Read the article posted below (two formats available):
http://www.vanells.com/125-22.pdf (with images, PDF requires Adobe Acrobat)
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:vJ8_Q9ffkMgJ:www.vanells.com/125-22.pdf+gilded+age+and+immigration,+disease&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=8&gl=us
(HTML/ will work on any computer)
AND Chapter One of Jacub Riis' How the Other Half Lives
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/How_the_Other_Half_Lives/Chapter_I
A) Discuss how health, sanitation and scientific theory affected the lives of "old immigrants" in the Gilded Age.
B) Consider Riis' arguments for social reform and Herbert Spencer's theory of Social Darwinism.
In your opinion, was the government responsible for the health and safety of immigrant communities at the turn of the 20th Century?
Should undocumented (alien) immigrants recieve social services in modern US society?
How do your opinions on these matter relate to the Riis and Spencer?
C) Respond to the post of at least one classmate.
21 comments:
Teresa Konopka
AP US
During the Gilded age, not everything was covered in gold as the term gilded implies. More often than not, many Americans lived in utter destitution. “Old immigrants” of the Gilded age oftentimes lived in tenements. These were places where many families would crowd in, instead of a large house. They were very dirty, and usually had few sources of water (e.g. - sinks, toilets, baths, etc).
As a result, many became morbidly sick and ill. Obviously, with small enclosed spaces, bad plumbing, closely drawn people (who could easily spread illnesses), and a lack of sanitation, despondence ensued. In some extreme cases, people lived in cellars and had water dripping on them at night. Additionally, when it got cold in the winter, many could not afford adequate heating.
To make matters worse, a new form of racism emerged. Dubbed as social Darwinism, this theory stated that certain races were superior to others. Whites were superior to Asians, who were superior to Native Americans and Africans. Also, English people were considered higher than other “white” ethnicities. Later, another form of segregation emerged that measured people’s heads. Those with larger skulls were considered smarter and better than others.
Such segregation was implemented to justify poor conditions. After all, if so many Americans are living in destitution, while a small percentage of the population is living in luxury, some sort of explanation is needed. If people are under the assumption that the poor in life are “unfit,” then they are less likely to insurrect. After all, they would feel as if there was nothing they could do, since they were the lesser of the human race.
Question to AP peers:
Based on your own individual ethnicity, how do you think you would have been treated during the Gilded age?
Michelle Shed
AP US History: Block B
February 7, 2008
During the Gilded Age, many immigrant groups that we'd consider white were actually considered inferior non-white peoples. Many Social Darwinists believed that some races of people were superior or inferior to others. