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Responses to Immigration

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller

6 min read

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Study Guide Overview

This study guide covers immigration, urbanization, and reform during the Gilded Age, focusing on Social Darwinism, its impact on immigrants and Native Americans, settlement houses (including Hull House), ethnic enclaves and tenements, muckrakers (like Jacob Riis and Lewis Hine), nativism, and key immigration restriction acts (Chinese Exclusion Act, Immigration Act of 1882, National Origins Act of 1924). It also provides exam tips and practice questions covering multiple-choice and free-response formats.

AP US History: Immigration, Urbanization, and Reform (Gilded Age) 🏙️

Hey there! Let's break down this crucial period in US History. We'll focus on immigration, the challenges it created, and the responses it provoked. Get ready to ace this! 💪

The Rise of Social Darwinism and its Impact

  • What it is: Social Darwinism is the belief that the wealthy and powerful are naturally superior and deserve their success. It was used to justify the exploitation of immigrants and marginalized groups. 🧐

Key Concept

This idea directly clashed with the American ideal of equality and opportunity.

* **Impact on Immigrants**: * **Exploitation**: Immigrants were often paid lower wages, worked longer hours, and faced dangerous conditions. 😥 * **Assimilation**: Forced acculturation pushed immigrants to abandon their traditions. 🚫 * **Native Americans**: Used to justify forced removal and relocation of Native American communities. 😞 * **Example**: Factory owners using Social Darwinism to justify low wages and poor conditions for immigrant workers. 🏭

Settlement Houses: A Helping Hand

  • What they were: Community centers providing services to immigrants, like English classes, job training, and cultural programs. 🏘️

Key Concept

Settlement houses were a direct response to the challenges faced by immigrants and a counter-movement to Social Darwinism.

* **Hull House**: Founded by Jane Addams in Chicago, it offered a wide range of services, including a nursery, gym, library, and art studio. 📚🎨 * **Purpose**: To help immigrants assimilate, learn new skills, and build better lives. 🌟

Ethnic Enclaves and Tenements: Living Conditions

  • Ethnic Enclaves: Neighborhoods where people of similar ethnic backgrounds lived together, providing support and a sense of community. 🫂

Quick Fact

These enclaves helped preserve cultural traditions.

* **Tenements**: Overcrowded, unsanitary housing, often with small, windowless rooms. 🏚️ * **Tenement House Act of 1870**: Required windows in each bedroom and set standards for ventilation and sanitation. 📝 * **Dumbbell Tenements**: Attempted to improve conditions but still had issues with ventilation and sanitation. 😩 
![](https://zupay.blob.core.windows.net/resources/files/0baca4f69800419293b4c75aa2870acd_9551a7_3030.jpg)

###### Image Courtesy of Wikimedia
*   **Health Issues**: Overcrowding and poor sanitation led to the spread of diseases like cholera, typhoid, and tuberculosis. 🦠

Muckrakers: Exposing the Truth

  • Who they were: Journalists and reformers who exposed the problems of urban life. ✍️

Key Concept

Muckrakers played a crucial role in raising public awareness and advocating for reforms.

* **Jacob Riis**: Wrote "How the Other Half Lives," a photo essay of the poor and tenement conditions. 📸 * **Lewis Hine**: Photographed child labor and poor working conditions. 👦 * **Impact**: Their work led to important changes in housing, labor, and social welfare policies. 💡

Nativism and Immigration Restrictions

  • Nativists: Believed in the superiority of native-born Americans and opposed immigration. 😠

Quick Fact

Nativism was often fueled by economic concerns and racial prejudice.

* **Immigration Act of 1882**: Placed a tax on immigrants and excluded certain groups. 🚫 * **Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882**: Halted Chinese immigration for over 60 years. 🛑 
*
Common Mistake

Don't confuse the Chinese Exclusion Act with the later National Origins Act of 1924.

  • National Origins Act of 1924: Further limited immigration based on national origin. 📉

Memory Aid

Remember ICE (Immigration, Chinese Exclusion) to recall the key immigration restrictions.

Final Exam Focus 🎯

  • Key Topics: Social Darwinism, settlement houses, ethnic enclaves, muckrakers, and nativism.
  • Common Question Types:
    • Multiple Choice: Expect questions on the impact of Social Darwinism, the purpose of settlement houses, and the effects of immigration laws. 🤔
    • Short Answer: Be prepared to explain the role of muckrakers and the challenges faced by immigrants. ✍️
    • Free Response: Analyze the causes and effects of urbanization and immigration during the Gilded Age. 📝
Exam Tip

Time Management: Quickly identify the main point of the question and focus on providing specific evidence.

*
Exam Tip

Common Pitfalls: Avoid generalizations. Use specific examples and historical context.

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Questions

  1. Which of the following best describes the philosophy of Social Darwinism? (A) Society should provide equal opportunities for all individuals. (B) The wealthy and powerful are naturally superior and deserve their success. (C) Government intervention is necessary to correct social inequalities. (D) Immigrants should be given preferential treatment in the workforce.

  2. The primary goal of settlement houses in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was to: (A) Promote the ideals of Social Darwinism. (B) Provide services and support to immigrants. (C) Enforce stricter immigration laws. (D) Advocate for the segregation of ethnic groups.

  3. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was primarily a response to: (A) The growing number of Chinese immigrants working in the United States. (B) The expansion of American businesses into China. (C) The desire to promote cultural diversity in the United States. (D) The need to increase the number of skilled workers in the country.

Free Response Question

Analyze the social and economic factors that contributed to the rise of nativism in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Scoring Breakdown

  • Thesis (1 point): A clear, historically defensible thesis that addresses the prompt.
    • Example: "The rise of nativism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was driven by a combination of economic anxieties, social prejudices, and the perceived threat of cultural change caused by mass immigration."
  • Evidence (2-3 points): Provides specific historical evidence to support the thesis.
    • Examples:
      • Economic competition for jobs between native-born Americans and immigrants.
      • The belief in the superiority of Anglo-Saxon culture and fear of cultural dilution.
      • The passage of restrictive immigration laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act and the National Origins Act.
      • The influence of nativist organizations and their anti-immigrant propaganda.
  • Analysis (2-3 points): Explains how the evidence supports the thesis and demonstrates an understanding of the historical context.
    • Examples:
      • Explaining the economic downturns that fueled competition for jobs and increased resentment towards immigrants.
      • Analyzing how Social Darwinism and racial theories contributed to nativist attitudes.
      • Discussing how political leaders and media outlets exploited anti-immigrant sentiments for political gain.
  • Synthesis (1 point): Connects the topic to other historical periods or themes.
    • Example: Comparing the nativism of the Gilded Age to earlier anti-immigrant sentiments (e.g., Know-Nothing Party) or later immigration debates.

Remember, you've got this! Stay calm, focus on the key points, and you'll do great! 👍

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Question 1 of 12

What was the central idea behind Social Darwinism during the Gilded Age? 🤔

All individuals are born with equal opportunities

The wealthy are naturally superior and deserve their success

Government should actively intervene to ensure equality

Immigrants should receive preferential treatment in society