1. Understanding the Gilded Age-Progressive Era (the GAPE); Industrialization, Urbanization, and Immigration

4. Industrial Growth
Between 1865 and 1900, the u.s. experienced unprecedented economic growth
1860 manufacturers had about $2 billion in value by 1900 they had over $11 billion
Iron ore production nearly quadrupled from 7 million long-tons to 27 million long-tons
Steel output rose from less than 1 million tons to over 11 million tons
GNP tripled during that time
Railroad mileage increased from 30,000 to 250,000 miles

5. Rise of Big Business
By 1900 the American economy was dominated by business monopolies or trusts, huge business empires that virtually controlled key sectors of the economy and dominated social and political life
Trusts in sugar, cotton, tobacco, meat, flour, and even whiskey
Number of industrial combinations rose from 12 to 305 between 1887 and 1903
2,600 smaller firms disappeared
By 1900, 1 % of all companies produced 40% of the manufacturing output
GAPE saw the rise of the modern corporation
Used 14th Amendment to gain “personhood” and rights

15. Immigration Statistics
aprox. 30 million European immigrants
appox. 27 million European immigrants
2 “Waves” of immigrants
(approx. 10mil) Britain, Ireland, Germany, Scandinavia, Switzerland, Holland
(approx. 20mil) Italy, Greece, Austro-Hungary, Russia, Romania, Turkey

16. Immigration Statistics
Compare 1882 and 1907
peak of “old” immigration
788,992 total immigrants
250,630 - German (highest ever)
179,423 - Britain and Ireland
105,326 - Scandinavia
32,159 - Italy
29,150 - Hapsburg Empire
16,918 - Russia and Baltic States
87% from NW Europe and 13% from southern and eastern Europe

17. Immigration Statistics
peak of “new” immigration
1,285,349 total immigrants
19.3% from NW Europe
80.7% from S&E Europe
Although migration from NW Europe continued throughout the GAPE by 1890s so-called “new” immigrants dominated immigration statistics

18. What Did They Know About the U.S.?
Heard of opportunities for employment through:
“travelers’ tales
Advertisements
Guidebooks
Pamphlets and Newspapers
Where to Emigrate and Why
Informed migrants on where, why, and how to go
After 1867 virtually all migrants came over on steamships
Cheaper and faster
By 1880s primarily British and German steamers

22. Where did they go?
No area of the U.S. completely escaped immigration (Butte Irish)
But “new” immigrants were decidedly urban and mostly in northeast and upper Midwest
80% of immigrants settled in places like NYC and Chicago -- New England, New York, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio proved especially attractive, because of jobs, transportation, and support network (explain).
% of industrial laborers were foreign born or children of foreign born

23. Support Network Ethnic neighborhoods or “ghettos” Mutual aid societies
Native language businesses and newspapers
Job networks
Churches and synagogues
In some cases (Irish) local political machine

24. Chinese Immigrants
In 1851, a racist from NC named Hinton Helper left his home state to get away from what he referred to as the “diversity of color” in America’s more settled regions.
He traveled to California and was shocked to find Chinese people living there—so much so that he wondered out loud if the “copper” of the Pacific would cause as much discord and dissension as the “ebony” had on the Atlantic.
Between 1850 and 1882 the Chinese pop in the U.S. soared from 7,520 to 300,000. Chinese comprised 8.6 percent of California’s total pop and an impressive 25% of its wage earners.

25. Chinese Immigrants
By 1870, 26% of California’s Chinese population lived in San Francisco and represented 46% of the labor force in SF four key industries; boot and shoe making, woolen cloth, cigar and tobacco manufacture, and sewing.
By 1880, Chinese comprised 52% boot and shoe. 44% brick makers, 85% cigar makers, 33% of woolen mill operators.

27. Chinese Immigrants
Like the Irish and the Italians, Chinese faced what one scholar has referred to as a “Negroization.”
the NYT ran editorials arguing that free blacks and Chinese posed a direct threat to American republicanism, not to mention a mongrolization of the “race”

28. Chinese Exclusion
In calling for Chinese exclusion, one San Francisco paper referred to them as morally inferior heathen savages who were overly lustful and sensual. Chinese women were condemned as a depraved class, which was attributed in large part to their physical appearance. Critics thought they looked like Africans. Chinese men were portrayed as a sexual threat to white women.
Chinese also compared to Indians and referred to as the “new barbarians.”

31. Chinese Exclusion
In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which made it unlawful for Chinese laborers to enter the country and declared Chinese already living in the United States ineligible for U.S. citizenship. (10 yrs)
Renewed in 1892 (10 yrs)
Made permanent in 1902
Remained in effect until 1943

32. End of “New” Immigration
Immigration declined significantly after 1914
World War I
“New” Immigration ended almost completely in 1924
Congress passed the National Origins Act or Immigration Restriction Act
Limited number of entrants to 2% of 1890 census