Immigration & Urbanization Unit 7

Urbanization

• The rise of industry led to Urbanization

the migration (movement) of people from
the countryside to Urban Centers (cities).
• By 1920 half of all Americans lived in
cities.
• Chicago, New York and Philadelphia had
more than 1 million residents.
 Reasons for Urbanization
• Railroads & improved streets made it
easier for people to move to the cities.
• Cities with Railroad hubs grew rapidly.
• Things like museums, music
halls, libraries, and colleges attracted
people to the city.
• The rise of industry creating more jobs
led to urbanization.
• Farm equipment technology meant
farms needed fewer laborers.
• TURN-TALK-WRITE which of the above
are Push factors and Pull Factors?
 Growing Pains
• Lack of Sanitation- Most cities did not
have a sewer system and often times raw
sewage flowed into the drinking water.
People died from Cholera and Typhoid.
• Pollution- Factories & railroads polluted
the air, water and ground with smoke
ashes and chemicals.
• Garbage- Garbage collection was
inadequate, and it often lined the streets
of the cities.
• Traffic- Horse drawn carriages crowed the
streets. Roads were not wide enough for
the increased amount of people.
Migration means
• Change
• Movement
• Immigration
• None of the above
Cities haiving museums, libraries and colleges
would have been a

• Push Factor
• Pull Factor
What led to Cholera & typhoid deaths?
• Over crowding
• Slums
• Poor sanitation treatment
• Lack of garbage pick up
 Housing

• Rapid growth led to a lack of

appropriate housing.
• Overcrowding was a problem with
entire families living in a one
room apartment.
• This also led to a rise in slums.
• Tenement buildings started to
appear as well. These buildings
met the minimum safety and
sanitary conditions.
Housing
Turn, Talk and Write
• How did overcrowding lead to slums?
 Politics and Corruption

• Political Machines- Bosses would repay voters in

favors such as jobs, zoning permits, city contracts and
more. It was called the "Spoils" System. Political
machines were a danger to a Democratic government in
the late 19th century.
• Read page 120 at the bottom.
• One of the most famous Political machines was
Tammany Hall in New York city, it ran for over 80 years.
• One of its most famous leaders was Boss Tweed, the
most corrupt politician of the time. He amassed a
fortune in from city contracts and kickbacks.
• Thomas Nast- cartoonist, exposed Boss Tweeds
corruption in his political cartoons.
Overcrowding in housing led to
• Slums
• Tenement Buildings
• Both answers above
• None of the above
Bosses repay voters with favors are known as
• Politics
• Political Movements
• Political Machines
• Machine Bosses
Immigration

• Mass amounts of immigrants made their way to America

which led to Urbanization and overcrowding.
• Immigration is the movement of people from one country
to another.
• Old Immigrants (prior to1880) mostly came from Northwest
Europe.
• New Immigrants (1880-1924) mostly came from Southeast
Europe. Most were poor, uneducated and did not speak
English. They had a different appearance and habits than
those from the northwest. Left their homeland to escape
severe poverty, cheaper steamships made it possible for
them to afford their travel here. No restrictions on
European immigration at this time.
 Ellis Island
• Opened in 1892 to deal
with the increasing number
of immigrants. Ellis Island
is where European
immigrants landed. They
underwent a medical
exam. Some were sent
back to Europe due to poor
health conditions or a
criminal history. If the
officials processing
immigrants could not
pronounce their names
they were given a new one.
Turn, Talk and Write
• Why do you think they performed medical
exams?
 Ghettos
• Settled in urban neighborhoods with
immigrants of the same nationality.
• Kleindeuschland (Jewish & German),
Little Italy and Chinatown.
• They could conversate in their native
language, buy ethnic groceries and
cultural clothing, help each other find
jobs and more.
• They felt comfortable living amongst
similar people with a shared culture.
• Gradually the immigrants were
assimilated into mainstream American
Society by learning its values and
behaviors (Americanized).
Old Immigrants, prior to 1880, mostly came
from...

• Northern Asia
• Southern Europe
• Eastern Europe
• Northwestern Europe
Assimilated into mainstream American
society means

• Urbanized
• Americanized
• Centralized
• Motorized
 Immigrants from Asia

• Chinese Immigration began in 1848 with the Gold Rush.

