NAME ______Chapter 15: Immigrants & Urbanization
Focus Immigration Prior to 1871, most immigrants to America came from northern and western Europe (Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden). During the half-century from 1871 until 1921, most immigrants came from southern and eastern Europe (Italy, Greece, Poland, Russia, present-day Hungary, and former Yugoslavia), as well as Asia (China and Japan). Like earlier immigrants, these immigrants came to America seeking freedom and better lives for their families. Immigrants made valuable contributions to the dramatic industrial growth of America during this period. Chinese workers helped to build the Transcontinental Railroad. Immigrants worked in textile and steel mills in the Northeast and the clothing industry in New York City. Slavs, Italians, and Poles worked in the coal mines of the East. They often worked for very low pay and endured dangerous working conditions to help build the nation’s industrial strength. During this period, immigrants from Europe entered America through Ellis Island in New York harbor. Their first view of America was often the Statue of Liberty, as their ships arrived following the voyage across the Atlantic. Immigrants began the process of assimilation into what was termed the American “melting pot.” While often settling in ethnic neighborhoods in the growing cities, they and their children worked hard to learn English, adopt American customs, and become American citizens. The public schools served an essential role in the process of assimilating immigrants into American society. Despite the valuable contributions immigrants made to building America during this period, immigrants often faced hardship and hostility. There was fear and resentment that immigrants would take jobs for lower pay than American workers would accept, and there was prejudice based on religious and cultural differences. Mounting resentment led Congress to limit immigration through the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Immigration Restriction Act of 1921. These laws effectively cut off most immigration to America for the next several decades; however, the immigrants of this period and their descendants continued to contribute immeasurably to American society.
Growth of cities As the nation’s industrial growth continued, cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and New York grew rapidly as manufacturing and transportation centers. Factories in the large cities provided jobs, but workers’ families often lived in harsh conditions, crowded into tenements and slums. The rapid growth of cities caused housing shortages and the need for new public services, such as sewage and water systems and public transportation. New York City was the first city to begin construction of a subway system around the turn of the twentieth century, and many cities built trolley or streetcar lines.
Gilded Age From the time the Civil War ended (1865) up until WWI (1914), America went through a period of time known as the Gilded Age. The Gilded Age was marked by improvements in technology, growth of cities and industries, creation of new jobs, and opportunities for wealth. However, it also created slums & ghettos, pollution, corrupt politics and political machines, terrible working conditions, and crime. Questions 1. List the people who made up “old immigrants” and “new immigrants.”
Old—
New—
2. Identify three areas in which immigrants worked.
3. Why were many Americans resentful of immigrants?
4. What two laws were passed to limit immigration?
5. How was the United States considered “Gilded” from 1865-1914?
Choose the letter of the best answer.
____ 1. The main immigration processing station in San Francisco was called A. Ellis Island. B. Tammany Hall. C. Angel Island. D. Hull House.
____ 2. The main goal of the Chinese Exclusion Act was to A. decrease Chinese immigration. B. create segregated classrooms. C. settle a disagreement between China and the United States. D. stop Chinese Americans from attending school in the United States. ____ 3. The main goal of the Americanization movement was to A. limit the number of immigrants entering the country. B. assimilate people of various cultures into the dominant culture. C. improve the living conditions in America's largest cities. D. encourage people to move from the country to the city.
____ 4. The row house was a new type of housing that conserved space by A. rising ten or more stories high. B. combining air vents with trash disposal areas. C. sharing side walls with other buildings. D. enclosing a park shared by several buildings.
____ 5. Settlement houses were founded in the late 1800s by A. new immigrants. B. social reformers. C. political machines. D. industrial workers.
____ 6. The illegal use of political influence for personal gain is called A. nativism. B. civil service. C. gentlemen's agreement. D. graft.
____ 7. Tammany Hall was the name of A. a famous settlement house. B. a New York Customs House. C. a New York City political machine. D. the federal courthouse in New York City.
____ 8. An example of patronage would be A. bribing a government official. B. assassinating a public official. C. saying one thing and doing another. D. appointing a friend to a political position.
____ 9. The Stalwarts were strong supporters of A. low tariffs. B. high tariffs. C. the spoils system. D. civil service reform.
____ 10. The Pendleton Civil Service Act required A. applicants for government jobs to pass examinations. B. native-born Americans to treat immigrants with courtesy. C. government workers to renounce all party loyalties. D. cities to provide services such as clean water to their residents. Using the exhibit, choose the letter of the best answer.
____ 11. Which city located on the East Coast had the most people living in or near it in 1870? A. New York B. Miami C. Charleston D. New Orleans
____ 12. In 1870, which region of the United States was most densely populated? A. Southwest B. Southeast C. Northwest D. Northeast
____ 13. In 1890, which region was least densely populated? A. Northeast B. West C. South D. Midwest
____ 14. By 1890, how many people had settled in Miami? A. fewer than 100,000 B. 100,000-200,000 C. 200,000-500,000 D. more than 500,000
____ 15. What overall trend do these maps show? A. decline in the population of rural areas B. growth in population, concentrated in cities C. decline in immigration, especially from Asia D. movement of people from urban to rural areas Using the exhibit, choose the letter of the best answer.
____ 16. From which country did the most immigrants enter the United States in 1880? A. China B. Japan C. Ireland D. Italy
____ 17. Between which two years did Chinese immigration drop most sharply? A. 1882 and 1883 B. 1881 and 1882 C. 1899 and 1900 D. 1886 and 1887
____ 18. Which country's immigration rate rose the most dramatically between 1900 and 1910? A. China B. Japan C. Ireland D. Italy
____ 19. In which year did the Japanese immigration rate first rise higher than the Chinese immigration rate? A. 1885 B. 1891 C. 1895 D. 1899
____ 20. Which two countries sent about the same number of immigrants to the United States in 1890? A. China and Japan B. Japan and Ireland C. Ireland and Italy D. China and Italy