American Society 1890-1920 Flashcards
How did US society and economy develop from mass immigration between 1890-1920?
-immigration was a caused and consequence of economic expansion , providing labour and consumerism
-many immigrated to urban cities and accustomed to social life, but also integrated their culture to shape cities identity’s= create divisions between new arrivals, those already settled and associated with progressive/populist division
• ‘little Italy’ in New York & ‘polish
triangle’ in Chicago
-(1890-1919) 18.4 million immigrants to US
-most new immigration from Austria-Hungry, Italy and Russia .
‘Push’ factors were poverty and hunger in north Italy and ‘Russification’.
‘Pull’ factors belied US land of rich and freedom, join established communities, migrant jobs
Boost by transportation and communication: better ports & ships
-[1892] ellis island immigration centre opens following crash of castle garden immigration centre
Not permanent:
-60% Italians returned home
- 3% ‘Russian Jews’ returned home
For economic reasons only:
-80% Italian immigrants were male, who came for work and sent money home
Make a new free life
-50% Jewish were female
-Jews not badly educated (80% men, 63% women literate)
- 2/3 Jewish men skilled workers
How far did urbanisation transform US society and economy (1890-1920)?
-cosntruction boom: civil buildings, commercials , taller buildings housing, tramways
-made cities more lively from startling economic activity and rising migration and immigration cultural integration
Spread of advertising and of modern mass entertainment:
- cinemas emerged known as Nickelodeons
-theatres and music hall not only for elite
Fixated transformation in northeast but the spread was not only in great industrial cities:
-developed small towns (brought development there aswell)
-districts in large cities became small towns ‘over the Rhine’
Reasons for urban population rise:
-mostly fuelled by immigration
-US population increasing (rose to 76mil in 1900 and 100mill in 1920) (had lowest death rate but declining birth rate )
-migration from countryside (1910 African American move from south to north) and was increased by ww1
[demand for workers in construction, service industry , sweatshops of garment industry]
How far were American social and ethnic divisions with immigrants present in US society and economy y1890-1920?
Impact on municipal politics:
-(less so) politicans gave them (were mostly urban and Catholic) protection and patronage (social safety net) for votes
[poltical machines: tammy hall]
=(more so) intensify populist divisions
Divisions involving trade unions:
-(less so) Many joined as they were recruited hy unions so unions could be strengthene’
-(more so) new immigrants seen as a threat to unions, from forming cheap labour that could be sued to undercut wages/beat strikes. (Create tension also between older & newer immigrants. Intensified by religious differences )
(strikes (1892) homestead strike blamed on ‘foreign agitators’ who initate dangerous strikes by undermining wages or fuel unions with member to create strikes? )
What was society like in the northeast America ? (1890-1920)
Modernisation & social change greatest in north
(Powerhouse industries)
More ‘European’
Most immigration
Made social trends look nationwide
What was American society like in the south (1890-1920?)
Dominated at state & federal level by Democratic Party
King cotton dominated
White society clanged to segregation
Little immigration
African American left south to settle north
(11 Italian Americans killed by lynch mob In New Orleans (1991))
What was societal developments like in the west of America?
• some states not achieve statehood until (1912?
• Denver & west coast ports rapidly developed
• had ghost towns ‘tent city’s’ in Colorado during Alaska-Yukon gold rush
• influenced by ideas on rugged individualism
• varied African American and Mexican immigrants
What was progressive movement like in American society?
Caused:
-rise in newspaper, magazines, moral values
-‘muckering’ by journalists occurred which exposed corruption in society like high industrialists and “graft” “kickbacks” and “jobs for the boys” in city halls
-campaigns against child labour
-fierce deduction of appalling neglect by garment employees = triangle shirt waist factory fire (1911)
-divided middle class progressive and working class progressives
-influential pressure in anti-saloon league
-women suffrage
How did progressivism influence women’s suffrage?
-growth in movement
-(1909) national American women suffrage association organised public rallies
-(1913) leader Emmeline Pankhurst made fiery speech to huge crowds at rally in New York
What was the worst consequence of progressivism?
Increase belief in nativism== to revival of KKK in (1915)
Who was carrier nation and what were her beliefs?
Believed in direct action against demon drink, husband was alcoholic.
she smashed bar with hail of large stones. Used trade marks “Carrie nation Axe”
How far did development occur for African Americans during 1890-1920s? (7)
(1890) Jim Crow system & white supremacist made it difficult to achieve equality
(1899-1929) 3165 African Americans lynched by majority whitemen. Fewer than 50% arrested & only 4 sentenced
(1901) anti-lynching bill drafted but rejected by congress
(1900) violence between African Americans and Irish
(1909) formation of national association for advancement of coloured poeple, led by W.E.B Bjs to abolish segregation
Theodore Roosevelt invited booker T Washington to White House
-black leader’s disillusioned by Taft’s cautious approach & wilson and racist socialist leaders
What situations hindered black equality (1890-1920)?
Poll tax
(1898) “grandfather clause’ where if father citizen before 1867, they vote
(1890) literacy tests in Mississippi
“Plessy vs Ferguson “
(1895) booker T Washington speech suggest African Americans focus on education & economic progress than removing segregation
