Immigration plus industrialization led to rapid urbanization growth of

Immigration plus industrialization led to rapid urbanization—growth of cities

1920 census: 1921: 51. 4% of Americans lived in cities of 2, 500 or more New York City: 3 million in 1900 5. 6 million in 1920 Chicago: 1 million in 1900 3 million in 1920

Cities: Cheapest & most convenient places to live Jobs for unskilled laborers in mills and factories Provided social support of other immigrant families 1890, more Irish in NYC than in Dublin, Ireland; world’s largest Polish population in Chicago, IL

Immigration changes population 1861: immigrants: 20% of increase 1881 -1885: just short of 50% of increase 1906 -1910: 60% of population increase 1916 -1920: decline a. World War I b. Great flu epidemic c. Spanish American War d. Chinese Exclusion Act e. Red Scare following W W I

Agricultural inventions reduced need for labor on farms Many farm workers moved to cities for industrial jobs Included several African Americans moving from the South— 200, 000 between 1890 and 1910 to escape racial violence, economic hardship and political oppression

Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux Antidote to congestion of the city landscape

N. Y. Metropolitan Museum Of Art Daniel Burnham and The Great White City Chicago’s Columbian Exposition— 1893

Row houses—single family dwellings for working class Immigrants lived in dumbbell tenements—overcrowded and unsanitary Garbage/trash collection was infrequent and people dumped on street or in building air shafts causing rats, filth and disease.

Jacob Riis How the Other Half Lives (1910)

Transportation: Mass transit First electric streetcar line in Richmond, VA in 1888 Cable cars in San Francisco 1873 Subway in Boston in 1897

Elisha Otis Louis Sullivan

Fire prevention and fighting Building materials changed from wood to steel and brick 1853—Cincinnati, OH—first paid fire department Great fires: Chicago (Oct 8, 1871) San Francisco (earthquake) April 18, 1906

Chicago: 29 hours, 300 deaths, 3 square miles, 100, 000 homeless, 17, 500 buildings, $200 million San Francisco: 4 days, 478 deaths, 5 square miles, 250, 000 homeless, 28, 000 buildings, $500 million

Water—challenge to supply safe, fresh water to people in cities 1840 s-1850 s, New York and Cleveland built public waterworks Still, little indoor plumbing— faucets on streets; lugged to apartments 1893—chlorination; 1908—filtration

Thomas Crapper—but did not solve the sanitation problem as long as sewage poured into open ditches or streams

Social Gospel: linking religion to improving society, particularly relief to the poor. Example: The Salvation Army Limited relief, however; Tensions between Protestants and Catholics over religious doctrine and standards of morality Restrict aid to “deserving poor” Too much assistance would breed dependency; poverty due to laziness or alcoholism

Reform via Settlement Houses Community centers in slums that provided help and friendship Middle class, college educated women Jane Addams— Hull House in Chicago Solving neighborhood problems Antiwar & racial justice activist; Nobel Peace Prize 1931

Murder rate in late 19 th century 1880: 25 per million; 100 per million

Evolution of political machines Organization controlling activities of one political party in cities Services to voters and business in exchange for votes or money City boss; ward bosses; precinct captains and workers City boss’s power: control of thousands of jobs, including police, firefighters, sanitation & influence over courts and licenses

Political machines sympathetic to immigrants—jobs, citizenship, housing, political protection in exchange for votes Some machines turned to fraud Dogs, children, dead people voting Kickbacks on municipal contracts— workers turn in bill higher than actual cost & “kick back” a portion of earnings

Tammany Hall New York City Democratic machine, 1869 -1871 William Marcy “Boss” Tweed & Tweed Ring— pocketed $200 million in kickbacks & payoffs. Ridiculed by cartoonist Thomas Nast in Harper’s Weekly. Tweed eventually convicted.

Factors that made boss rule possible Power of immigrant voters Link between political organizations and the wealthy, prominent citizens who profited from their dealings Structural weaknesses of city governments Boss: invisible government—alternative to inadequate municipal government

Shopping First shopping center: Cleveland, OH, 1890 First department store: Marshall Field in Chicago in 1865. “Give the lady what she wants. ” Allowed people to take merchandise home on approval. F. W. Woolworth—The Five and Dime Store and first chain store, 1870 s

Mail-order catalogs Montgomery Ward--1872 Sears Roebuck--1896 Richard Sears & Alvah Roebuck 1910— 10 million Americans shopped by mail—enhanced by RFD (Rural Free Delivery)

American Leisure 1889 saying: “Eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, and eight hours for what we will. ” Simon Patten Theory of Prosperity The New Basis of Civilization In modern, industrial societies, the problems of scarcity had been overcome. The new economics would create enough wealth to satisfy needs and

American Leisure Amusement parks—often built by trolly-car companies seeking more riders Coney Island in NY (first roller coaster 1884) First Ferris Wheel: Chicago World’s Fair 1893

