CONTEXT Flashcards
Eastern seaboard division
Build up of wealth on the Eastern seaboard, often introducing social concerns that mirror those of Europe
What is the name of the lifestyle that American’s adopted during the economic boom? And define it
Hedonistic - no thought of consequences
TOM???
Define ‘the melting pot’
Metaphor for a society where many different types of people blend together as one. America is often called a melting pot.
Define ‘pioneer spirit’
A sense of adventure, exploration, and making their own way.
Define ‘American Dream’
The ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved.
How many people between 1900 and 1915 immigrated to the US?
15 million immigrants
Equal to the number of immigrants who had arrived in the previous 40 years combined
In 1910, what proportion of New York City’s population were immigrants?
Three-fourths
Where were the immigrants mainly from?
- Eastern Europe
- Italy
- Poland
- Russia
They had difficulty adjusting to life
Where did immigrants settle? Who struggled with the increase in population?
Most of the immigrants chose to settle in American cities, where jobs were located.
As a result, cities became even more crowded - city services struggled with the flow of people
What jobs did immigrants / migrants take?
Jobs that native-born Americans would not take.
However, immigrants succeeded in bettering their condition.
What happened to the numbers of immigration, after the depression of the 1890’s ?
Jumped from a low of 3.5 million, to a high of 9 million, within the first decade of the new century.
What happened after 1914 to immigration in America?
Immigration dropped off because of the war, and later because of immigration restrictions imposed in the 1920’s.
Why did immigrants escape their countries for America?
Escaping:
- Religion
- Racial
- Political persecution
- Seeking economic relief
- Famine
Contract labor agreements
Many immigrants were pulled to America by contract labor agreements, offered by recruiting agents, known as ‘padrones’.
What was ‘Ellis Island’ used for?
Immigrants entering the USA who could not afford first or second-class passage came through the processing center at Ellis Island, NYC
When was ‘Ellis Island’ built?
1892
How many immigrants did ‘Ellis Island’ handle?
12 million European immigrants
Conditions of ‘Ellis Island’
Described as a ‘barn-like’ structure
What questions did government inspectors ask immigrants on ‘Ellis Island’?
- ‘Have you money, relatives or a job in the US?’
- ‘Are you a polygamist? An anarchist?’
Then the doctors prodded them, looking for signs of disease or disabilities.
How long were immigrants detained for at ‘Ellis Island’?
3-4 hours
What would happen if immigrants didn’t receive the stamp of approval into the United States? (‘Ellis Island’)
Sent back to their place of origin at the expense of the shipping line
What would happen to ‘newcomers’ that arrived without a family? (to the USA)
Some solace could be found in the ethic neighborhoods populated by their fellow countrymen
Here, they form a community, where they can speak the same language and abide by the same religion
Conditions in 1920’s America
- Most industries offered hazardous conditions and very low wages, lowered further after the padrone took out its share
- Urban housing was overcrowded and unsanitary
Quote from an Old Italian
‘I came to America because I heard the streets were paved with gold. When I got here, found out three things: First, the streets weren’t paved with gold; second, they weren’t paved at all: and third, I was expected to pave them’
Define ‘okies’
Derogatory term for migrants entering another state for work.
Originated from Oaklahoma migrants, hence the name
Prohabition dates
1920-1933
!!!
What did Prohabition cause?
On January 15th 1919, Congress ratified the Eighteenth Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcoholic drinks
It fuelled the rapid growth of organized crime networks engaged in bootlegging (the making and selling and selling of illegal alcoholic drinks) and fostered the emergence of wealthy and powerful gangsters who, like Gatsby, were also active in other criminal fields, such as gambling and bond fraud, and aspired to social status.
What is ‘The National Origins Act of 1924’ ?
Laid down a quota system based on 2 per cent of the numbers of each nationality in the USA
or… limited the number of immigrants allowed entry into the United States through a national origins quota
National economic boom figures
The total of national wealth rose from about $187 million in 1912 to $450 million in 1929.
Women’s voting
The Nineteenth Amendment of 1920 gave women the right to vote for the first time.
When were the “Roaring 20’s”?
1918 to the Stock Market Crash of 1929
what was the Jazz Age the era of?
the era of reckless spending and conspicuous consumption
status symbol
Wall Street Crash
Oct 1929, stock market crashed leading to the great depression and ends the lavish culture of the 1920s
Word for newly rich
‘nouveau riche’
When did the ‘Great Depression’ start and end?
1929–1939
What are the 1930’s often described as?
The ‘dirty thirties’
