The Lower East Side Case Study

Question 1

What is the LES case study about/ what am I trying to lean about the LES

Answer 1

To explore the developing character of a distant place (because the LES is geographically far from where college is)
To get the information about the LES I must use both qualitative and quantitative sources that represent the place in both the past and the present
I must focus on changes to people’s lives experience, economic change and social inequalities

Question 2

What is the LES case study about/ what am I trying to lean about the LES

Answer 2

To explore the developing character of a distant place (because the LES is geographically far from where college is)
To get the information about the LES I must use both qualitative and quantitative sources that represent the place in both the past and the present
I must focus on changes to people’s lives experience, economic change and social inequalities

Question 3

The LES is located…

Answer 3

In the southeastern part of Manhattan Island within New York City, New York in the North East of the USA

Question 4

In the 1600s, …(what nationality) settlers arrived in the LES and starting farming and turned the land into farmland

Answer 4

Dutch

Question 5

In the 1600s, Dutch settlers starting arriving in the LES and turned the area into…

Answer 5

Farmland
(This was the only land use and form of economic activity at the time)

Question 6

From the 1600s and until the 1700s, what was the only form of land use and economic activity

Answer 6

Farming
(As in the 1600s Dutch settlers started arriving and turning the land into farmland)

Question 7

From the 1600s to 1700s, The Dutch people were the only people who occupied the land with farming (there were no other people living there, using the land there etc)

When and where was the first small settlement built in the LES

Answer 7

at Corlears Hook in the 1800s
(The extreme south east part of the LES)
This was the location of some of the first tenements built in LES

Question 8

When and where were the first tenements built in the LES

Answer 8

Corlears Hook in 1883, just after Jewish immigrants had started arriving

(The settlement at Corlears Hook had already existed from earlier on in the 1800s but it wasn’t until 1883 that the first tenements were built there)

Question 9

In what century were garment factories established in the LES

Answer 9

1900s

Question 10

In the 1900s, garment factories were established in the LES. What were the conditions like for people working there

Answer 10

Workers were cramped into small, unsanitary spaces with little ventilation.
Workers had to work for long hours with very little wages
There were high levels of exploitation with workers often being locked into the room to prevent ‘idle behaviour’

Question 11

Which groups of people migrated to LES before 1945
(As it was these people that experienced the horrible conditions of the garment factories and high population density)

Answer 11

Dutch settlers in the 1600s but they had gone by the 1700s

Germans, Irish (in mid to late 1800s) and Jews (1880s) (the Germans and Irish from Germany and Ireland and the Jews from Eastern Europe and Russia)

Question 12

3 groups of people that migrated to the LES in the 1800s were… , … and…

Answer 12

Germans (from Germany), Irish (from Ireland), Jews (from Eastern Europe and Russia)
These migrants were the people to experience the awful garment factory conditions e.g poor wages, lack of sanitation, cramped spaces etc in the early 1900s as well as the very high population density

Question 13

What were the living conditions like in the tenements in the early 1900s. (This was where Jews, Irish and Germans lived who had migrated in the 1800s and needed affordable housing)

Answer 13

Tight spaces and low ceilings (very overcrowded)
Poorly light
Poor ventilation
They had narrow stairways which created a fire hazard, making them unsafe
Diseases spread very easily through them
Furniture was often very worn and shabby

Question 14

Overall in the early 1900s were the conditions of the tenements and garment factories good or bad

Answer 14

Bad
Both were very overcrowded, unsafe (e.g the tenements had narrow hallways and staircases which posed a hazard risk for fires), poorly ventilated, workers earnt very little and worked long hours, furniture in the tenements was often worn down and shabby etc

Question 15

In 1945, the LES becomes New York City’s first…

Answer 15

Racially integrated neighbourhood

Question 16

In 1945, the LES becomes New York City’s first racially integrated neighbourhood with the influx of…and…

Answer 16

African Americans
Puerto Ricans

Question 17

In 1945, Puerto Ricans started migrating to the LES. Areas where Spanish speaking was predominant became known as…

