Immigration

1. Describe the causes of the immigration of Southern and Eastern Europeans, Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
2. Describe the journey immigrants endured and their experiences at United States immigration stations.

1. The causes of immigration of southern and eastern Europeans is because a lot of them wanted to escape religious persecution, some of them left because of the increasing population and some Europeans sought independent lives in America. The causes for the Chinese immigration was that some wanted to find their fortunes in searching for gold after the California gold rush. The cause for the Japanese immigration was because Hawaiian planters were able to recruit Japanese people to work for them.

2. Most of all the immigrants after the 1870s traveled by steamship, across the Atlantic from Europe the trip took one week, and across the Pacific from China it took about three weeks. The conditions on the steamboats were awful, the immigrants were often crowded together in very small spaces because they could only afford to travel in the steerage, the cheapest part of the boat. Some did not survive. Immigrants had to pass through Immigration stations like that of Ellis Island. There they were physically examined by a doctor and then reported to a government inspector. Those who were deathly sick were not admitted in to the country. The government inspector checked documents and question immigrants to see if they met the legal requirements to gain entry into the country. Requirements were like so, they could not be convicted of a felony, had to have proof that they could work, and had a little money. Twenty five dollars after 1909. While Ellis Island dealt with the Europeans, Angel Island dealt with the Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans. Angel Island was just like Ellis Island in the way that they examined the immigrants.

Big Business and Labor Quiz

The business ideologies of Laissez Faire and Social Darniwism caused labor to have a "survival for the fittest" type of life. Laborers were mistreated severely by the factory owners, rich industrialists and the upper class. Most facotry Owners adopted Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism was where the owners found harsh working conditions, low wages, and unfair treatment meant to be. English philosopher Herbert Spencer used Charle's Darwins theory of evolution to explain human society. Economists found social darwinism a way to justify the doctrine of Laissez Faire. Which means allow to do in French. According to Laissez Faire the marketplace should not be regulated, thus making work for laborers extremely hard. The laborers had no chance but to except the seven day workweeks, 12-14 hour days, low wages, no vacation time, no sick leave, no disability insurance, no healthcare, no unemployment compensation and severly dangerous working conditions. For example John D. Rockefeller was the first American billionaire, by adopting social darwinism and abiding by the doctrine of Laissez Faire he was able to earn a ridiculous amount of money. The bottom line was that the rich industrialists thought that God intended to give the workers awful work problems so that the economy could be regulated, and the country would expand.

Labor Unions & Big Business

I have also shared a pdf file with you entitled Labor Unions. Using this reading and your textbook, complete the following assignment and post it on your blog by 8:20 a.m. Monday, Sept. 21. Title: Labor Unions & Big Business Labels: Labor, Industrial_Age

Identify each of the following events or people. Give an explanation or description of the item. Answer the questions who, what, where, and when.
Explain the historical significance of each item in the space provided. Establish the historical context in which the item exists. Establish the item as the result of or as the cause of other factors existing in the society under study. Answer this question: What were the political, social, economic, and/or cultural consequences of this item?
the Knights of Labor
a. Identification- It was a labor union founded by garment cutters in 1860 and its grand master was Terrence V. Powderly. At its peak in 1886, it had 730, 000 members. It accepted both women and african americans as well. Members came from all over the country, but the grand master was from pennsylvania and he was a mayor there.
b. Significance- The Knights of labor was the only labor union that survived the hard times of the 1800s, unlike other labor unions they welcomed all different people including women and african americans that greatly increased their population. They were against strikes for the most part, but inevitably the labor union particiapted in a couple. In the early 1800s they joined a strike for eight hour shifts, not too long after the police had to break up the riot and it ended with two deaths. The riot lead to the Haymarket riot that caused people to turn against the workers strikes and protests.
the Haymarket riot-
a. Identification-The haymarket riot immediately followed the riot in Chicago where two people were killed and others were wounded. Protestors gathered in Haymarket square to protest police brutality. A bomb exploded as police approached and seven were killed, sixty seven were wounded. Many anarchists and unionists were arrested, seven were tried, and four were executed. The evidence was circumstantial but one a police death is involved, it does not matter.

