U.S. HistoryU.S. HistoryCh. 8 Sec 1 and 2Ch. 8 Sec 1 and 2

Rich vs. PoorRich vs. Poor

RichRichBankers, Bankers,

manufacturers, manufacturers, merchants made up merchants made up the wealthy upper the wealthy upper

classclassLived in houses with Lived in houses with running water, etc…running water, etc…

Had a system of Had a system of grading people’s grading people’s social worthiness social worthiness

(black ball mean out)(black ball mean out)

PoorPoorLived in crowded, Lived in crowded, small apartments, small apartments,

attics, or damp cellarsattics, or damp cellarsFew conveniences Few conveniences

and no sewersand no sewersPlagued by crime, Plagued by crime, disease, and filthdisease, and filth

New class emergesNew class emerges

The Middle ClassThe Middle Class

Included prosperous artisans, farmers, Included prosperous artisans, farmers, lawyers, ministers, and shopkeeperslawyers, ministers, and shopkeepers

Lived in simple homes with some Lived in simple homes with some conveniences (bathing stands and bowls, conveniences (bathing stands and bowls, iron cookstoves, lamps, and rugs)iron cookstoves, lamps, and rugs)

Had enough money to buy food, clothes, Had enough money to buy food, clothes, and other products availableand other products available

Roll of the middle class Roll of the middle class

Men were the workers – start to move Men were the workers – start to move from farms to factories, mills, shops, and from farms to factories, mills, shops, and officesofficesWomen took care of the house (no Women took care of the house (no servants)servants)Children did not have to work to help Children did not have to work to help support the family. Instead, they attended support the family. Instead, they attended school to learn the necessary skills to be school to learn the necessary skills to be successful in adulthoodsuccessful in adulthood

The Market RevolutionThe Market Revolution

•Because of the improved Because of the improved transportation system transportation system (roads and water travel) – (roads and water travel) – new National Markets (local new National Markets (local goods) could be bought and goods) could be bought and sold and it brought about a sold and it brought about a new way to producing goodsnew way to producing goods

The Factory SystemThe Factory System

• Francis Cabot Lowell was behind the Francis Cabot Lowell was behind the idea of the Factory Systemidea of the Factory System

• He introduced a water powered loom He introduced a water powered loom and had the idea of putting all aspects and had the idea of putting all aspects of cloth manufacturing under one roof of cloth manufacturing under one roof

• Usually hired young single women to Usually hired young single women to work –known as Lowell girls – lived in work –known as Lowell girls – lived in boardinghouses owned by the factoryboardinghouses owned by the factory

Improvements in Improvements in TechnologyTechnology

• John Deere – an John Deere – an Illinois farmer Illinois farmer designed a light designed a light weight steel plowweight steel plow

• Cyrus McCormick – Cyrus McCormick – developed a developed a mechanical reapermechanical reaper

• Elias Howe – Elias Howe – patented a sewing patented a sewing machine for home machine for home useuse

LaborLabor

• Even though the U.S. economy was Even though the U.S. economy was strong, most workers were poorstrong, most workers were poor

• Child labor was a large part of the Child labor was a large part of the work forcework force

• Unions start to organize – to protect Unions start to organize – to protect workers rights – National Trades workers rights – National Trades Union fought for shorter workdayUnion fought for shorter workday

Methods of Labor UnionsMethods of Labor Unions

• Strike – the refusal to work until Strike – the refusal to work until employers met union demandsemployers met union demands

Tension in the FactoryTension in the Factory

• The wealth of the The wealth of the owners and the owners and the poverty of the poverty of the workers caused workers caused many strikesmany strikes

• During the 1830s – During the 1830s – more than 100 more than 100 strikes to protest strikes to protest higher wages or higher wages or wage reductionswage reductions

Cause and Effect of Cause and Effect of StrikesStrikes

• Strikes put the politicians on noticeStrikes put the politicians on notice• Committees were formed to investigate Committees were formed to investigate

working conditions in factoriesworking conditions in factories• Sarah G. Bagley – formed a union of Sarah G. Bagley – formed a union of

Lowell Girls – fought for a 10 hour Lowell Girls – fought for a 10 hour work daywork day

• Bagley and her union didn’t succeed in Bagley and her union didn’t succeed in Mass. But other states passed 10 hour Mass. But other states passed 10 hour work daywork day

ImmigrationImmigration• The countries population was growing rapidly

in the 1830s because more than 500,000 immigrants came to America

• In 1860 – more than 4.1 million Americans were foreign born

• They wanted equality and they wanted WORK

IrishIrish

The largest group of immigrantsThe largest group of immigrantsMore than 1.6 million by 1860More than 1.6 million by 1860Reason for leaving Ireland – Reason for leaving Ireland –

Discrimination, hunger, and poverty Discrimination, hunger, and poverty in Irelandin Ireland

Mid 1840s – disease wiped out the Mid 1840s – disease wiped out the potato crop, Ireland’s major food potato crop, Ireland’s major food source, - more than 1 million died source, - more than 1 million died (1/8 of the population) – AKA The (1/8 of the population) – AKA The Potato FaminePotato Famine

