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XVIII. Urban Society a. Lure of the city City = symbol of American life, economic opportunity, adventure (technological advancements, etc) Ex: Chicago World Fair (1893): skyscrapers, department stores, theaters, streetcars, railroads b. Immigration i. Push/Pull Factors: Push: poverty, overcrowding and joblessness (population boom in Europe), religious persecution Pull: political and religious freedom, economic opportunities, inexpensive one-way passage ii. New immigrants: 1890s Southern and Eastern Europe: Italians, Greeks, Croats, Slovaks, Poles, Russians = Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Jewish moved into poor ethnic neighborhoods Birds of Passage: Men contracted for work in the US who would return to their countries after earning $$ for their families iii. Restricting Immigration: 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act Restrictions on undesirables = criminals, mentally incompetent... Rise in Nativism: Social Darwinism Labor unions (immigrants broke strikes, lowered wages, etc) Know-Nothings c. City Problems i. Slums: crammed inner-city housing and tenement apartments (4,000 people/city block) overcrowding, filth diseases (cholera, typhoid, tuberculosis) ii. Machine Politics: Tightly organized group of politicians who controlled political parties. Boss = top politician who gave orders, gave govt jobs to loyal supporters Brought modern services to cities, welfare to urban newcomers: find jobs and apartments for immigrants F.O.B. Graft: corruption, stealing tax $$ d. Awakening conscience; reforms 1880s & 1890s Books of social criticism: Edward Bellamy Looking Backward, Henry George Progress and Poverty Social Gospel: importance of applying Christian principles to social problems ii. Social legislation
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EASY, RIGHT?