this is our land Flashcards
Freedmen’s Bureau – what did it do?
It assisted tens of thousands of formerly enslaved people. It helped establish schools, purchase land, give education to kids, locate family members, and legalize marriages.
Carpetbaggers – who were they?
An American from the northern states who went to the South after the Civil War
Black Codes:
Black codes were restrictive laws designed to limit the freedom of African Americans so that they could be used as cheap labor.
Sharecropping:
Sharecropping is where a landlord or planter allows people to use the land to grow crops but would have to share some of the crop in exchange.
Irish & German Immigration (1830-60)
- When were these two groups most dominant?
Between 1830 - 1860, they were the most dominant immigrants.
Irish & German Immigration (1830-60)
Early vs. later jobs
In the early times Irish worked as railroad and canal workers, German’s were more skilled workers and had more sophisticated jobs like urban craft trades, especially baking, carpentry, and the needle trades.
Nativists - believed that
- 3 reasons people feared/resented immigrants
1) They would take away jobs from Americans
2) Never learn the Language, Culture, and Values
3) Catholic
4) They could never fit in
Trade Unions (what was their purpose?)
Their main job was to protect and advance the interests of its members in the workplace. But most trade unions are independent
Rise of Cities and the Growing Progressive Reform Movement
- What two products initially change the design of cities? How?
The steam engine because it powered trains, boats, and cars. It also helped railroads by also connecting city to city.
Concrete so it could build more durable and taller structures across the city. This would soon change the skyscrapers of the city to what we know today.
Anarchists: What did they believe? Why did some fear them?
They believe that the U.S should have no government, laws, or police.
Andrew Carnegie: origins, what does he do, is he successful?
By age 30 had jobs in iron works, steamers on the Great Lakes, railroads, and oil wells. He was also big into steel production. He also led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century.
He also helped build the statue of liberty
Gilded Era: Why is this period called that? what contrasts existed?
To show that even though its not all gold on the surface it was also corrupt underneath.
Wealth and poverty, urban and rural divide.
What additional product, invented by Thomas Edison, also changes cities and other communities across the country?
The electric power and light bulb
How many electric power plants are built across the country?
5,000 - 127,000 in the span of 10 years
Progressive Reformers: what were they trying to do?
They tried to help some of the social, political, and economic problems that arose during the Gilded Era.
Jacob Riis - what problem was he concerned about? How did he try to draw people’s attention to it?
He was concerned about the horrible living condition in New York. In his book called How the Other Half Lives, is about description and photographs on how the below poverty line people live.
Other Americans also helped out by improving the immigrants living conditions. There were settlement houses and community centers where social workers aided poor people in the city, helped immigrants find jobs, learn about health, and provided a safe plae for children to play.
George Waring: what problem was he concerned about? What initial changes does he make? What long term changes result from his efforts?
His problems were dealing with the unsanitary and impossible living conditions. He started the organization called the White Wings. He used these people to street clean the streets and make them look, smell, and just in general NY conditions a better living environment.
He also helped out with new sewage and water systems so there was clean water throughout the city.
Lewis Hines: what problem was he concerned about? How did he try to draw people’s attention to it?
He was concerned about child labor and how it is affecting the U.S. He used photographs to show the world what people were doing to poor kids.
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire - what happened? Describe poor safety conditions. What changes were made as a result of this tragic incident?
This was a factory fire that happened on March 25th, 1911. This tragic event happened on the 8-10th floor of this building and that was where all of the immigrant women were working day and night on clothes. When the fire happened the fire was everywhere blocking door, windows, or anything they could have used to escape. 146 people lost there lives. With the influence of this accident came new labor laws which was a small upside to this big patch in history.
New Waves of Immigration (1870-1920)
- Which 3 groups are most dominant at this time?
Italians, Jews, and Eastern, Southern, and Central Europeans.
New Waves of Immigration (1870-1920)
What were their backgrounds generally?
Most of them were working in factories for very little money
New Waves of Immigration (1870-1920)
How and where did they arrive in the US?
Most boats arrived through Ellis Island. Most of the immigrants did agriculture, manufacturing in clothes, construction, and more.
Statue of Liberty - why was she given to us? By whom? Challenges faced?
The statue of liberty was a symbol of immigration to America. Known as a hope symbol for the immigrants. Given to us by France but disassembled
She was given to us by the French. They fully built it in France but then disassembled it and then shipped it to us so then we had to put it back together from pieces. France gave it to us because at the time they admired us and sometime worshiped us and we were also allies and still are to this day.
How does the Emma Lazarus’ poem change the meaning associated with her? What is Lazarus’ vision?
It was a poem on the bottom plaque of the SOL it talked about how it gave immigrants hope of coming to the U.S
Work conditions in cities: hours, who does work, where?
Most immigrants had to work in factories and some needed it to survive. It was often dark, harsh, unsafe, and lead to deadly accidents. Most people worked 10-12 hours a day.
Tenement conditions:
Immigrants crowded together in poorly maintained tenements or other slum buildings.
Cramped, no natural sunlight, no fresh air or water, filled of disease.
Backlash Against Immigrants
- 3 theories nativists had about immigrants
3 theories nativists had about immigrants
Anthropological Grouping People - Nordic, Alpine, and Mediterranean categories. Nordic were superior to alpines
Culture
Poison Blood
Americanization Classes – what types of actions were taken to try to force assimilation?
Activities and Classes immigrants took to prepare for full participation in citizenship. You had to show commitment to the U.S and show Americans the principles of an American lifestyle.
America’s main goal was to americanize the immigrants. American’s offered classes in English and how to be a “good” American. This also meant giving up foreign customs and languages.
Immigration Restrictions Put Into Place
- Immigration controls first put into place in 1882 - what were some of
the early ways they tried to limit who could or couldn’t come into the
Country?
In 1882, Congress passed two immigration laws. The Chinese Exclusion Act that made it so most Chinese people couldn’t come into the U.S. They also charged 50 cents for everyone who entered the U.S. Another immigration law was passed. New immigrants would be sent back to their home country if they were determined to be a convict, lunatic, an idiot, or unable to take care of himself/herself.
1917 Literacy Tests (did they work?)
If men could not read or write they would not be allowed into America. Alot of people didn’t want the literacy test but owners of businesses and industry wanted to keep th flow of workers from Europe. The reason for that is because they wanted to pay the workers lease.
1924 Immigration Act: explain how quotas were used to limit certain groups. Why did they use the 1890 census instead of The 1910 census?
This limited the number of immigrants that could come into the U.S through the nation’s origins quota.
What is a quota?
Upper Limit on the number of people who could come from each country each year
Total # of immigrants from 1905 - 1914:
More than 9.9 Million
Annual quota (total immigration) set by 1921 law: 350,000 - 3%
350,000 - 3%
Annual quota (total immigration) set by 1924 law: 150,000 - 2%
150,000 - 2%
After 1870, millions of immigrants came from Eastern and Southern Europe but after 1924 they make up only ____ of the total
15%
