Challenges of UrbanizationChallenges of Urbanization

7.2 Notes7.2 Notes

Melting PotMelting Pot Mixture of people of Mixture of people of

different cultures and different cultures and races who blended races who blended together by abandoning together by abandoning their native languages and their native languages and customscustoms

Did not want to give up Did not want to give up identitiesidentities

Increased immigration led Increased immigration led to anti-immigrant feelingsto anti-immigrant feelings

NativismNativism Favoritism toward native-born AmericansFavoritism toward native-born Americans Demand for immigration restrictionsDemand for immigration restrictions Immigration Restriction League – Prescott F. Immigration Restriction League – Prescott F.

Hall Hall – Identified desirable immigrants (British, German, Identified desirable immigrants (British, German,

Scandinavian)Scandinavian)– Problems come from “wrong” immigrants (Slav, Latin, Problems come from “wrong” immigrants (Slav, Latin,

Asian)Asian) Objected to certain religious beliefs Objected to certain religious beliefs

– Jewish immigrants vs. Protestant/Catholic founders of Jewish immigrants vs. Protestant/Catholic founders of U.S.U.S.

Literacy test passed by Congress, 1897Literacy test passed by Congress, 1897– Minimum of 40 words in English or native languageMinimum of 40 words in English or native language– Vetoed by Pres. ClevelandVetoed by Pres. Cleveland

Chinese Chinese Exclusion Exclusion Act - 1882Act - 1882

Laborers worried Chinese Laborers worried Chinese would accept lower wageswould accept lower wages

Depression of 1873 – jobs Depression of 1873 – jobs scarcescarce

Workingmen’s Party and Workingmen’s Party and Denis Kearney – headed Denis Kearney – headed anti-Chinese movement in anti-Chinese movement in CACA

Act banned all entry by Act banned all entry by Chinese for 10 yrsChinese for 10 yrs– Except students, Except students,

teachers, merchants, teachers, merchants, tourists, gov’t officialstourists, gov’t officials

– Extended indefinitely Extended indefinitely until repeal in 1943until repeal in 1943

Gentleman’s Agreement of 1907-1908Gentleman’s Agreement of 1907-1908

Anti-Chinese sentiment expandsAnti-Chinese sentiment expands 1906 – S.F. education board segregated 1906 – S.F. education board segregated

Japanese children in separate schoolsJapanese children in separate schools Japanese angered and protestedJapanese angered and protested Theodore Roosevelt worked agreementTheodore Roosevelt worked agreement

– Japan’s gov’t limits emigration of unskilled Japan’s gov’t limits emigration of unskilled workersworkers

– S.F. repealed segregation orderS.F. repealed segregation order

Immigrants Settle in CitiesImmigrants Settle in Cities Urbanization – growth of cities (Northeast Urbanization – growth of cities (Northeast

and Midwest)and Midwest)– Technology boom = more jobsTechnology boom = more jobs

Cities cheapest, convenientCities cheapest, convenient Mills and factories – attracted unskilled Mills and factories – attracted unskilled

workersworkers Better farm technology = less jobs on Better farm technology = less jobs on

farmsfarms Rural people moved to cities for jobsRural people moved to cities for jobs

Americanization MovementAmericanization Movement Assimilate people into American cultureAssimilate people into American culture School programs, volunteer associationsSchool programs, volunteer associations

– Teach skills needed for citizenshipTeach skills needed for citizenship– English literacy, American history, gov’tEnglish literacy, American history, gov’t– Cooking, social etiquetteCooking, social etiquette

Immigrants conflicted about losing cultureImmigrants conflicted about losing culture Fled to ethnic neighborhoodsFled to ethnic neighborhoods

Urban ProblemsUrban Problems HousingHousing

– Housing outside of town or Housing outside of town or rental rooms in boardinghouses rental rooms in boardinghouses at firstat first– Row housesRow houses– Tenements – multi-family dwellings, overcrowded and Tenements – multi-family dwellings, overcrowded and

unsanitaryunsanitary TransportationTransportation

– Mass transit – street cars in S.F., electric subwaysMass transit – street cars in S.F., electric subways– Lots of people on fixed routesLots of people on fixed routes– Linked cities togetherLinked cities together

WaterWater– Public waterworks built to distribute safe drinking Public waterworks built to distribute safe drinking

waterwater– No indoor plumbing, collected from street faucetsNo indoor plumbing, collected from street faucets– Disease spread through unsanitary waterDisease spread through unsanitary water

Cholera, typhoid feverCholera, typhoid fever

– filtration systems, chlorination developedfiltration systems, chlorination developed SanitationSanitation

– Horse manure in streetsHorse manure in streets– Sewage in open guttersSewage in open gutters– Factory smoke polluted airFactory smoke polluted air– No dependable trash collection – garbage dumped in No dependable trash collection – garbage dumped in

streetsstreets– Private trash collectors - scavengersPrivate trash collectors - scavengers

CrimeCrime– Pickpockets, thievesPickpockets, thieves– NY City first to have salaried police forceNY City first to have salaried police force

FireFire– Limited water supply – fires spreadLimited water supply – fires spread– Candles, kerosene lamps and heatersCandles, kerosene lamps and heaters– SF earthquake – 1906SF earthquake – 1906– Developed sprinklers, built with brick/stone Developed sprinklers, built with brick/stone

instead of woodinstead of wood