2. Four Factors that encouraged growth and expansion in the late 19 th and early 20 th Century Industrialization Economic Opportunity Technological Change Immigration Thousands of Americans moved to the region between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean

3. Homestead Act of 1862 Gave Settlers 160 acres of free land in the West Had to agree to live on and farm the land for five years

4. But… While many Southerners, including African- Americans, moved West, those who had “borne arms” against the United States during the Civil War (mostly Confederate southerners) did not qualify

5. Exodusters African-Americans who moved from the south in large groups 1879-1880 Many to Kansas But the Great Migration of African Americans from the south doesn’t really begin until WWI

6. Cowboys Worked on cattle drives, which moved cattle to the nearest market with a railroad.

7. Era of the American Cowboy Just before and immediately following the Civil War

8. Midwestern Cities – Meat Packing Kansas City Omaha Chicago

9. Technological Innovations Open up Western Land and Aid Farmers Railroads

10. Technological Innovations Open up Western Land and Aid Farmers Mechanical Reaper Invented by Cyrus McCormick New type of farm machinery that harvested wheat faster The Great Plains and Rocky Mountain region changed from a mostly unsettled frontier to farms, ranches and towns.

11. Great Plains Settlement & Forced Removal of American Indians Settlement of the Great Plains during the second half of 19 th century led to forced removal of American Indians through a series of wars. White man’s attitude was that since Native Americans did not settle down and improve the land, it did not belong to them. Crash Course - Settlement

12. Dawes Act 1) Passed by Congress in 1887 2) Abolished tribal organizations 3) Divided reservations into plots to be given to Native American families. 4) Money from the sale of Indian lands would be used for Indian Education

13. Dawes Act Goal was to change the Plains Indians from nomadic hunters into farmers For participating and complying with the Dawes Act, Native Americans would – for the first time – become American citizens Those who refused, continued to live on reservations and depended on the federal government for food and clothing As a result of removal of Indians from plains, states of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains had entered the Union by the early 20 th century.

14. Immigrants before 1880 Most came from northern and western Europe. Thus, immigrants prior to 1880 usually came from Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, and the Scandinavian countries of Norway, and Sweden. *Great Britain is an island that includes the countries of England, Scotland and Wales The United Kingdom includes the Island of Great Britain plus Northern Ireland Historians have called this first phase of immigration the “old immigration.”

15. Immigrants after 1880 Most after 1880 came from southern and eastern Europe Included the countries of Italy, Greece, Poland, and Russia Called “new immigration” by historians During this time, also large Asian immigration from Japan and especially China Also sought political and religious freedom and economic opportunity Most “new immigrants” entered the United States through Ellis Island in New York Harbor. Their first view of the US was often the Statue of Liberty

17. Contributions of Immigrants Valuable contributions to the dramatic industrial growth of America Provided much of the labor to build the transcontinental railroad Worked in textile mills and steel mills in the Northeast Worked in the clothing industry in New York City Mined coal in the mid - Appalachian Mountains (many were Slavic, Italian and Polish Immigrants)

18. Chinese Immigrants Faced racial prejudice and discrimination in California and other Western Areas where they settled in large numbers.

19. Conditions Often received very low pay and faced dangerous working conditions Harsh living conditions in crowded tenements and slums Often settled in ethnic neighborhoods, populated by people of the same culture group

20. New Immigration Impact Cities of Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and New York grew rapidly These cities served as manufacturing and transportation centers in the Northeast and Midwest Rapid growth caused problems Housing shortages Need for services – sewage, water, public transportation New York City built one of the nation’s first subway systems Other cities addressed public transportation needs by adding trolley and streetcar lines

21. Melting Pot or Salad Bowl? Two historical Theories Melting pot – immigrants have come from all parts of the world to settle in America. They have brought their native culture with them. These different cultures have melted together to form a new, uniquely American Culture Public schools play a key role Teach immigrant children the English language, American customs and American culture Great American Melting Pot

22. Melting Pot or Salad Bowl? Two historical Theories Salad Bowl – or mixing bowl Each immigrant group has kept part of its old world culture, while at the same time accepting basic characteristics of American culture Historians who believe this theory are more critical of the role of public schools The salad bowl theory explains that each immigrant group has retained unique aspects of their culture, (the different ingredients in the salad) while contributing to what makes up America (the dressing that brings it all together)

23. Hardships Many experienced hardship, hostility and cultural prejudice including: Religious discrimination Cultural decimation Discrimination against admission to colleges

24. Laws to Limit Immigration Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 Would stop the immigration of Chinese laborers for 10 years Response to anti-Chinese movement in the West 1870s-80s Native born, white Americans blamed Chinese for taking their jobs and undercutting their wages Immigration Restriction Act of 1921 – After WWI Placed quotas (numerical limits) on immigrants according to nationality Particularly discriminated against immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe Followed 3 years later by stricter law that would effectively cut off most European immigration until after WWII