Chapter 15Chapter 15The New ImmigrantsThe New Immigrants

Mr. HammillMr. HammillPhillip O Berry HSPhillip O Berry HS

Immigration During the Gilded AgeImmigration During the Gilded Age

• 1850-1930: – 45 MILLION

IMMIGRANTS CAME TO THE US!!!

Called entrance to America the Golden Door

The JourneyThe Journey

• Most took a steamship across the oceans– 1 week from Europe– 3 weeks from Japan

• Slept in very poor conditions on the boat– Disease spread fast

Arrival into the USArrival into the US• Ellis Island (NYC) was

the entry point for European Immigrants

• Had to pass the following tests– Physical Exam– Literacy/Obedience Tests

• Had to read 40 words in English or was refused entry

Arrival in the USArrival in the US

• Asians typically entered on the West Coast at Angel Island (San Fran Bay)– Called America The

Golden Mountain

• Worse admitting procedures than Ellis Island– Harsher Questions– Longer wait and filthy

detention centers

Restricting ImmigrantsRestricting Immigrants

• Many Americans thought their country was a Melting Pot– Mixture of all types of

people

• Nativists: People who were already in America who did not want immigrants coming to the country– Targeted the new

immigrants– WHY?

Anti-Asian SentimentAnti-Asian Sentiment

• Fear of native born Americans that Chinese will take their jobs– Very high in California

• Congress passes Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)– Banned Chinese entry

except students, teachers, tourists and government officials

– Not repealed until 1943

Part IIPart IILife in America for ImmigrantsLife in America for Immigrants

Mr. HammillMr. Hammill

Phillip O BerrryPhillip O Berrry

Settling in the CitiesSettling in the Cities

• Cheaper to live in cities and had the unskilled jobs

• Americanization Movement– Designed to assimilate

new immigrants into USA– Government and cities

sponsored programs to teach English and history to help become citizens

Turn to your Brother or SisterTurn to your Brother or Sister

• Many did not want to abandoned their culture

• Depended on each other and lived around each other– Little Italy, Chinatown

Urban Problems: Urban Problems: HousingHousing

• Housing– Most working class

families lived in multi-family dwellings called tenements

• Very poor conditions in sanitation and ventilation

• Dumped Garbage out window

VIDEO!VIDEO!

• America: The Story of us

• Immigration Problems and Jacob Riis

Urban Problems:Urban Problems:WaterWater

• Water– Cities had little safe

drinking water• Few apartments had

indoor plumbing• Had to get in street• Filtration and

chlorination not introduced until 1890s

Urban Problems:Urban Problems:Sanitation and CrimeSanitation and Crime

• Sanitation– People dumped garbage

in street– Defecated in the streets

• Crime– Crime rose huge– Most cities had only a small

police force– NYC in 1844 established

first salaried police force

• Native-born Americans blamed immigrants for the increase in crime and violence

• Jacob Riis –Muckraking Journalist who wrote “Shame of the Cities”: blamed alcohol for breeding poverty, corrupting politics, and bringing suffering to the families of drunkards

• Skyscrapers began to appear

–NYC soon caught up and had more than any other city

–By late 1880s—the electric elevator had been invented, which helped to make these buildings more practical

NYC skyline circa 1912NYC skyline circa 1912

Who to Turn To?Who to Turn To?

• Political Machines– Offered jobs, homes, and

services in return for votes

• Settlement Homes– Community centers in

slums that help immigrants to get a place to live, a job, or education

– Jane Addams started the most famous one called Hull House in Chicago

– By 1910 around 400 settlement houses in USA

City Corruption

• Cities could not provide everything their citizens needed. So people turned to “political machines”

• NYC’s political machine was called “Tammany Hall” and was run by Boss Tweed

How Political Machines Worked

Why was this bad?

• Cities lost millions of dollars to the ring through Graft: taking the money meant for city projects for yourself

The Government was corrupt too

• Whiskey Ring- President Grant and his friends created high taxes on whiskey and gave that money to the Republican Party.

• Credit Mobilier Scandal- The Credit Mobilier railroad company gave shares (stock) to Congress in their company. Congress then gave them federal money to make their company more successful.

Government Reforms

• The Pendleton Act- Ended the “Spoils System”. People now had to be qualified to hold government positions. Had to pass an exam.

• Sherman Antitrust Act-outlawed business monopolies. Allowed the Attorney General the power to break up monopolies.