Cities During Cities During IndustrializationIndustrialization

• Business and industrialization centered on the cities. The Business and industrialization centered on the cities. The increasing number of factories created a need for labor, increasing number of factories created a need for labor, convincing people in rural areas to move to the city, and convincing people in rural areas to move to the city, and drawing immigrants from Europe to the United States. As a drawing immigrants from Europe to the United States. As a result, the United States transformed from a farming to an result, the United States transformed from a farming to an urban nation. urban nation.

ImmigrationImmigration• Roughly 10 million European Roughly 10 million European

immigrants settled in the U.S. immigrants settled in the U.S. between 1860 and 1890.between 1860 and 1890.

• The transition to American life was The transition to American life was difficult for immigrants. They lived difficult for immigrants. They lived in dirty, crowded conditions in in dirty, crowded conditions in tenements. Tenements had few tenements. Tenements had few windows, limited plumbing and windows, limited plumbing and electricity, and tiny rooms often electricity, and tiny rooms often packed with people. People living in packed with people. People living in the tenements experienced disease, the tenements experienced disease, high infant mortality, and high high infant mortality, and high levels of pollution.levels of pollution.

• Immigrants, also faced Immigrants, also faced discrimination in the workplace discrimination in the workplace from native workers who resented from native workers who resented the immigrants’ willingness to the immigrants’ willingness to accept lower wages and work in accept lower wages and work in worse conditions.worse conditions.

Why did Political Bosses Why did Political Bosses Emerge?Emerge?

• Populations in major cities Populations in major cities such as New York and such as New York and Philadelphia doubled, and in Philadelphia doubled, and in the case of Chicago the case of Chicago quadrupled, due to the quadrupled, due to the migration of farmers and migration of farmers and immigrants. immigrants.

• Municipal (city) governments Municipal (city) governments were unprepared to handle were unprepared to handle the population growth of the population growth of cities. Many city cities. Many city governments took a laissez-governments took a laissez-faire (hands-off) approach. faire (hands-off) approach. For example, systems for For example, systems for sanitation, sewer, roads, etc. sanitation, sewer, roads, etc. were not built for were not built for populations that large.populations that large.• Political bosses took advantage of the situation for their own political gain.Political bosses took advantage of the situation for their own political gain.

Chicago, 1890

Political MachinesPolitical Machines• Local politics during this era were marked by “machine Local politics during this era were marked by “machine

politics”, because the system and the party, rather than politics”, because the system and the party, rather than individuals, held power. individuals, held power.

• In virtually every region of the U.S., local officials, or In virtually every region of the U.S., local officials, or “machines,” bribed people, especially immigrants, for “machines,” bribed people, especially immigrants, for votes by providing political and economic benefits such votes by providing political and economic benefits such as offices, jobs, and city contracts. as offices, jobs, and city contracts.

• ““Machines” were presided over by “party bosses,” Machines” were presided over by “party bosses,” professional politicians who dominated city government. professional politicians who dominated city government. These bosses often controlled the jobs of thousands of These bosses often controlled the jobs of thousands of city workers and influenced the activities of schools, city workers and influenced the activities of schools, hospitals, and other city-run services. hospitals, and other city-run services.

• Machine politics thrived on corruption, which contributed Machine politics thrived on corruption, which contributed to the system’s collapse around the turn of the twentieth to the system’s collapse around the turn of the twentieth century.century.

• In U.S. politics, a political organization that controls enough In U.S. politics, a political organization that controls enough votes to maintain political and administrative control of its votes to maintain political and administrative control of its community. community.

• The rapid growth of cities in the 19th century created huge The rapid growth of cities in the 19th century created huge problems for city governments, which were often poorly problems for city governments, which were often poorly organized and unable to provide services. organized and unable to provide services.

• Enterprising politicians were able to win support by offering Enterprising politicians were able to win support by offering favors, including patronage jobs and housing, (BETTERING favors, including patronage jobs and housing, (BETTERING URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE) in exchange for votes. URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE) in exchange for votes.

• Though machines often helped to restructure city Though machines often helped to restructure city governments to the benefit of their constituents, they just as governments to the benefit of their constituents, they just as often resulted in poorer service (when jobs were doled out as often resulted in poorer service (when jobs were doled out as political rewards), corruption (when contracts or concessions political rewards), corruption (when contracts or concessions were awarded in return for kickbacks), and aggravation of were awarded in return for kickbacks), and aggravation of racial or ethnic hostilities (when the machine did not reflect racial or ethnic hostilities (when the machine did not reflect the city's diversity).the city's diversity).

• Reforms, suburban flight, and a more mobile population with Reforms, suburban flight, and a more mobile population with fewer ties to city neighborhoods have weakened machine fewer ties to city neighborhoods have weakened machine politics.politics.

