III. Social Darwinism and Social Reform

Gilded Age IdeasWhat were the main ideas of Social Darwinism, and how did it compare with the ideas of individualism?

Gilded Age ideas1873 Mark Twain and Charles

Warner wrote a novel entitled

The Gilded Age. Historians adopted the term to name the era of 1870 to 1900

Twain and Warner were sounding an alarm

Gilded means expensive on the outside and cheap on the inside

Gilded with gold. Might seem to sparkle.

CORRUPTIONPOVERTY CRIMEGREEDEXCESSDISPARITIES IN WEALTH

Amazing new inventions

Industrial growth

Skyscrap

ers

Ele

ctri

c lights

Spec

tacu

lar

man

sion

s

Gilded Age IdeasTime of great cultural

activityIndustrialization and

urbanization altered Americans and their society

Gave rise to new valuesIn artNew entertainment

The Idea of IndividualismIndividualism – the belief

that no matter what a person’s background is, he or she can still become successful through effort

Americans could rise as far as their talents and commitments could take them, no matter how humble their origins

The Idea of IndividualismHoratio Alger expressed it the

bestWrote more that 100 “rags to

riches” novelsPoor person goes to the city and

through hard work becomes successful

Alger’s books convinced many young people success was possible

Charles DarwinBritish philosopher in 1859

wrote On then Origins of species by Means of Natural Selection

Darwin argued plants and animals evolved over millions of years

Process of natural selection is species that cannot adapt die out, those that adapt thrive and live on

Spencer argued that human society also evolved through competition. Society became better because only the fit survived

Spencer and William Graham Sumner became know as Social Darwinism

“Survival of the fittest” became the catch phrase

Some industrial leaders used this theory to support laissez-faire- capitalism

This doctrine opposed any government programs that interfered with business

The most fit were white, industrialized societies such as the U.S. and Great Britain.

Herbert Spencer

Social DarwinismSocial Darwinism – a philosophy

based in Charles Darwin’s theories of evolution and natural selection, asserting that humans have developed through competition and natural selection with only the strongest surviving

Theories reinforced the idea of individualism

Darwinism and the ChurchMany Christians found

Darwinism offensiveThey rejected the theory of

evolutionThought it contradicted the

theory in Bible of creationSome clergy thought evolution

was God’s way of creating the world

Carnegie’s Gospel of WealthCarnegie advocated a gentler

version of Social Darwinism. Thought wealthy Americans should engage in philanthropy

Philanthropy – providing money to support humanitarian or social goals

Building schools, hospitals was better than handouts to the poor

Carnegie founded the creation of public libraries in cities

Gilded Age IdeasHow did Horatio Alger’s books demonstrate the idea of individualism?

Gilded Age IdeasAlger’s books gave people hope that they could improve their lives by hard work, as the characters did in the story

The Rebirth of ReformWhat methods and philosophies were developed for helping the urban poor?

The Rebirth of ReformIndustrialization and Urbanization triggered a debate on society’s problems

Some embraced Social Darwinism (survival of the fittest) and individualism (work hard for success)

American government needed to help to fix society’s problems• Regulating

the economy• Helping those

in need

REFORM DARWINISM –People succeeded because they learned to cooperate

Naturalism in Literature Naturalists challenged the ideas of Social

DarwinismMany people failed in life because of

circumstances out of their controlStephen Crane’s novel Maggie, A Girl of

the Streets (1893) story of girls descent into prostitution and death

Jack London’s tale of the Alaskan wilderness; power of nature of civilization

Theodore Dreiser’s novel Sister Carrie (1900)Painted a world were people sinned without

punishmentPursuit of wealth and power destroyed their

character

Helping the Urban Poor

Social Gospel movement worked to better conditions in citiesUsed biblical ideas of charity and

justiceWashington Gladden wrote

Applied ChristianityEarly advocate who popularized

the movement in writings

Helping the Urban PoorWalter Rauschenbusch argued,

must “demand protection and moral safety of the people.”