b. Significance- This was significant because it made people discontent of labor and revived midddle class of radicalism.
the American Federation of Labor
a. Identification- It emerged because of the 1886 upheavals as the major workers' organization. It was an alliance of national craft unions and it had about 140,000 members. The majority of the workers were native born skilled workers. It was lead by immigrant Samuel Gompers. The AFL pressed for goals like higher wages, shorter hours and the right to bargain collectively.
b.Significance- In the summer of 1892 the AFL and the Afl-affiliated Amalgated Asscoiation of Iron and steel workers refused to accept pay cuts and went on strike in Homestead, Pennsyvania. The effect of this is that it caused the Carnegie Steel company to close its plant and steel went through a setback.
Samuel Gompers
a. Identification- He was a pragmatic and opportunist immigrant, he headed the Cigar makers' union. Gompers lead the AFL. Under Gompers, the AFL grew to one million members in 1901 and two and half million members in 1917. His presence was valuable and his ideas attracted people. The AFL applied across the whole country. They represented 111 national unions.
b. Significance- The AFL rapidly grew under Samuel Gompers and as a result labor Unions became more powerful and people used there exercise to protest. Protesting became natural and labor unions grew.
the Homestead strike
a. Identification- In July 1892, the AFL-Affiliated amalgamated association of iron and steel workers refused to accept pay cuts and went on strike in Homestead, Pennsylvania. Henry C. Frick, the president of the Carnegie steel company, closed the plant.
b. Significance- The general public became in awe by the strikers and they were in no way friendly towards them. People saw them as a danger and once the threatened Henry C. Fricks life, enough was enough and the public was disgusted with the strikers.
the Pullman strike-
a. Identification- In 1894 workers at the pullman palace car company went on strike about company policies that they did not agree with. The strike was near the company town. Pullman factory workers did not have a choice but to basically live a "Pullman life." They shopped at Pullman stores, prayed at Pullman churches, and learned at Pullman schools, the controlled town became two much and people protested when the times got tough and Pullman would not negociate. Pullman had no problem cutting wages from 25 to 40%.
b. Significance-When the times got tough and Pullman cut wages, workers called a strike lead by young charismatic man, Eugene V. Debs. Pullman retaliated by closing the plant. Debs helped by refusing workers to work on Pullman cars. The government got involved and sent troops to Chicago, eventually the strikers gave and Debs was jailed. The railways would not be up to par without the manufacturing of the Pullman cars so the president, Grover Cleveland, sent the troops in to set things straight.
Eugene V. Debs
a. Identification- Debs was a young, charismatic, organizer. He lead the Union retaliating against the wage cuts handed by Pullman. He voted to aid the strikers by refusing to handle all Pullman cars. Because of Pullmans national popularity in the railway system, President Grover Cleveland sent troops to Chicago to stop the protestors and get the working of cars back in full swing. Eugene V. Debs was arrested for defying the court injunction. The Supreme court upheld Debs sixth month sentence on grounds that the federal government had the power to remove obstacles from interstate commerce.
b. Significance-Pullman cut wages from 25 to 40% and that resulted in the protesting of Pullman industry workers. Someone had to step up and lead the union laborers, the young man Eugene Debs lead them and he caused the President to become worried about the railways. Due to the absence of the Pullman workers the railways did not run properly and this would not fly with the president so he sent troops to fix it. Eugene Debs and the other protestors wreaked havoc by protesting and standing up for what the believed in. They tried to fix what they thought was wrong.
the Industrial Workers of the World
a. Identification- In the West, many Colorado miners partook in small violent strikes. In 1905 many of these workers formed a new labor organization known as the Industrial Workers of the World. Unlike the AFL, the IWW accepted all kinds, unskilled and skilled. They believed in unifying all of the workers. They believed in violent outbursts.
b. Significance- Labor Unions like the Knights of Labor and the AFL influenced unions like the IWW, as the Unions became more modern, they became more violent, resulting in many deaths throughout the early twentieth century. They searched for equality among the workers and fair wages for all. The government was threatened by this because it set an example for other unions to use violence in their favor.

Read Chapter 14-3 and then identify the significance of each of the following terms / names: (Post your answers in your blog before the beginning of class.)

