Becoming an Urban Nation

Urbanization

• The Industrial Revolution pushed more and more people into cities to find jobs.– Cities offered

• Good transportation• Plenty of workers

• Urbanization – The growth of cities that resulted from these changes.

Urbanization• Advances

– Skyscrapers • Buildings that looked tall enough to scrape the sky.

– Elevator• Elisha Otis (Otis Elevator Company)

– Installed the first electric elevator in 1889.– Buildings could now be built higher and hold more

people.

– Steel • Also aided in the construction skyscrapers

because it could hold the weight of these large buildings.

Urbanization• Advancements

– Electric streetcars• First was installed in Richmond, Virginia (1888)• Some cities, like Chicago, elevated these cars

– Els

• Some cities, like New York, placed these cars in underground tunnels.

– Subways

• People could now live further from cities which lead to the development of suburbs.

– Many of these suburban cities were annexed by larger cities which expanded their border

Urbanization• Disasters

– People were so crammed together in cities that disasters were common.

• Examples– Fires– Disease

• Living Conditions– Tenements

• An apartment house that is usually run-down and overcrowded.

Urbanization

• Living Conditions– Slums

• Overcrowded neighborhoods with dangerous housing.

Urbanization• Reforms

– Settlement Houses• Helped immigrants improve their lives.

– Daycare, education, and health services.

• Hull House – Chicago 1889– Jane Addams– Became the model for other settlement houses.

Immigration• Until the 1890’s most immigrants

were northern and western European.–New Immigrants

• The southern and eastern Europeans who immigrated to the U.S. after 1900.

Immigration• Ellis Island – New York City

–Processed immigrants to the East.• Physical Exam

–Seriously ill were sent home.

• Asked a series of questions–Name?–Occupation?–How much money do you have?

Immigration• Angel Island – San Francisco

–Processed immigrants to the West• Mostly Asian

–Buildings were filthy and many immigrants were held for weeks.

Immigrants• Becoming American

– Melting Pot• A place where cultures blend

– Assimilation• The process of blending into society.

– Study English– Took Citizenship classes

• Some of the foreign cultures blended into American culture.

Immigrants• Prejudice

– Protestants feared Catholics and Jews

– Many feared immigrants would not fit in

– Many people pushed for restrictions on immigration.

Changes in Culture

• Education– Schools grew in number as a result of

immigration• Laws were passed making school required.

– Increased literacy rates in America

Changes in Culture• Literature

– An increase in literacy lead to an increase in reading.

– Newspapers became more popular.• Joseph Pulitzer – New York World• William Randolph Hearst – New York

Morning Journal– Created comic and sports pages.

Changes in Culture• Entertainment

– Leisure – Free Time• New Parks were created

– Central Park – New York

• First Amusement Parks were built– Coney Island – New York

• World’s Fairs – 1876-1916– Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis– Show off American technology– Millions attended

Changes in Culture

• Sports–Spectator sports became popular

• Baseball. Football, and Boxing–Baseball was the most popular

»By 1890, had an organized league.

Changes in Culture• Music and Art

– Vaudeville• Variety shows

– Combination of song, dance, and comedy.

– Ragtime• Blend of African American and European musical

forms.– Scott Joplin

– Movies• Silent• After 1905 movie theaters became popular.