Answer 17

Loisaida

Question 18

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the main group of immigrants that dominated the LES was…

Answer 18

Jews
(Therefore the Jews made up a large proportion of garment factory workers, especially women and girls however men could also work there too)

Question 19

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Jews dominated the LES after they had migrated from Eastern Europe and Russia in the late 1800s. But why did so many Jews migrate there

Answer 19

To get jobs in the garment industry
To escape persecution

(This life would be better in the LES than where they were before and seeing as so many Jews were living in the LES it meant they felt part of a strong Jewish Community that somewhat resembled their ‘old country’ where they established signs in Yiddish, religious schools and synagogues)

Question 20

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Jewish immigrants dominated the LES and established a strong Jewish community which was an effort to resemble their ‘old country’. In what ways did they make their neighbourhood resemble their ‘old country’

Answer 20

They made signs in Yiddish
They set up religious schools
They established synagogues

Question 21

In…(what year) the LES was the most densely populated neighbourhood on Earth with a large number of Jewish migrants as well as Irish and Germans

Answer 21

1910

Question 22

True or false, in the past the LES has been very ‘neighbourly’

Answer 22

True
As immigrants often settled into distinct areas of the neighbourhood e.g the Jews establishing a strong Jewish community with synagogues and signs in Yiddish and all Puerto Ricans living in Loisaida, they felt a true sense of belonging.

Because of the population density being very high and many families living together in one tenement building, it also meant that naturally people would know their neighbours very well and the children of the different families would often play in the streets together etc

However this neighbourly feel became lost from the 1990s onwards when gentrification took place which broke apart these long existing neighbourhoods and communities by forcing lower income families and residents (or in the case of Puerto Ricans, whole communities) out in place for wealthier groups of people and residents. It also led to many old buildings being renovated and new shops and businesses opening so long term residents almost felt like their home had been taken over from and they had little control over it

Question 23

Gentrification has occurred in the LES from the…

Answer 23

1990s

Question 24

Which groups of people contributed to the gentrification of the LES in the 1990s

Answer 24

Immigrants from Bangladesh, China, Poland + lots more
Students, artists and adventurous members of the middle class who wanted to do up the abandoned poor quality buildings left from the slum clearance

Question 25

Economic change in the LES from the 1600s to today

Answer 25

1600s= farming (Dutch settlers were the only people that occupied the land after arriving in the 1600s and turned the land into farmland)

Early 1900s-1945 (end of WW2)= Garment industry (dominated by Jews with horrendous working conditions)

Late 1900s onwards= lots of bars and restaurants as well an increase in hotels etc due to gentrification which has then increased tourism (the LES is a popular historical place to visit as well as try out lots of different restaurants)

Question 26

List of different migrants coming to the LES and when starting with the 1600s.

Answer 26

1600s= Dutch settlers arrive (and start far,king but then are gone by the 1700s)

Mid 1880s= Germans and Irish

1880s= Jews from Eastern Europe and Russia (absolutely tonnes of them)

1945= Puerto Ricans and African Americans

1950s-1990s= Beatniks, Hippies and Punks (due to area being derelict with abandoned buildings, poor housing etc these groups find a place to be in gangs and carry out crime etc)

1980s= Middle class migrants, artists, students, immigrants from Bangladesh, China and Poland + lots more countries (they see the opportunity to gentrify this area of decline)

Question 27

Changes in land use to the LES from the 1600s to now

Answer 27

1600s= purely farmland (Dutch settlers arrived and occupied the area and started farming the land in the 1600s)

Early 1800s= still mostly farmland but a small settlement develops at Corlears Hook (extreme south east of the LES)

Late 1800s and early 1900s= environment becomes more built up with much less farmland and open space but with tenements and garment factories being built due to increased population
from migrants

1945 onwards- environment remains very built up but there are lots of abandoned tenements and derelict areas (as a result of the 1930s slum clearance where people moved out of the tenement buildings but the buildings themselves stayed there). The garment factories were no longer used after 1945

