1. Urban America

2. Urban Growth Electric Trolley Car
Encouraged growth of the central business district
Promoted physical expansion of cities
Commute to work from a new ring of streetcar suburbs

3. The New Immigrants Second Wave of Immigration
Prior to 1870s, N and W Europe
1870s on, S and E Europe
Mainly Italy, Poland, Austro-Hungary, and Russia
Most Italy and S Europe - unemployment and crushing poverty
Jewish immigrants from Poland and Russia -escape from widespread persecution
Saw America as a land of freedom and opportunity
Arrival at Ellis Island

4. The New Immigrants A hard new life Settled in large cities in the NE
Tenements living & 12-hour work days
Often congregated into urban enclaves
“Little Italys”
“Little Hungarys”
Could speak their native language & practice their religions

5. Political Machines Big city political machines Early form of welfare
Help poor for votes
Early form of welfare
Corrupt bosses often engaged in illegal schemes that cost their cities millions of dollars
NYC: group of corrupt politicians known as the “Tweed Ring” led by “Boss” William Marcy Tweed
Stole as much as $200 million from the public treasury

6. Political Machines End of Boss Tweed
Thomas Nast exposed Tweed’s fraudulent practices in a series of political cartoons

8. Nativism Nativist reaction
Wave of new immigrants sparked nativist response
New immigrants spoke different languages, practiced different religions, and worked for low wages
Threat to their jobs & way
of life

9. The New Immigrants The Chinese Exclusion Act, 1882
Largest non-European group in CA
Mainly in sections of cities - “Chinatowns”
unfair competition b/c worked for low wages
Suspended immigration of all Chinese laborers for 10 years
Renewed in 1892 & made permanent in 1902
First law to exclude a specific ethnic or racial group from immigrating to the U.S.

10. Urban Reformers Jacob Riis and How the Other Half Lives NYC
Journalist & photographer -exposed the poverty and despair of the Lower East Side
Led to NYC tearing down some of the worst slums - replaced with new parks and playgrounds

18. Urban Reformers Jane Addams & the settlement house movement
Devoted life to helping the urban poor
Hull House – settlement house
Daycares for working mothers & classes teaching English
Later reading room & installed showers in the basement

19. The Social Gospel Walter Rauschenbusch and the Social Gospel
Advocated Christian principles of love & justice be applied to the urban problems
Philosophy = the Social Gospel
America’s churches had a moral responsibility to take the lead in actively confronting social problems and helping the poor

20. Popular Culture New forms of popular culture
Sports generated major businesses
Professional team sports - last quarter of the 19th century
Baseball began its reign as the national pastime
1896 Baltimore Orioles

21. Popular Culture Launch of American film industry
America’s 5th largest industry, and Hollywood is center of movie production
D.W. Griffith - innovative and controversial director
The Birth of a Nation was Hollywood’s 1st blockbuster film
Glorified depiction of the rise of the KKK after the CW
Inspired resurgence of the KKK in the 1920s

22. Realistic Art and Literature
Romanticism dominated the 19th century
Industrialization & urbanization led to harsh new social realities
Realism focused on the facets of the modern world
Idealized landscapes and sentimental love stories seemed out of touch with raw and loud cities

24. The Gross Clinic – Thomas Eakins

25. New York City – George Bellows

26. McSorley’s Bar – John Sloan

27. Nighthawks – Edward Hopper