2. Immigration & the Political Machine

3. Immigration Push Factor Reason(s) to leave ones birth country to live in a foreign country Pull factors – Reason(s) a foreign country inspires people from their home country Get out Come here

6. Steerage Why travel in these conditions? Difficult & Expensive to get to US What was the journey like Travel was basic, cheap, crowded, miserable Filthy cramped living conditions. Trip took 7 to 21 days RATS-LICE-Disease-Death

7. Ellis Island Processing center for immigrants New York harbor Frantic pace, Lost Identities, Health Inspections

8. How the Political Machine Worked Political Machine supplies jobs, food, clothes, housing Votes for the party boss to remain in power Party boss wins election so he can continue his corrupt politics

9. Urban Politics Cities grow faster than government Political Machine Political Machine – Informal political group – Gain & keep power – Got things for the working class. Jobs, homes, food, clothes, heat, protection, etc… – Positive note Provided necessary services & helped assimilate the new city dwellers. Party Boss Party Boss received votes for Providing “things” – Once elected used political power for greed. Grafts Grafts=getting money through dishonest or questionable means. Bribes

10. Tammany Hall William “Boss” Tweed Tweed Courthouse One of the most corrupt politicians in history – Grossly overpaid contractors for work 13 million. 180,000(2.5mil) for 3 tables & 40 chairs. Imprisoned for corruption. Died. Thomas Nast Political cartoons exposed corruption

11. Urbanization: Ethnic Cities Positives Lived with similar people who shared – Language – Customs – Culture Sense of Security Sense of Belonging Negatives Slow to assimilate to America culture – Segregation led to violence Irish vs. Italians Polish vs. Russians Slow to learn ENGLISH – Cant communicate – Hard to find a job Basic needs

12. Urbanization Immigrants Lacked – Money Cant buy land or farms – Education Forced to stay in cities. – Long Hours – Little Pay – Poor Working conditions

13. Immigration E. & S. European Asians Latin America European Old Immigrants N & W Europe New Immigrants S & E Europe

14. Nativist- English/Protestant descent Extreme dislike of foreigners Focused on Jews Catholics E. Europeans Asians Immigrants Worked for less money Were easily replaceable Had Communist & Anarchist ideas We were here first…Protect the American Worker

15. Immigrants = revolution, communism,Anarchy Communism - --> classless society People control everything Inspires Revolution Anarchist No government Inspires Revolution MARXIST ANARCHISTS

16. Nativism Labor Unions anti- immigration Anti-Immigration Org American Protective Association Workingman’s Party of California Chinese Exclusion Acts Banned for 10 years Chinese in US could not become citizens

17. Urban American Social Issues Immigration Urbanization Gilded Age Social Darwinism Early Reform

18. Gilded Age Coined by Mark Twain Gilded = Covered in Gold – New Inventions – Skyscrapers – Electricity – Great wealth Covered – Poverty – Crime – Corruption – Gap between rich and poor GILDED AGE

19. Urban Problems 4 Major Problems: – Overcrowding – Crime/Violence – Sanitation – Political Corruption

20. Urbanization Cities – Overcrowding – Plumbing – Running water – Electricity – Cultural Centers Museums Libraries Theaters

21. Ethnic Cities Gangs & Crime 5 points -Promotes hostilities between other ethnicities & natives.

22. Class Division High Society – Wealthiest Families – Lived in the heart of the city. – Extravagant homes Moved to the outskirts to avoid overcrowding….This happens again in the 1940s and 50s

23. Class Division Middle Class – Doctors – Lawyers – Teachers – Architects “streetcar suburbs”

24. Class Division Working Class – Tenements Unsanitary-diseases Crowded- many families share housing Dangerous-crime, alcohol, gangs

25. Social Darwinism Herbert Spencer – On the Origins of Species by Means of Natural Selection” – Natural Selection – plant and animal evolution (survival of the fittest) Social, Political & Economic issues – Laissez-faire Rockefeller – Standard Oil – “I am rich because I am smarter and better.”

26. Individualism Belief that despite their origins, one could rise to as far as talent and commitment would take them.