Andrew Carnegie-He was the founder of the Carneie steel company that was very important in the growth of the United States and helped industiralization beccause a lot more things were being made out of steel.

Social Darwinism-The thought that compettion between peopls, unions, nations, and countries, that drives social evolution.

John D. Rockefeller- The founder of the Standard Oil company that resulted in him revolutionizing the petroleum industry. He was an industrialist that allowd him to make huge sums of money.

Sherman Antitrust Act- It was a requirement enforced by the United States government that investigates major corporations for fraud and the violation of the Act and it prevents companies from becoming too powerful.

Samuel Gompers- Gompers was an American Labor worker and he was significant because he founded the American Federation of Labor and he served as their president for many years.

American Federation of Labor (AFL)- It was one of the first federations of labor unions in the United States. It was significant because it was the largest union grouping in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century.

Eugene V. Debs - He was an American union leader. His presence was significant in the United States because he was one of the founding members of the International Labor Union and the Industrial Workers of the world, he was also a political figure as he ran for president, he was known as one of the best-known socialists in the United States.


Industrial Workers of the World- It is an international union that helps workers. It is considered very important because it was the biggest most well known union in all of America. It is so siginificant that it still runs today and the Union still fights for workers.

Mary Harris Jones- She was a woman that was an American Labor Union organizer. She showed that woman could do mens jobs.

Railroad Development

The federal government gave land and made loans to the railroad companies. Why was the government so eager to promote the growth of railroads?

Rails made local transit reliable and westward expansion possible for business as well as people. Iron, coal, steel, lumber and glass industries grew rapidly as they tried to keep pace with the railroads' demand for materials and parts. The boom of these industries helped small business' which made the economy greater, this is why the government was so eager for the railroads to be promoted. The railroads also made it possible for trade and interdependence, these factors affected the economy in the way that made different regions in the United States come closer together, and rely on each other for different materials. The Government pushed for the railroads to grow because it created jobs, not only that, it nearly created cities. For example, Seattle, Washington or Denver, Colorado were known for making specific railroad parts, if it wasn't for the railways, then the cities very well wouldn't have been as big as they are today. The railways helped the cities branch out as well. The bottom line is that the growth of the railroads helped the economy in both big industries as well as small businesses.

What were the three major factors that contributed to the immense technological boom that took place in the United States after the Civil War? Explain how two of these factors helped to bring about this technological boom.

The three major factors that contributed to the immense technological boom that took place in the United States after the Civil War was due to the wealth of natural resources, government support for business, and a growing urban population that both provided cheap labor and markets for new products. The wealth of natural resources helped bring about the technological boom because due to the factor that they were natural, they did not cost a great amount of money. Because they were natural, they did not have to go through long expensive processes to be made and they were brought about by the Earth. The natural rescources helped boost the technological boom that then boosted the economy. The government support for small business really helped the technological boom because regular people were able to invent technology that was used all through out the United States. Small Businesses really boomed as the technology grew because the ideas came from them. The small businesses provided the neccesities to make technology and they often had the brains to make the technology.

Westward Expansion Questions

1. The federal governments policy of assimilation failed for numerous reasons. One being that the Native Americans were independent people that were perfect content with the lifestyle they were living and they had no interest in taking part of the "white" culture. The Native Americans were treated very poorly by the white people. When the two met it often resulted in bloodshed created tense feelings. The Indians sought that the white people had no right coming in their land and claiming it as if was theirs, demanding they join their culture and way of living. The argument was that the Indians were not civilized, but if the white people act as discourteous, ignorant, and selfish, then really, who is the uncivilized one? The Native Americans wanted no part in the white culture, they were happy with their tee pee huts, hunting, and seasonal moving. It was of no interest of theirs to just morph into the white culture and act like them. They were promised houses and a lot of money, but what they really received was a great deal of disrespect.

2. The governments effort to promote settlement of the Great Plains was extremely successful. The land went like wildfire. When Congress passed the Homestead Act people were very eager to move out West and settle their families into big chunks of land that they claimed. Some land was more fertile then others so the Homestead Act was strengthened as more land was given out and a lot more settlers became motivated to move West. For example, by passing the Homestead Act, the government was able to convince people that farming was a possibility that would bring riches in the West and and the motivation that Act brought was phenomenal.