1990s onwards- gentrification means more boutiques, hotels, bars, restaurants etc which help to accommodate for the wealthier population and tourism

Question 28

Changes in lived experience of the LES from 1600s to today

Answer 28

1600s- Dutch had very rural, peaceful life and didn’t have to deal with lots of noise, overcrowded spaces etc

Early 1900s- Jewish, Irish and German immigrants living in tenements and working in garment factories- appalling living and working conditions and sky high population density. However at the same time the area was very neighbourly with strong established communities. E.g the Jews set up religious schools, synagogues, made signs in Yiddish etc as they were all concentrated in the same area

1945- still neighbourly feel with Puerto Ricans and African Americans also arriving and creating small communities in the neighbourhood. Still bad living conditions made up of low income residents.

1950s- 1990s- Beatniks, Hippies and Punks arrived who enjoyed the derelict space where they could rebel, operate in gangs, use drugs, commit crime etc. Chinese, African Americans, Puerto Ricans and other immigrants (but not so much Jews) still had a neighbourly feel but still not the best living conditions due to typically being low income

1990s onwards- gentrification meant many of the immigrants who’d been living there a long time were forced out due to increased rent which meant that for those in the communities that could still afford to live there they would suffer from loss of community and feel like there home has been taken over. The gentrifiers and wealthier groups would enjoy the upgraded homes, new shops, businesses, restaurants, boutiques etc that arrived along with their wealth. At this point onwards the LES had a less unique character with more tourists too

Question 29

What does the Bowery Boys Tour tell us about the LES e.g its history, any changes (lived experience, demographic, wealth, economy, land use, character of the place…)

Why is it useful/ not useful e.g what perspective is it from, what does it focus on/ miss out
How effectively does it represent the LES

Answer 29

It’s their favourite neighbourhood in New York City so may be biased/ focus on what they enjoy as it’s where they have spent time living in (they choose to show us certain places in the area e.g bars and restaurants and buildings)

Good-As it’s a tour you can visually see some aspects of what the city is like today e.g how it is a very built up, urban area, there’s lots of bars and restaurants and it isn’t too busy/ traffic heavy

Good-shows how some of the lived experiences have stayed the same e.g Russ and Daughters Deli that opened in 1940 still exists today, there are still street venders in some parts e.g selling luggage and food, economy candy (sweet shop) still exists from the 1930s

Good- Tells us how the demographic (population size) has changed overtime. E.g How in 1910 it was the most densely populated neighbourhood on Earth with over half a million people living there and shows footage of the people crowded on the streets from back then. (We can really get the idea of just how overcrowded and busy it was in the early 1900s)

Good- Comments on immigration and how it forms a key part of the LES character. Tells us when the migrants came and who they were e.g starting in the 1830s there were Germans and Irish then Italians and Jews (gives us a sense of the history)

Good- shows us the tenement museum which reflects the conditions of the tenements that the immigrants lived in- gives us an insight into their lived experience as the residents who lived there themselves were the ones to help set up the museum and create something very similar to how it was when they lived there. Tells us how families within the same tenement building were very close to each other (as in relationship wise) and often got on well despite being different nationalities and religions (reflects upon the true neighbourly and community feel that we know was an important part of their lived experience in the 1900s)

Good- shows us bars and restaurants that were set up by people of different nationalities, again showing that the diverse population is a dominant part of the LES history

Good- shows effects of gentrification e.g the emergence of cat boutiques and condos in the most recent years. Shows how it is becoming more and more popular and a trendy, touristy place with a good night life etc

Good-shows that the LES has an important music history e.g its where Lady Gaga’s career kicked off amongst other famous groups and singers

Bad- very brief so not much detail, don’t hear from perspective or people who had the lived experiences, they are choosing which aspects they show to us (bias) and don’t show all parts of the history/ current neighbourhood.
They focus a lot on what has stayed the same e.g taking us to bars and restaurants and a sweet shop that existed in the early 1900s despite the fact that more of these things would’ve gone than stayed (but they don’t make it seem that way). They don’t mention anything about the garment factories or horrendous living conditions that the immigrants has in the early 1900s