Inspired churches to build gymsProvide social programsChild careHelp the poor

Helping the Urban PoorSalvation Army and Young Men’s

Christian Association (YMCA) combined faith and interest into reform

Salvation ArmyOffered practical aidReligious counseling to the poor

YMCA organized (industrial workers and the poor)Bible studiesCitizenship trainingGroup activitiesLow cost housing for men

Helping the Urban PoorDwight Moody (head of Chicago

YMCA) gifted preacher revival meetings drew thousands

Moody rejected the Social Gospel and Social Darwinism

Help the poor byRedeeming their souls and

reforming their characterNot by providing services

Helping the Urban PoorSettlement house began as

offshoot of Social GospelSettlement House - an

institution located in a poor neighborhood that provided numerous community services such a medical care, child care, libraries, and classes in English

Settlement HousesCollege educated women in the

late 1800’s established settlement houses in poor heavily immigrant neighborhoodsReformers lived in the

settlement housesOffered everything from medical

care to kindergarten and recreational activities

Helping the Urban PoorJane Addams opened Hull

House in Chicago in 1889Jewish reformer Lillian

Wald founded Henry Street Settlement in New York City

Both women powerful force in the settlement house movement

Public EducationIndustrialization and

Urbanization needed more trained workers

Public schools increased dramatically after the Civil War

7 million in 1870 to 15.5 million in 1900

Public school crucial to immigrant child success

Public EducationAt schools immigrant were

taught English and American history and culture

Process was called Americanization

Americanization – the process of acquiring or causing a person to acquire American traits and characteristics

Public EducationGrammar schools divided

students into gradesDrilled them in punctualityNeatness and efficiencyNecessary habits for the

workplaceVocational education in

high school taught skills for specific trades

Public EducationCity children had greater

access to education than rural areas

African Americans faced educational inequalities

Booker T. Washington founded the Tuskegee Institute in 1881

Public EducationWhat role did religion play in the Social Gospel movement? How did churches respond to this movement?

Why were public schools important to the success of immigrant children?

Public EducationReligious morals and teachings were the foundation of these organizations. Churches built gyms, provided social programs and childcare, and helped the poor.

Children learned English, American culture and history, as well as workplace skills

A Changing Culture

Why do you think artists and writers portraying Americans more realistically?

RealismMovement in Art and

Literature late 1800sArtists and writers wanted

to portray the world realistically

Thomas Eakins, America’s best know realist painterPainted men rowingAthletes playing baseballSurgeons and scientists in

action

RealismWriters attempted to capture

the world as they saw itWilliam Dean Howells presented

realistic descriptions of American life

Wrote The Rise of Silas LaphamAttempts of self made man

trying to enter Boston societyHowells first to declare Mark

Twain an American genius

Realism

Twain’s real name was Samuel Clemens publishedAdventures of Huckleberry Finn

1884Title character and his friend Jim

who escaped slaveryFloat down Mississippi River on a

raftTwain wrote with a local dialect

with a lively sense of humor

Popular CultureChanged considerably in

the late 1800sIndustrialization

Improved standard of livingSpend money on

entertainment and recreation

Divided life into work and home

People began “going out” to public entertainment

Popular CultureIn cities saloons

outnumbered grocery stores

Saloons played a major role in male workers lives

Saloons offeredDrinksFree toiletsWater for horsesFree newspapers

Popular CultureSaloons offered the first lunch

Salty food that made patrons drink more

Served as political centersSaloonkeepers key figures in

the political machine

Popular CultureAmusement parks opened

Coney Island in New York CityRailroad rides and water slides

cost only a nickel or a dimePeople began watching

professional sportsFirst professional baseball team

was the Cincinnati Red Stockings1903 first World Series Boston

Americans and Pittsburgh PiratesFootball gained popularity

Popular CultureWork became less strenuousPeople looked for physical

exercise activitiesTennis, golf and croquet became

popular1891 James Nainsmith

(Massachusetts) invented indoor game of basketball

Popular CulturePeople enjoyed comic

theatre and musicVaudeville adapted from

French Theatre1880s hodgepodge of

animal acts, singers, comedians, acrobats, and dancers

Popular CultureRagtime music

Syncopated rhythms grew out of riverside honkytonks

Saloon pianists and banjo players used patterns of African American music

Scott Joplin King of Ragtime

‘The Maple Leaf Rag” in 1899

A Changing Culture

Why was it possible to pursue more leisure activities and popular entertainment during this time period?

A Changing CultureAn improving standard of living provided more income to spend on such activities, and a decrease in work’s strenuousness encouraged more sport and exercise.