History Chapter 15 Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is the difference between New and Old immigrants?

New immigrants were generally wealthy and educated.

New immigrants came from Northern and Western Europe. (correct)

Old immigrants were generally poor and unskilled.

Old immigrants came from southern and eastern Europe. (correct)

What was the famous checkpoint all European immigrants arrived at prior to entering the US?

Ellis Island

Why did immigrants choose to settle in cities instead of rural areas?

They lived in neighborhoods often separated into ethnic groups.

What were two reasons Chinese immigrants entered the US?

Severe unemployment and the discovery of gold in California. Signup and view all the answers

What famous checkpoint did all Asian immigrants go to prior to entering the US?

Angel Island Signup and view all the answers

What are Nativists?

A group with an extreme dislike for immigrants. Signup and view all the answers

What did most immigration laws prohibit?

Convicts, paupers, and the mentally disabled. Signup and view all the answers

What group of New immigrants did the immigration laws affect the most?

The Chinese Signup and view all the answers

What example shows that immigration laws didn't work in the late 1800s?

Congress renewed the Chinese Exclusion Act. Signup and view all the answers

What classified an area as a city in the late 1800s?

Areas with significant population and development. Signup and view all the answers

Were most immigrants skilled or unskilled workers when they entered factories?

Unskilled workers Signup and view all the answers

Why did immigrants keep coming to the US despite bad working conditions?

They found that the move improved their standard of living. Signup and view all the answers

Why did farmers move to cities and find industrial jobs?

Urban areas offered more and better-paying jobs. Signup and view all the answers

What is one factor that hindered city growth?

Demand raised the price of land. Signup and view all the answers

Where was the 1st skyscraper located and what was it?

Chicago - The Home Insurance Building Signup and view all the answers

What social class chose to live in the downtown area?

High society Signup and view all the answers

Define tenement housing.

Dark and crowded multi-family apartments. Signup and view all the answers

List major problems cities faced in the late 1800s.

Crime, violence, fire, disease, and pollution. Signup and view all the answers

Explain political machines.

Informal political groups designed to gain and keep power. Signup and view all the answers

List what made political machines good.

Jobs, housing, food, heat, and police protection. Signup and view all the answers

List what made political machines bad.

Many politicians grew rich from fraud. Signup and view all the answers

Who was the most infamous political machine leader?

William M 'Boss' Tweed Signup and view all the answers

What political party was associated with political machines?

Democrats Signup and view all the answers

Who made corrupt political machines public? How did he present it?

Thomas Nast presented it through political cartoons. Signup and view all the answers

What made the late 1800s gilded?

Inventions led to industrial growth alongside corruption and inequality. Signup and view all the answers

Describe individualism.

The belief that one can rise in society regardless of origins. Signup and view all the answers

Explain Social Darwinism.

The idea that only the fittest survive, reinforcing individualism. Signup and view all the answers

Who led Social Darwinism?

Herbert Spencer Signup and view all the answers

What brought about the Gospel of Wealth movement?

The belief that wealthy Americans should engage in philanthropy. Signup and view all the answers

Define realism.

The artistic and literary movement focused on depicting everyday life. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Immigration in the U.S.

Old immigrants were typically wealthy, educated, and skilled, primarily from Southern and Eastern Europe.
New immigrants were often poor and unskilled, coming mainly from Northern and Western Europe.
Ellis Island served as the primary checkpoint for European immigrants entering the United States.
Immigrants favored urban areas over rural settings, forming ethnic neighborhoods that preserved their cultures.
Economic hardships in China, including unemployment and famine, prompted many Chinese to immigrate to the U.S., particularly during the California Gold Rush.
Angel Island was the main entry point for Asian immigrants to the United States.

Nativism and Immigration Laws

Nativists displayed an intense dislike for immigrants, advocating for restrictions on immigration.
U.S. immigration laws targeted specific groups, excluding convicts, paupers, and the mentally disabled.
Chinese immigrants were significantly impacted by restrictive immigration laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, despite the growing Chinese population in the U.S. during the late 1800s.

Urbanization and Worker Demographics

The threshold for classifying an area as a city in the late 1800s was undefined but marked urban growth.
Most immigrants entering factories were unskilled workers, despite facing harsh conditions.
Even with tough living conditions, many immigrants experienced an improved standard of living compared to their homelands.

Economic Factors and City Growth

Farmers migrated to urban centers seeking better job opportunities due to limited prospects in rural areas.
Rising land prices presented challenges to city growth and housing availability.

Urban Infrastructure and Living Conditions

The first skyscraper, The Home Insurance Building, was located in Chicago, symbolizing urban architectural advancements.
High society often resided in downtown areas, while middle-class families preferred suburban living.
Tenement housing was characterized as dark, crowded multi-family apartments.

Urban Issues in the Late 1800s

Major urban problems included crime, violence, fire hazards, disease, and pollution.

Political Dynamics

Political machines functioned as informal groups designed to maintain power, often providing jobs, housing, and social services in exchange for political loyalty.
However, these machines frequently engaged in corruption and fraud, enriching their leaders.
William M. "Boss" Tweed was a notorious leader of one such political machine.
The Democratic Party was primarily associated with these political operations.

Thomas Nast, a prominent cartoonist, exposed the corruption of political machines through political cartoons.
The Gilded Age was marked by rapid industrial growth and remarkable inventions, overshadowed by corruption and stark wealth disparities.

Ideological Movements

Individualism posits that anyone, regardless of background, can rise in society through talent and dedication.
Social Darwinism, led by Herbert Spencer, emphasized that society improves through the survival of the fittest, reinforcing individualism.
The Gospel of Wealth advocated for the wealthy to participate in philanthropy for societal betterment.
Realism as a literary movement aimed to portray life accurately, often focusing on everyday struggles and societal issues.

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Test your knowledge on immigration waves in the U.S. with these flashcards covering Old and New immigrants, as well as the significant landmark of Ellis Island. Perfect for students looking to master Chapter 15 concepts in history class.