by the late 1800s, most european states made it easy to move to america. by the 1890s, eastern and...

Immigration & Urbanization in the Gilded

Age

Immigration

By the late 1800s, most European states made it easy to move to America. By the 1890s, eastern and southern Europeans made up more than half of all immigrants. Of the 14 million immigrants who arrived between 1860 and 1900, many were European Jews.

Why?employment few immigration restrictions avoidance of military service religious freedomchance to move up the social ladder.

Ellis Islandserved as a

processing center for most immigrants arriving on the East coast after 1892.

Asian immigrants, mostly young men and boys, waited sometimes for months for the results of immigration hearings.

Angel Island

Look back at your notes and answer the following question:

What helped immigrants adjust to living in the United States?Immigrants tended to adjust well to living in

the United States if they quickly learned English and adapted to the American culture.

Skilled immigrants, those who had money, or those who lived among their own ethnic group also tended to adjust more successfully.

Increase in immigration leads to rise in Nativism

Earlier, in the 1840s and 1850snativism was directed towards the Irish.

In the early 1900s, it was the Asian, Jews, and eastern Europeans

that were the focus of nativism.

Nativism

American Protection Association500,000 members by

1887Founded by Henry

BowersAgainst catholic

immigrations

Created by Irish immigrant Denis Kearny

Wanted to stop Chinese immigration

Workingman’s Party of California

Passed in 1882barred Chinese immigration for 10 yearsprevented the Chinese already in America

from becoming citizens.

Chinese Exclusion Act

Urbanization

The urban population of the United States grew from about 10 million in 1870 to over 30 million by 1900.

Immigrants moving into citiesFarmers moving back into urban areas for

better quality of life

Home

Insurance

Building

Chicago, IL

William Le Baron

Jenney

1884

10 stories

Wainwright

Building

St. Louis, MO

Louis Sullivan

“father of

skyscrapers”

1890-1891

10 stories

Steel framed

Look back at your notes and answer the following question:

What were some differences between the social classes?The social classes differed in their level of

income and the area in which they lived. The wealthy lived in the heart of the city in

elaborate homes. The middle class lived away from the central city and used commuter lines to get to work.

The working class lived in cities in tenements.

The growth of cities resulted in an increase in crime, fire, disease, and pollution. From 1880 to 1900, there was a large increase in the murder rate.

Native-born Americans blamed immigrants for the increase in crime.

Urban Problems

Alcohol contributed to crime in the late 1800s.

Contaminated drinking water from improper sewage disposal resulted in epidemics of typhoid fever and cholera.

Urban Problems

Gilded Age Politics

Political MachinesA new political system was needed to cope

with the new urban problems. The political machine, an informal political group designed to gain and keep power, provided essentials to city dwellers in exchange for votes.

Party bosses ran the political machines. George Plunket, an Irish immigrant, was one of New York City’s most powerful party bosses.

The party bosses had tight control of the city’s money. Many of the politicians became wealthy due to fraud or graft—getting money through dishonest or questionable means.

Tammany HallOne of the most

powerful political machines in New York

William “Boss” Tweed

Although corrupt, political machines did supply important services and help assimilate the ever-expanding population of city dwellers.