Spectator sport of baseball 50 clubs by 1850 1869—Cincinnati Red Stockings toured playing local teams 1876—National League 1901—American League 1903—First World Series— Boston Pilgrims beat Pittsburgh Pirates Negro Leagues for African Americans

Shoeless Joe Jackson

Football: appealed to the more elite segments of the male population—originated in colleges/universities Rutgers v. Princeton, 1869 Dr. James Naismith

Spectator sport of boxing (prize fighting) Bare knuckles Marquis of Queesnberry rules John L. Sullivan— 1882 Gentleman Jim Corbett used footwork (boxing skill) to knock out Sullivan in 21 st round in 1892

Live theater—Sarah Bernhardt, Lillie Langtry, and Jenny Lind Vaudeville—songs, dancing, slapstick comedy, chorus lines Circus: P. T. Barnum & Anthony Bailey The Greatest Show On Earth

Ragtime music: Scott Joplin Motion pictures 10 -minutes; 1 reel The Great Train Robbery 1903—told a story D. W. Griffith’s epic The Birth of a Nation 1915— 3 hours but Inflamed racial prejudice

Mass Circulation Newspapers Sensational headlines and promotional stunts (Nellie Bly, New York World) Joseph Pulitzer— pioneered Sunday editions, sports pages, comics, women’s news “Sin, sex, and sensation”

Mass Circulation Newspapers William Randolph Hearst Yellow journalism— exaggerated tales of Spanish cruelty. Also personal scandals, hypnotism, and an imaginary conquest of Mars

Leaders: political mediocrities Rigid stalemate Both major parties: strength and stability But: Federal government did relatively little of importance Politics: not national; rather based on broad regional, ethnic or religious sentiments Party system: 16 solidly Republican states 14 solidly Democratic (South) 5 “Swing” States

A period of GOP presidents (all but Cleveland) Popular vote separation: 1. 5% or less GOP: Senate (treaties, Supreme Court justices political appointments) Democrats: House of Representatives (Money bills) Voter turnout: 78% of those eligible to vote 60 -80% for off year or local elections CA Primary 2006: 28%; General: 37%

Party Loyalty: Democrats üSoutherners (the Solid South) üCatholics üImmigrants üPoorer workers üTemperance; pro-immigration Republicans üNorthern Protestants üOld stock citizens üMore nativist (anti-immigation)

Federal government: Deliver mail Maintain a military Conduct foreign policy Collect tariffs and taxes Administer Civil War pensions For Civil War veterans who had retired or for widows and children At peak: majority of elderly Northern male citizens Corrupt

Reform of Spoils System Patronage (giving of government jobs to those who helped candidates get elected) out of control Many not qualified for positions Some used positions for personal gain Reformers pushed for a merit system

Enraged GOP Sen. Roscoe Conkling and his supporters, the Stalwarts. Half-Breeds: James G. Blaine Both competed for control of the GOP; but neither much interested in political change—simply wanted more power and patronage

Rutherford B. Hayes (Republican or G. O. P) Named independents to cabinet One member fired clerks who had no work to do Commission to investigate customhouses. Hayes fired two top officials of NYC customhouse.

James A. Garfield Hayes chose not to run in 1880 GOP Convention floor fight between Stalwarts (opposing spoils reform) and two groups of reformers: Mugwumps (civil service reform) & Half-Breeds (reform but still loyal to party) Garfield a compromise candidate

James A. Garfield ties to reformers Conkling supporter, Chester A. Arthur, named VP candidate Arthur had been one of two NYC customhouse officials fired by Hayes Garfield defeated Battle of Gettysburg hero Winfield S. Hancock

Garfield defeated Battle of Gettysburg hero Winfield S. Hancock

Garfield gave reform Republicans most patronage jobs. Stalwarts furious July 2, 1881, Garfield shot in Washington, D. C. train station by deranged Stalwart, Charles Guiteau, whom Garfield had turned down for a patronage job. Garfield dies September 19, 1881 and Arthur becomes president

Arthur turned reformer as president Urged Congress to enact a civil service law Pendleton Act of 1883— bipartisan civil service commission to make appointments to federal jobs through merit system determined by an examination. Caused politicians to court big business for campaign contributions

1884, Arthur does not run; Democrat Grover Cleveland defeated James G. Blaine—first Democratic president in 24 years Supported lower tariffs to bring down prices/ opposed by business/ industry. Congress did not support

1888, Cleveland defeated by Indiana Senator Benjamin Harrison financed by big business/industry Cleveland won popular vote; Harrison won electoral vote During Harrison Administration, Congress enacted Mc. Kinley Tariff Act of 1890, raising tariffs to highest level

Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890 Proposed by John Sherman, Senator from Ohio Outlawed trusts as interfering with free trade Almost impossible to enforce—law was too vague and Supreme Court did not support

Mc. Kinley Tariff (October 1890) Highest protective tariff in the history of the U. S. up to that time Republicans suffered a stunning defeat in the 1890 off-year elections William Mc. Kinley

Cleveland elected again in 1892 Supported lowering tariffs, but refused to sign the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act because it required a federal income tax. After 10 days, Sundays excluded, unsigned acts become law.

