Immigration and Urbanization

Question 1

Chinese Exclusion Act-1882

Answer 1

Banned all Chinese laborers from entering the U.S.; repealed in 1943

Question 2

Emergency Immigration Act of 1921
(Emergency Quota Act)

Answer 2

Created a system of quotas (government restriction) or, maximum numbers of immigrants that could enter the U.S. from individual countries (3% of their current population in the U.S. according to the 1910 Census)

Question 3

Urbanization- What and Why

Answer 3

What- the growth of cities resulting from industrialization

Why-

Arrival of new immigrants

New technology replaced farm workers so they went to cities in search of jobs

African Americans from rural south moved to find jobs and escape discrimination

Question 4

How did Skyscrapers affect urbanization?

Answer 4

Created space for factories

Increased population

Electric elevators helped make skyscrapers possible

Steel made skyscrapers possible by being able to support the weight of taller buildings

Question 5

New Immigrants Characteristics

Answer 5

late 1800s - early 1900s

Southern + Eastern Europe; Asia

Italy, Greece, Russia, Austria-Hungary, China, Japan

Catholic, Jewish, or Buddhist

dark,” “olive,” “tan,” etc.
(not considered white)

Most did not speak English and had not lived in countries with democratic traditions or urban areas

Many faced discrimination, and were seen as a threat to jobs

Question 6

Ellis Island

Answer 6

New York harbor immigration station for European immigrants

Immigrants were processed at Ellis Island and had to answer questions

They were also given a medical exam; if they had health problems they were deported

Question 6

Old Immigrant Characteristics

Answer 6

1700s - mid-1800s

Northern and Western Europe

England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden

Protestant Christian

white

Many spoke English and had experience living in a democracy

Faced less discrimination, and were encouraged to immigrate by America

Question 6

Angel Island

Answer 6

San Francisco Bay immigration station for Asian immigrants

Conditions were terrible; some Chinese immigrants were held for weeks

Mexican immigrants also entered the US through Texas

Question 7

Assimilation

Answer 7

the process of blending into society by adopting the dominant culture

Question 7

Describe the cultural fusing

Answer 7

People from the same country settled into their own ethnic neighborhoods (Little Italy, Chinatown)

Brought a feeling of safety and comfort to many immigrants

Question 7

Melting pot

Answer 7

a place where cultures blend

Question 8

Sweatshops

Answer 8

hot, crowded, dangerous factories where laborers worked long hours for low pay

Worries about a lack of jobs for Americans put pressure on the government to pass stricter immigration laws

1882: new immigrants were taxed and convicts or people with mental illness were banned

Non-whites faced worse prejudice than Europeans

Question 9

Push Factors

Answer 9

Famine (lack of food)
1848 Irish Potato Famine
Poverty
Oppressive governments
War – escape the draft
Overpopulation – lack of land/jobs
Discrimination/persecution (“pogroms” - attacks on Jews in Russia)
Racial/ethnic tensions
Disease/plague
Lack of opportunity – education

Question 10

Pull Factors

Answer 10

Land – Homestead Act
FACTORY JOBS
Freedom
Education
Democratic participation in government

Question 11

Tenements- What and Why

Answer 11

What- small apartments with no windows, heat, or indoor bathrooms. Much of the urban poor in the late 19th century lived in them

Why- Tenements were the only places most immigrants could afford

Question 12

Jane Addams

Answer 12

Founder of Chicagos Hull House (model for other settlement houses)

Urban Reformer

Question 13

Settlement Houses

Answer 13

organizations that provided support services to the urban poor and European immigrants, often including education, healthcare, childcare, and employment resources.

Question 14

Political Machines- What and Why

Answer 14

What- an organization linked to a political party that often controlled local government.

Why- designed to keep a particular political party or group of people in power.

Question 15

Political Machines- Negatives

Answer 15

often stole millions from the taxpayers in the form of graft

padded bills for construction projects and projects with fake expenses

voting fraud (individuals voted more than once in elections through the support of political machines).

Question 16

Political Machines- Positives

Answer 16

helped the poor and gained their votes by doing favors or providing services such as food, clothing, and temporary housing when needed.

helped immigrants to gain citizenship.

used their power to expand public works projects such as building bridges, parks, and waterworks.

jobs for the public works projects were distributed by members of the political machine to their supporters.

Many precinct captains and political bosses were first-generation or second-generation immigrants. They could speak to immigrants in their own language and understood the challenges that newcomers faced. Political machines provided immigrants with support that city governments and private businesses did not provide.

Question 17

Boss Tweed

Answer 17

Head of Tammany Hall, a powerful democratic political machine

Came with the positives but mostly negatives that political machines are known for because of his greediness

Was busted for corruption and sentenced to 12 years (embezzled 200 million dollars)

Question 18

Tammany Hall

Answer 18

powerful New York political machine

Question 19

Americanization

Answer 19

the action of making a person or thing American in character or nationality.