Chap 18

American Protection Association

obsessed with a hatred of Catholics and foreigners, founded this group committed to stopping the immigrant tide.q

nativism

(philosophy) the philosophical theory that some ideas are innate

Jacob Riis

A Danish immigrant, he became a reporter who pointed out the terrible conditions of the tenement houses of the big cities where immigrants lived during the late 1800s. He wrote How The Other Half Lives in 1890.

George Washington Plunkitt

A corrupt politician who was a leader of the corrupt political machine in New York City called Tammany Hall. He defended "honest graft."

Hell's kitchen

A neighborhood in Manhattan, New York noted for its slums (streets overpopulated by poor people and unfit living conditions) and vice (immoral behavior)

Sears Roebuck

Chicago based catalogue company still in existence; at one time allowed people in rural areas to get manufactured goods

F.W. Woolworth's

Founder of F.W Woolworth Co, (now Foot Locker), a chain of discount stores. Maker of chain store: "five-and-ten-cent stores"

Emma Lazarus

Granddaughter of German Jews; wrote "The New Colossus"; wanted immigrants to come to America; glad to accept them and welcome them into the country

Dumbbell Tenement

Houses that poor people lived in, located in cities Showed some atrocities of American industrial life.

Thomas Nast

Newspaper cartoonist who produced satirical cartoons, he invented "Uncle Sam" and came up with the elephant and the donkey for the political parties. He nearly brought down Boss Tweed.

streetcar suburbs

The appearance of the streetcar made living within the heart of the city unnecessary. People began moving to the edges of the cities and commuting to work by streetcar. Led to growth of suburbs.

Naturalization Act of 1870

This Naturalization Act limited American citizenship to "white persons and persons of African descent," barring Asians - who were coming to california in large numbers - from U.S. citizenship.

Montgomery Ward

United States businessman who in 1872 established a successful mail-order business (1843-1913)

Boss Tweed

William Tweed, head of Tammany Hall, NYC's powerful democratic political machine in 1868. Between 1868 and 1869 he led the Tweed Reign, a group of corrupt politicians in defrauding the city. Example: Responsible for the construction of the NY court house; actual construction cost $3million. Project cost tax payers $13million.

Salvation Army

a charitable and religious organization to evangelize and to care for the poor and homeless

How the other half lived

a pioneering work of photojournalism by Jacob Riis, documenting the squalid living conditions in New York City slums in the 1880s. It served as a basis for future muckraking journalism by exposing the slums to New York City's upper and middle class. First flash photographed book.

Tammany Hall

a political organization within the Democratic Party in New York city (late 1800's and early 1900's) seeking political control by corruption and bossism

Melting Pot

an environment in which many ideas and races are socially assimilated

Ellis Island

an island in New York Bay that was formerly the principal immigration station for the United States

Angel Island

an island in the San Francisco bay that was an entry point for many Asian immigrants to the United States beginning in 1910

John A. Roebling

designed the Brooklyn Bridge in New York; one of the great technological marvels of the 1880's, a dramatic steel cable suspension span.

Vaudeville

stage entertainment made up of various acts, such as dancing, singing, comedy, and magic shows