Question 30

What do the maps (the once we got shown on google slides) tell us about the LES e.g its history, any changes (economic, demographic, wealth, cultural, lived experience, character…)

How useful are they in representing the LES, what do they reveal/ focus on/ leave out etc

Answer 30

Show us change in land use- in the 1700s it is mostly open land e.g farmland. However apart from seeing a few name places it tells us very little about the place- it doesn’t reveal anything about the people who live their, their ages, genders, nationalities, how they make a living, how they perceive the place etc. however we can infer that the population is quite low as there are little houses evident. We can also infer that the main economic activity is farming due to the open land (e.g compared to factories) but there is no evidence to be sure that this is true.

In the 1800s and 1900s the maps present a completely built up environment where unlike before there’s no open space. The map also gives us demographic information including the population size and differences in rental prices throughout the neighbourhood however there is nothing to really compare it to which makes it less useful. Although we can infer that the population has increased because of the built up environment

Doesn’t reveal anything about changing lives experience
Doesn’t reveal anything about demographic e.g religion, ethnicity, nationality (except the population in the 1900s which there’s nothing to compare it to)
Doesn’t reveal anything about the character of the place
Doesn’t reveal anything about the changing economic activity

Only useful things we can see changes to land use and the environment becoming more built up in the 1800s and 1900s- implores population increase and changes to economy e.g less rural jobs like farming (but this is only an accurate guess and there’s no evidence to back it up

Whilst they are accurate as they are quantitative data, they reveal very little information about the LES

Question 31

What do the tenement photos (from the google slides) tell us about the LES e.g its history, any changes (lived experience, demographic, wealth, economy, land use, character of the place…)

Why is it useful/ not useful e.g what perspective is it from, what does it focus on/ miss out
How effectively does it represent the LES

Answer 31

Photos are qualitatively data and visually show contrast between what one specific street was like in the early 1900s compared to the modern day. E.g in the early 1900s we can see that there were lots of street venders, lots of tenement buildings and quite a lot of people on the street. Meanwhile today whilst many of tenement buildings are there, there are much less street venders but instead more physical shops and restaurants

They show us how the wealth and living conditions have changed: we see the tenements buildings with small bedrooms, poor lighting, poor sanitation etc from the 1900s compared to new boutiques, upscale eateries and street arts.
This shows us how the character of the place has changed and the wealth levels have changed
We can infer that the loved experience has improved as the LES is now a more affluent place with better quality living conditions
They don’t tell us anything directly about people’s lived experience/ perspectives of the place

Question 32

What does the blog (from the google slides) tell us about the LES e.g its history, any changes (lived experience, demographic, wealth, economy, land use, character of the place…)

Why is it useful/ not useful e.g what perspective is it from, what does it focus on/ miss out
How effectively does it represent the LES

Answer 32

It is qualitative data- gives us the personal experience of a tourist who loves the area and has a strong, positive connection to the place, especially with the amount of different foods it has to offer.

This gives us an insight into the current wealth of the place and that tourism is a key part to it and food forms a key part of its character. It implies that the restaurants and food places are all a key aspect of the current economy. However it is very bias as it is from a blog trying to attract people to visit there and is from the perspective of someone privileged with lots of money. It doesn’t tell you anything about the lived experience of residents, especially for lower income. It doesn’t tell us anything about how the LES was in past.

Question 33

What does the poem ‘A Lower East Side Poem’ by Miguel Pinero tell us about the LES e.g its history, any changes (lived experience, demographic, wealth, economy, land use, character of the place…)

Why is it useful/ not useful e.g what perspective is it from, what does it focus on/ miss out
How effectively does it represent the LES

Answer 33

Gives off the impression that the place is noisy and dangerous with lots of crime but that he feels a strong connection to the place and is proud that it’s his home
This reveals the living perspective from an insider and a Puerto Rican Immigrant however there isn’t much detail and no facts, it shows nothing about how the place was in the past or today, what the economies like, what the population is like etc