To help sum up, here is a key fact from political history about which you should be aware. During the period of history we have just studied, and up to today, Republicans have been the party of big business and have liked high tariffs. High tariffs cause other countries to place high tariffs on their exports making them more expensive for Americans to buy; so Americans will tend to buy American goods, produced by big business. Continued

Because Democrats were the party of the worker and, more importantly in this case, the farmer, they tended to dislike high tariffs. U. S. farmers have always tended to produce more than Americans can consume; so they export many crops to other nations. If our high tariffs cause other countries to increase their tariffs, our farm products won’t sell as well abroad. But, until 1913 when the 16 th Amendment created a permanent income tax, tariffs were the main source of income for the U. S. Government.

Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 Attempt to regulate the railroads Clear: only Federal Government could regulate railroads Banned discrimination in rates between long and short hauls RRs required to publish rate schedules and file them with the government All interstate rail rates had to be reasonable and just Created the Interstate Commerce Commission

Oliver H. Kelley and the Grange: elite system of initiation and ritual; strict code of secrecy Depression of 1873: major decline in farm prices; South and Midwest were strongest regions Granger Laws: Reforms attempting to bring railroads under more government control State initiatives Soon destroyed by courts; Grange lost prestige

Farmers’ Alliances Successors to the Grange South (Texas) 1880: Southern Alliance: >4 million members Primarily concerned with local problems Formed cooperatives and other marketing mechanisms Argued for a sense of mutual, neighborly responsibility, enabling farmers to resist oppressive outside factors

Mary E. Lease Fiery populist orator Denounced banks, railroads and middlemen “Raise less corn and more hell!” Women also argued that sobriety was the key to stability in rural society

Ocala Demands 1889—loose merger of Southern and NW Alliances National convention in Ocala, FL Party Platform for the Alliances 1890 Off-year elections: Alliance candidates won partial or complete control of 12 state legislatures, 6 governorships, 3 U. S. Senate seats, 50 House seats But many simply Democrats

Populists (People’s Party) Tom Watson of GA Leonidas L. Polk of NC

Populists (People’s Party) 1892 Election Nominated James B. Weaver of Iowa

Populist Reform Demands • Government warehouses—farmers deposit crops as collateral for borrowing money from the government at low interest rates • Abolition of national banks • End of absentee ownership of land • Direct election of U. S. Senators • Government ownership & regulation of railroads, telephones and telegraphs • Government-operated postal savings banks • Graduated income tax • Inflation of currency

The Panic of 1893 • March 1893: Philadelphia & Reading RR Ø Declared bankruptcy • National Cordage Company failed in May • Stock Market collapse • Wave of bank failures • Contraction of credit—many business failures • Domino effect The U. S. economy was heavily dependent on the health of the railroads—nation’s most powerful corporate institutions

Coxey’s Army Jacob S. Coxey—advocated massive public works program to create jobs for the unemployed and currency inflation No progress in Congress Led a march of the unemployed to Washington Armed police barred from capitol Coxey arrested

Bimetalism: most of its existence, U. S. had recognized both gold and silver as backing for currency Crime of 1873: • 1870 s: 16 oz of silver = 1 oz of gold • Silver used more for jewelry than for coins; • Mints stopped coining silver • 1873: Congress—officially discontinued silver coins • Value of silver fell below 16: 1; many felt a conspiracy of big bankers; demanded a return, at once, to free silver and unlimited coinage of silver at 16: 1

Sherman Silver Act of 1890 Nation’s gold reserves were dropping The Act required the Government to purchase but not coin silver and pay for it in gold Congress repealed based on a request from President Cleveland Bitter and divisive battle; split in Democratic Party Southern and Western Democrats—alliance against Cleveland Easterners

William Mc. Kinley: GOP candidate for president in 1896 Opposed free coinage of silver except by agreement with leading commercial nations William Jennings Bryan Democratic National Convention Western & Southern delegates determined to seize control Wanted a pro-silver candidate

Majority Report: Westerners and Southerners: tariff reduction, income tax stricter control of railroads and trusts, and free silver Minority Report: Easterners: Echoed GOP platform (opposed free coinage of silver) Bryan, the Great Commoner, The Cross of Gold Speech

1896 Election: GOP $7 million; Democrats: $300, 000 Mc. Kinley: front porch campaign Bryan: 36 years old, first candidate to campaign among the people; 18, 000 miles; 5 million people Campaign antagonized some in Democratic base

Mc. Kinley Administration: Return to relative calm Dissent exhausted Labor unrest subsided Politically shrewd and committed to reassuring stability Economic crisis gradually eased Dingley Tariff Currency (Gold Standard) Act o 1900