• Pushed by war and pulled by the lure of Gold.
• Most tried their hand at gold panning and then many went to work building the
trans-continental railroad.
• 1868 Treaty of Burlingame- permitted "free migration" of those of Chinese
decent.
• Spoke and looked different than Americans and they lived in Chinatowns
throughout California. Political and legal prejudice began. By 1870 they were
denied citizenship.
• The do eventually find opportunity and become influencial in America.
 Asian Immigrants

• Chinese Exclusion Act 1882- Banned

Chinese immigration for 10 years.
• In order to travel home they had to obtain special
certificate to be permitted re-entry to the U.S..
• Eventually they were not allowed back if they left the
U.S.. They could not visit their families.
• After 1910 all Asian immmigrants were processed at
Angel Island, but were treated far worse than the
Europeans entering through Ellis Island. They were
kept in prison-like conditions for days, weeks or
months before being permitted into the U.S.
 Japanese Immigration

• Japanese immigration started after the Meiji

Restoration, a period of change and social unrest,
1868.
• Pushed by changes in Japan and pulled by the lure
of economic opportunities in the U.S..
• They worked cheaply on farms, in mines and on
railroads.
• They were unable to become citizens.
• Because of ramped racism the American Government
made a "Gentleman's Agreement" with Japan to limit
immigration of unskilled laborers in exchange for the
end of San Fransisco segregation order.
Japanese immigration was halted in 1907 with

• An agreement between the governments of

Japan and the U.S.
• Japanese Exclusion Act 1907
• Political Machines
• Taft Act
Which immigrants were employed on the
Trans-Continental railroad?

• Japanese
• Philipino
• Chinese
• All of the above
Opposition to Immigration

• Prior to WWI there were no limits on

European immigration.
• Since America was populated by
immigrants and their decendents, most
people felt empathy for them.
• Employers welcomed immigrants
because they were a cheap source of
labor.
 Opposition to Immigration

• The huge flood of immigration at the end of the 1800's led to

a rise in Nativism. Nativism is the belief that native born
people are superior. Nativist believe 'True Americans" were
white, english speaking and protestant.
• New immigrants were thought of as dirty and
unhealthy. That they lowered the standard of living, spread
disease and brought down wages.
• Anti-immigration societies began to spring up around
America.
 Problems faced by Farmers

• After the Civil War farmers faced new

problems: drought, plagues of
grasshoppers, boll weavels, falling
prices, and high shipping costs made it
increasingly difficult to make a living as a
farmer.
• Falling prices were due to overproduction
of goods and high competition.
The belief that native born people are superior.

• Communism
• Nativism
• Native Americanism
• Americanism
 Farmers Organize

• Oliver Hudson Kelley organized the Grange

Movement. Started as a social club for farmers to break
the isolationism and share ideas, it led to involement in
politics.
• Grange Laws-They elected condidates to state legislatures
and were able to pass laws to benefit farmers. Specifically,
laws that regulate railroads and grain storage rates.
• Railroad companies protested and they went to the U.S.
Supreme Court in the case Munn vs. Illinois. Grange
laws were found to be constitutional. (upheld)
 Farmers Organize
• Interstate Commerce Act- Prohibited
rail companies from charging different
rates for different customers.
• Populist Party-Supported "ordinary
people" rather than the elite. Believed
the rich industrialists had a hold on
the government.
• Farmer's alliance-Regional political
groups. Held national conventions and
started their own newspaper.
 The South
• The increased popularity of
cotton in the south led to
textile mills opening in
the region.
• Following the Civil War,
Tenant Farming was very
popular in the south.
• Telegraphs lines ran along-side railroads
and became a very important way to
communicate by the end of the 19th
century.
• Windmills became important to farmers
to help pump water from underground.
• Cattle drives were booming during the
late 1800's and ended with barbed wire.
What group supported "Ordinary People"?

• Communists
• Nativists
• Populists
• Socialists
Why were windmills important for farmers?

• Pollinate crops
• Pump water
• Power machinery
• Drill for oil
What industry was opening in the south due to
the increased popularity of cotton?

• Clothing
• Textile
• Thread
• Furniture