I Immigration A What were the origins of New Immigrants versus Old Immigrants Old Immigrants New Immigrants Dwindling groups included Irish and German immigrants New groups entering America during the influx at the turn of the century included Italians Poles and Eastern European Jews B What were their motivations for coming to America Push and Pull Factors Push Conditions in their origin countries which encouraged them to leave where they were Jews started experiencing more discrimination in Eastern Europe Fascism on the rise in Italy Pull Factors encouraging immigrants to choose the US Rapid maturation of American Capitalism and the economy large industrial complexes JOBS AND MONEY Vibrant Societies Created Those who had come here and found success created communities which allowed them to keep their culture alive Newspapers and letters home convinced more to come Called Chain Migration C What conditions did they encounter 1 How does Riis describe the living conditions in NYC How the Other Half Lives 1890 Urban problems included 1 Overcrowding Tenements 2 Dirty Water not many cities had purification systems 3 Sewage still many outhouses in poorer areas these didn t get 4 Garbage again didn t get picked up in poorer areas 5 Health Sanitation 33 carriages 1 car LOTS of horse shit not drained cleaned up 6 Education bad in poor areas 7 Crime most murders took place in cities high crime rates 2 What solutions does Riis propose Technology 1 Paved streets 2 Garbage Removal 3 Water Works 4 Sewage Treatment and Disposal 5 Electricity 6 Professional Police D What were Nativist concerns about New Immigrants Sense of dependence on others as producers and consumers anxiety among native born Americans Doubts about immigrant capability of assimilation into mainstream white Protestant society Fear about losing jobs to immigrants 1 Why did they seek to restrict immigration 1870 1920 25 million immigrants to the US crazy influx Certain groups more than others which was overwhelming to natives ex Chinese to West Coast 2 Describe important federal immigration legislation Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 All but stopped Chinese Immigration This was due to the fact that the Chinese Immigrants worked harder and for less money therefore were taking jobs Gentlemen s Agreement of 1907 Placed limit on Japanese Immigration US would not place restrictions on immigration but Japan would restrict emigration Both wanted to ease tensions after Japanese decisive win over Russia the Japanese began to demand equality Roosevelt accepted this agreement in place of more formal sanctions Was never ratified by Congress was more of a verbal agreement and ended by Immigration Act of 1924 Johnson Emergency Quota Act of 1921 Although meant to be a short term fix imposed an important long term effect and system Was put into place because pretty much all else failed before this Used the 1910 Census numbers Said that only 3 of the number of people from a certain country already in America could enter the country annually This meant that people from Northern European Countries had larger quotas and were more likely to be admitted obviously biased and racist Johnson Reid Act of 1924 Similar to Emergency Quota Act Used 1890 Census just furthering the racism and bias Only 2 of those already in the US could come This also completely excluded all Asian Immigrants II Urbanization and Industrialization A What were the problems associated with urban slums How did the philosophy of laissez faire contribute to slum problems Problems in Urban Slums Overcrowding Tenements Laissez Faire Contest to create better tenements Dumbbell Tenements by James Ware These had shafts down the middle for more air circulation Sewage still many outhouses in poorer areas these didn t get drained Dirty Water not many cities had purification systems Garbage again didn t get picked up in poorer areas Health Sanitation 33 carriages 1 car LOTS of horse shit not cleaned Disease and death rates were very high in cities higher than the national averages Disease spread extremely easily in the cramped conditions Education bad in poor areas 44 of people lived below the poverty line Crime most murders took place in cities high crime rates bodies dumped down shafts of tenements In essence Capitalism Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith Calls for minimal government involvement in economy and individuals up lives Opposes taxation and regulation of commerce Maximized livery Invisible hand of the market place will do what needs to be done Seemed to provide rapid growth of economy at its beginnings in the US Gilded Age BUT exploitation bad products monopolies and bad working conditions arose this contributed to the slum problem by Allowed for big business and landlords to exploit the poor No government provided social welfare programs The hands off approach just let the poor continue to suffer and the rich to continue to get richer B How was technology seen as a solution to urban problems Technology as a Solution Paved streets Garbage Removal Water Works Sewage Treatment and Disposal Electricity Professional Police These were seen as solutions because if conditions improved so would morale and success Similar theories to how to help poor blacks this day in age C What was the urban political machine How did it operate What was patronage politics Was it effective as an interim solution to urban problems Urban Political Machine A party that ran a city and dealt with problems Not the actual government did not need to be elected BUT had access to those in government whether through party ties or bribes Almost always Democrats Operation Boss Ward Heeler Precinct Captain Most famous Boss Tweed of Tammany Hall Patronage Politics is the dispensation of favors or rewards such as public office jobs contracts subsidies prestige or other valued benefits by a patron who controls their dispensation to a client Honestly it was an effective solution to urban problems as long as it lasted Things got done Obviously the behind the scenes was a little sketchy but results were seen and beneficial to all Boss Tweed spent 2 3 Million on schools infrastructure projects job creation D What forms did corruption take during those times and why was the public willing to put up with them to the degree that it did Corruption during the turn of the century George Washington Plunkitt Honest Graft vs Dishonest Graft Graft practices especially bribery used to secure illicit gains in politics or business corruption
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