Political Machines Political Machines (cont)(cont)

Operations of Political Operations of Political MachinesMachines

• "What tells in holdin' your grip on your district is to go right "What tells in holdin' your grip on your district is to go right down among the poor families and help them in the different down among the poor families and help them in the different ways they need help. I've got a regular system for this. If ways they need help. I've got a regular system for this. If there's a fire in Ninth, Tenth, or Eleventh Avenue, for example, there's a fire in Ninth, Tenth, or Eleventh Avenue, for example, any hour of the day or night, I'm usually there with some of my any hour of the day or night, I'm usually there with some of my election district captains as soon as the fire engines. If a family election district captains as soon as the fire engines. If a family is burned out, I don't ask whether they are Republicans or is burned out, I don't ask whether they are Republicans or Democrats, and I don't refer them to the Charity Organization Democrats, and I don't refer them to the Charity Organization Society, which would investigate their case in a month or two Society, which would investigate their case in a month or two and decide they were worthy of help about the time they are and decide they were worthy of help about the time they are dead from starvation. I just get quarters for them, buy clothes dead from starvation. I just get quarters for them, buy clothes for them if their clothes were burned up, and fix them up till for them if their clothes were burned up, and fix them up till they get things runnin' again. It's philanthropy, but it's politics, they get things runnin' again. It's philanthropy, but it's politics, too – mighty good politics. Who can tell how many votes one of too – mighty good politics. Who can tell how many votes one of these fires bring me? The poor are the most grateful people in these fires bring me? The poor are the most grateful people in the world, and, let me tell you, they have more friends in their the world, and, let me tell you, they have more friends in their neighborhoods than the rich have in theirs.”neighborhoods than the rich have in theirs.”

- George Washington Plunkitt- George Washington Plunkitt

Example of a Political Example of a Political MachineMachine

                                                                                                                                       

          

Tammany Hall, located at Fourth Avenue and East 17th Street in New York City, ca. 1943.

Tammany HallTammany Hall

• Tammany Hall was the name Tammany Hall was the name given to the Democratic political given to the Democratic political machine that dominated New York machine that dominated New York City politics from the 1854 City politics from the 1854 through the election of LaGuardia through the election of LaGuardia in 1934. in 1934.

• The Tammany Society of New York The Tammany Society of New York City was founded in 1786 as a City was founded in 1786 as a fraternal organization whose fraternal organization whose primary activities were social. By primary activities were social. By 1798, however, the society's 1798, however, the society's activities had grown increasingly activities had grown increasingly politicized. Eventually Tammany politicized. Eventually Tammany emerged as the central supporter emerged as the central supporter of Jeffersonian policies in the city of Jeffersonian policies in the city of New York. of New York.

Tammany Hall (cont.)Tammany Hall (cont.)

• Throughout the 1830s and 1840s, the society Throughout the 1830s and 1840s, the society expanded its political control even further by expanded its political control even further by earning the loyalty of the city's ever-expanding earning the loyalty of the city's ever-expanding immigrant community.immigrant community.

• The society helped newly arrived foreigners The society helped newly arrived foreigners obtain jobs, find a place to live, and even earn obtain jobs, find a place to live, and even earn citizenship so that they could vote for Tammany citizenship so that they could vote for Tammany candidates in city and state elections. candidates in city and state elections.

• William M. "Boss" Tweed was a famous political William M. "Boss" Tweed was a famous political boss of Tammany Hall. His corrupt reign led to boss of Tammany Hall. His corrupt reign led to an attempt at reform in the early 1870s. an attempt at reform in the early 1870s.

Thomas Nast was the most

important political

cartoonist in 19th-century

America, known for exposing

government corruption.

Taken from http://www.lib.ohio-state.edu/cgaweb/nast/keller

The ‘Brains.’

The Boss. -‘Well,

what are you going

to do about it?’”

Harper’s Weekly,

October 21, 1871, page

992.

Positive Aspects of Political Positive Aspects of Political BossesBosses

• Political bosses ran a “welfare state” for urban poor. They Political bosses ran a “welfare state” for urban poor. They helped the unemployed find jobs, provided food and coal to helped the unemployed find jobs, provided food and coal to widows, and organized entertainment in neighborhoods. All widows, and organized entertainment in neighborhoods. All of these items were contingent upon the poor voting for the of these items were contingent upon the poor voting for the political machine’s candidate.political machine’s candidate.

• Who benefited? Who benefited? • Immigrants, working poorImmigrants, working poor• Political bosses gained political powerPolitical bosses gained political power

• Improvements in InfrastructureImprovements in Infrastructure• Public Libraries- world’s largest in BostonPublic Libraries- world’s largest in Boston• Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park- New York CityBrooklyn Bridge and Central Park- New York City• 660 miles of water lines; 464 miles of sewer lines; 1,800 miles 660 miles of water lines; 464 miles of sewer lines; 1,800 miles

of paved streets of paved streets

Why don’t we have Political Why don’t we have Political Bosses today?Bosses today?

• No place for them in cities that are more No place for them in cities that are more organized and well planned out to handle organized and well planned out to handle large populations.large populations.

• No huge waves of immigrants all at one time.No huge waves of immigrants all at one time.

AssignmentAssignment

• You are working in the campaign office for a political machine. Either you or someone you work for is running for a political office. Create a campaign flyer for the local candidate (or yourself). Remember who you are trying to target with your advertising and what types of incentives you can offer them for voting. What can you offer that would allow this group of people to consider voting for you. Include slogans, logos, pictures, the office, name of candidate, and other items for your campaign ad.

• Use Microsoft Publisher to create your flyer. When you save the flyer, save it as your last name and as a “jpeg”. You will upload this file to the website when you are finished.

• When finished with you ad, write a ½ page response of how your campaign ad would be different if you were running for a political office today. How would it be similar? Explain