IMMIGRATION&URBANIZATION
Politics in Gilded Age
-lots of scandal, but lots of political participation. -Rep. Party supported business and industry with a protective tariff and hard money policies. -Dem. Party opposed the tariff and eventually adopted the free silver platform. -The People's (Populist) Party emerged in the 1890s to champion the interests of farmers. The party endorsed the coinage of silver to improve the financial situation of debtors.
Pendleton Civil Service Act
Federal Government jobs are awarded on the basis of merit and Government employees are selected through competitive exams. made it unlawful to fire or demote for political reasons employees who were covered by the law.
Social Gospel Movement
Ministers (especially Protestants) began to tie salvation and good works together. They argued that people must emulate the life of Jesus Christ.
Boss Tweed & Tammany Hall
Tweed was the boss of Tammany Hall, the democratic party machine. Most notably controlled New York City and New York State politics and helped immigrants, most notably the Irish.
Party Machines (how work, targets whom)
corrupt, bribed people to vote for them in exchange for patronage. They targeted lots of immigrants. They offered immigrants food, housing, jobs, and police protection. they would also buy people's ballots and fill them out in their favor
Americanization
designed to prepare foreign-born residents of the United States for full participation in citizenship. It aimed not only at the achievement of naturalization but also at an understanding of and commitment to principles of American life and work.
Industrialization, Immigration, Urbanization connections
during the industrial revolution, there was tons of immigration from Europe and China. People were in search of jobs, and America needed workers due to their new industries. As people came flooding in, neighborhoods became more urban and crowded. Poor people lived in tenement buildings.
Ellis Island (what took place)
located at New York Harbor. all immigrants had to stop at Ellis Island on their way into the United States. They were given medical and legal inspections to make sure if they were deemed fit to enter the united states. They were also tagged with their boat's information. In 1897 it burned to the ground in a fire.
Melting Pot v. Nativism
nativists believed that cultural assimilation was required for the melting pot, and they thought it was disrespectful to America if the immigrants didn't want to assimilate completely.
Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)
no asians were allowed to enter or leave the united states for 10 years, and those who were already in the United States could not become citizens. Done to influx the amount of Asians coming to California during the gold rush. Applied to ALL ASIANS but they were reffered to as CHINESE
Jane Adams, Hull House
one of the first settlement houses in the United States. Its initial programs included providing recreational facilities for slum children, fighting for child labor laws, and helping immigrants become U.S. citizens.
Settlement Houses
provided support services to the urban poor and European immigrants, often including education, healthcare, childcare, and employment resources. led by women from the middle and upper classes.
Patronage
support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another.
Conditions in cities (turn of century)
terrible living conditions in tenement buildings, little A.C. or water systems
The Golden Door
the gateway to the west
Immigration Patterns (N/W v. S/E... diff lang, faith, cul)
those from Europe usually came to the west coast industries, and those from Asia usually came to the east coast. Most of them learned English, but spoke their own language to each other. They created centers where their culture could remain the same (CHINATOWNS). They would serve ethnic food, wear their cultural clothes, and sell ethnic goods.
Period of Greatest Immigration
usually refers to blacks who moved from the south to urban areas in other parts of the country. From 1880s to 1920s immigrants came to America from China and Europe in search of job opportunities and religious freedoms.
Tenements
Window at front and back of building, but no windows in the middle rooms, Kitchen, living room, and bedroom, Parents had a bed and all of the kids had 1 bed, When it was summer time, sometimes they slept on the fire escape, Beds were sometimes used 24 hours a day in 8 hour shifts. Poor workers and immigrants lived here.