Day 97: America Moves to the CityBaltimore Polytechnic Institute

February 2, 2012A.P. U.S. History

Mr. Green

Objectives: Students will:Describe the rise of the American industrial city, and place it in the context of worldwide trends of urbanization and mass migration (the European diaspora).Describe the New Immigration, and explain how it differed from the Old Immigration and why it aroused opposition from many native-born Americans.Discuss the efforts of social reformers and churches to aid the New Immigrants and alleviate urban problems, and the immigrants’ own efforts to sustain their traditions while assimilating to mainstream America.

AP FocusIndustrialization sparks urbanization, and cities become magnets for immigrants. Those who can afford to leave behind the hustle and bustle of urban life move to the budding suburbs. See the table in The American Pageant (13th ed., p. 560/14th ed., p. 598). Demographic Changes is an AP theme.The late nineteenth century sees a surge of immigration, now from eastern and southern Europe. Most encounter living and working conditions not appreciably better than what they had left. The tenement floor plan (13th ed., p. 561/14th ed., p. 599) shows typical living conditions for impoverished urban workers.

America Moves to the City

CHAPTER THEMESIn the late nineteenth century, American society was increasingly dominated by large urban centers. Explosive urban growth was accompanied by often disturbing changes, including the New Immigration, crowded slums, new religious outlooks, and conflicts over culture and values. While many Americans were disturbed by the new urban problems, cities also offered opportunities to women and expanded cultural horizons.

Chapter Focus

Focus Questions Chapter 25-Due February 7, no exceptions

Announcements

Cities across the world expandedImpacts of urbanization

commuters-electric street cars, subwaysurban lifestyle attractionconsumerism rather than virtues of thriftskyscraperscrimesanitationslums, dumbbell tenementsfires

The UrbanFrontier

The Shift to the American City

This chart shows the percentage of total population living in locales with a population of twenty-five hundred or more. Note the slowing of the cityward trend from 1970 on.

2 million immigrants between 1850s and 1870s

5 million in the 1880sPrior to 1880-British Isles/Western Europe-

Germany/ChinaAfter 1880-southern/eastern Europe

Italians, Jews, Croats, Slovaks, Greeks, and Poles

19% of immigrants in 1880s-early 20th century 66% of immigrants

The New Immigration

Old and New Immigration (by decade)

European DiasporaA dispersion of a people from their original homeland

European cities growing vigorously as a result of fish/grains from U.S. cultivation of the potato

America lettersProfit-seeking AmericansSavage persecutionsBirds of passage-25% between 1820-1900

Southern Europe Uprooted

Immigrants received no support from federal and state governments

Many turned to city “bosses”Bosses traded jobs/services for votes“Social Gospel”

churches address social issues of the dayJane Addams

Hull House in Chicago 1889Settlement houseswomen’s activism/social reform

Women workers were single, as work for married women was taboo

Reactions to the New Immigration

Native born Americans concerned with the New Immigrantsreligionculturehigh birthratenot Anglo-Saxon-they would disappearcorruptioncheap laborpolitical beliefs

American Protective Association Anti-Catholic

Use as strikebreakers, hard to organize1882-paupers, criminals, convicts and Chinese1885-banned foreign workers under contract1886-Statue of Liberty

Narrowing the Welcome Mat

Liberal Protestantsrejected biblical literalismstories as models for behavior

Roman Catholics1900-largest single denomination

JudaismSalvation Army-from EnglandChurch of Christ, Scientist-heal the sickYMCA, YWCA

Churches Confront the Urban Challenge

1. What new opportunities and social problems did the cities create for Americans?2. In what ways was American urbanization simply part of a worldwide trend, and in what ways did it reflect particular American circumstances? How did the influx of millions of mostly European immigrants create a special dimension to America’s urban problems?3. How did the New Immigration differ from the Old Immigration, and how did Americans respond to it?4. How was American religion affected by the urban transformation, the New Immigration, and cultural and intellectual changes?

Discussion

Begin Reading second ½ of Chapter 25 Prepare for 10 question reading check on

Chapter 25 on Friday Chapter 25 Focus Questions Due on

Monday. No late assignments will be accepted.

Homework