution.
Native Born Americans often blamed these issues on immigrants.
Formed organizations and gangs designed to discriminate against immigrants called Nativists.
The Nativists felt that because they were born in America and were ethnically and religiously in the majority (WASP) they were in control
Feared with more Catholic and Jewish immigration they would lose that majority and Catholics and Jews would become elected government officials and put their beliefs on the American people.
In reality, the crime rate for immigrants was not significantly higher than that of Native born Americans.

3. Urban Problems (continued)
Alcohol did contribute to violent crime in the cities, and would become a front in the reform movement.
Also created a source of discrimination between the “natives” and immigrants, as alcohol was more accepted in the Catholic community than the Protestant.
Pollution remained a problem and became an even bigger threat to city dwellers.
Improper sewage disposal contaminated city drinking water causing epidemics of typhoid fever and cholera.
Even further, horse waste was left in the streets, smoke spewed from chimneys and soot and ash accumulated from coal and wood fires.

4. Urban Politics
Another problem that had arisen from increased urbanization lied within city governments.
Political Machines: an informal political group designed to gain and keep power.
Party Bosses: heads of the political machines
Would provide new city dwellers with needed jobs, housing, food, heat and police protection.
Patronage: Gave government jobs to those who contributed to the political machine, not always to who was best qualified.

5. Urban Politics (continued)
Graft and Fraud
Party bosses often ran the city’s finances as well
Often would obtain money through dishonest or questionable means called graft or fraud.
Would accept bribes from contractors that were competing for a government job.
This eliminates competition and keeps the most efficient contractor from getting the job.