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Chapter 5. Section 3 Life at the Turn of the Twentieth Century. Life at the Turn of the 20 th Century. The growth of big business was fueled by cheap labor Between 1880-1910, Immigrants came to the U.S. by the millions looking for work. Complete Worksheet: New Immigrants .
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Chapter 5 Section 3 Life at the Turn of the Twentieth Century
Life at the Turn of the 20th Century • The growth of big business was fueled by cheap labor • Between 1880-1910, Immigrants came to the U.S. by the millions looking for work
Reaction to Immigrants Nativists- Saw immigrants as a threat • Blamed immigrants for increases in crime and poverty in American cities • Said immigrants took American jobs
Reaction to Immigrants • On West Coast, prejudice directed toward Asians • In California, Chinese restricted from holding certain jobs, living certain places Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) • Banned immigration from China for 10 years • Barred Chinese from becoming citizens
Reaction to Immigrants • Many Americans wanted immigrants to blend into American society Americanization • Schools & volunteer organizations taught English, US history and government • Immigrants often lost cultural heritage in process
Theories on Immigration • Melting Pot Theory – metaphor to describe immigration that describes the blending of cultures until they are no longer distinct • Salad Bowl Theory – a metaphor to describe immigration, each immigrant groups is like an ingredient in a salad, even when mixed together they remain distinct
Which theory of immigration do you believe most accurately describes the immigrant experience in the U.S.? • What should the U.S. strive to be, a melting pot or a salad bowl?
Warm Up: Review for Quiz (5 minutes)
Urban Life in America • As American industrialized, & immigrants poured into the nation, cities began to grow rapidly • Space became limited, so architects began to build up Skyscrapers • 1885- 10 story building in Chicago Required: • steel beams for support • Electric elevators
Urban Life in America • As cities grew, people feared that urban areas would have no green space • Urban planners began to incorporate park space into cities • Central Park in NYC opened in 1857 - 883 acres - 2.5 miles long
Urban Life in America • Most people in the cities lived in poverty • Tenements- crowded apartments with little sanitation or ventilation, no indoor plumbing.
Settlement House Movement Settlement Houses • located in poor urban areas • volunteer middle-class "settlement workers" would live in immigrant communities, • Offered immigrants English language services, job training courses • Hull House in Chicago- Jane Addams • Henry Street Settlement in NYC- Lillian Wald
Political Scandal and Reform Problems in American cities in the late 1800’s • Crime, bad housing, poor sanitation • Political Corruption • Many cities were controlled by a political machine, an organization of professional politicians • Machine bosses won support by giving people jobs • Expected votes in return
Political Scandal and Reform • The most notorious political machine was Tammany Hall in NYC • Boss Tweed
Political Cartoons: Thomas Nast on Tammany Hall
Political Scandal and Reform • Boss Tweed used his position to make himself and his friends rich • Convicted of corruption and fraud in 1871
Warm Up: Do you think that it is ok for government workers to use their positions for personal financial gains?
Read “Honest Graft” Answer Questions
Scandal in the Government Administration of U.S. Grant • Credit Mobilierscandal • Scheme to fund railroad money to stockholders, including members of Congress and VP
Scandal in the Government Attempts at Reform • Pendleton Civil Service Act 1883 • Created Civil Service System • Promotion and hiring for government jobs based on merit, not political connections • Civil Service Exam
Farmers’ Reform Movement • Farmers organized to help themselves, group known as the National Grange • Goal was to persuade state legislatures to regulate railroad rates • Supreme Court ruled only Congress could regulate railroad traffic across state lines • Interstate Commerce Act 1887 - first law by Congress to regulate an industry
Silver vs. Gold • Farmers Alliance wanted government to print more money • Believed farmers could charge more for farm goods if their was more money in circulation • 1873 Congress put U.S. dollar on gold standard • Paper money could be exchanged for an equal value of gold. • Lowered the amount of money in circulation, hurt farmers
Silver vs. Gold • Farmers also wanted money to be backed by Silver • Would create more money in circulation • Formed a national political party, Populist Party • Alliance of farmers, labor leaders and reformers
Populist Party Part Platform • bank regulation • government ownership of railroads • end gold standard • higher taxes for rich • 8 hour work day • direct election of Senators • -lower tariffs
Opposition to Populism • Businesses and Cities opposed high tariffs - Taxes on imports made them more expensive, protected American Manufactures • Business leaders feared ending gold standard - Feared inflation
Election of 1896 • William Jennings Bryan (D) supported by Populist - Wanted to end gold standard - Wanted lower tariffs • William McKinley (R) - Business leaders feared lowering tariffs ending gold standard, supported McKinley • McKinley, backed by contributions of wealthy businessmen, won the campaign