Irish JourneyIrish Journey

Those that could afford a boat ticket Those that could afford a boat ticket bought onebought one

Rode in cramped quarters below Rode in cramped quarters below deckdeck

Arrived in America poor, uneducated, Arrived in America poor, uneducated, and unskilledand unskilled

Lived in the slums and worked low Lived in the slums and worked low paying, menial jobs (low intelligence)paying, menial jobs (low intelligence)

When the Irish workedWhen the Irish worked

Worked building the canals (Erie in NY and Worked building the canals (Erie in NY and eventually Illinois-Michigan Canal in Chicago)eventually Illinois-Michigan Canal in Chicago)

Built Railroads, mined coal, unloaded freightBuilt Railroads, mined coal, unloaded freight Women became housekeepers, child care Women became housekeepers, child care

givers, washed clothes, and worked in the givers, washed clothes, and worked in the factoriesfactories

Many employers refused to hire Irish workersMany employers refused to hire Irish workers

Living Conditions for IrishLiving Conditions for Irish

Lived primarily in Lived primarily in New York, Boston, New York, Boston, and other east coast and other east coast citiescities

Entire families lived Entire families lived in single rooms, in single rooms, cellars, or atticscellars, or attics

Diseases spread Diseases spread rapidly because of rapidly because of the filthy, close the filthy, close living situationsliving situations

Help to surviveHelp to survive

Irish formed tight knit communities Irish formed tight knit communities that revolved around the Catholic that revolved around the Catholic ChurchChurch

Participated in local politicsParticipated in local politicsBy the 1880s – Irish Americans ran the By the 1880s – Irish Americans ran the

local governments of many cities local governments of many cities (police and council members)(police and council members)

When in office, supported poor Irish When in office, supported poor Irish immigrants with food, money, jobs, immigrants with food, money, jobs, and legal aidand legal aid

German Immigrants Germans were the 2nd largest immigrant

group in America From 1831 to 1860, more than 1.5 million

Germans arrived in America Most were Protestant, 1/3 Roman Catholic,

and about 250,000 were Jewish

Reasons for coming Some came for political or religious

freedom Most came for economic opportunities Many were skilled workers (bankers,

bakers, brewers, butchers, woodworkers, cigar makers, machinist, or tailors) and these jobs weren’t available in German anymore because of the Industrial Rev.

Once in the states Women worked at home or on the farm –

those that worked outside of the home or farm worked in German shops that serviced the German communities

Most of the German Jews remained on the East Coast – other German immigrants relocated to the interior of the United States (Penn, OH, IL, WI)

Formed German communities with schools that taught in German, German Newspapers

Response by American BornResponse by American Born►Protested the Protested the

arrival of arrival of immigrantsimmigrants

►Disapproved of Disapproved of immigrants immigrants customs (drinking customs (drinking and isolation)and isolation)

►Feared the growing Feared the growing political power of political power of the Roman the Roman Catholic IrishCatholic Irish

NativismNativism►The favoring of native born The favoring of native born

Americans over foreign bornAmericans over foreign born►Nativist viewed the Irish as Nativist viewed the Irish as

politically corrupt and socially politically corrupt and socially inferiorinferior

►Blamed immigrants for the slum Blamed immigrants for the slum conditions (instead of the low wages conditions (instead of the low wages and high unemployment)and high unemployment)

Anti- Catholic behaivorAnti- Catholic behaivor

►There were many anti-Catholic There were many anti-Catholic riots between 1830s and 1850sriots between 1830s and 1850s

►Violence and vandalism against Violence and vandalism against Catholic churches and schools, Catholic churches and schools, priest, and anyone that resembled priest, and anyone that resembled CatholicCatholic

Response to immigrantsResponse to immigrants

►Some nativist wanted to restrict Some nativist wanted to restrict immigrant’s rights to vote and hold immigrant’s rights to vote and hold public officepublic office

►Wanted to limit the Irish political power Wanted to limit the Irish political power because they feared the Pope was because they feared the Pope was controlling the politicianscontrolling the politicians

►Formed a secret society to support only Formed a secret society to support only native born Protestants for political native born Protestants for political officesoffices

I Know NothingI Know Nothing

►The secret society was originally The secret society was originally called the Order of the Star-called the Order of the Star-Spangled Banner – Later changed its Spangled Banner – Later changed its name to The American Partyname to The American Party

►When asked about their activities, When asked about their activities, they would respond with, “I KNOW they would respond with, “I KNOW NOTHING”NOTHING”

►Became known as the “KNOW Became known as the “KNOW NOTHING” partyNOTHING” party

►Won many local and state electionsWon many local and state elections

Immigrants moving to the Immigrants moving to the MidwestMidwest

The Dutch (Netherlands), The Dutch (Netherlands), Germans, Scandinavians, and Germans, Scandinavians, and Swiss looked for opportunities in Swiss looked for opportunities in the newly prosperous Midwestthe newly prosperous Midwest

Mostly farming opportunities, but Mostly farming opportunities, but also lumber and miningalso lumber and mining

Women made butter and cheese Women made butter and cheese for salefor sale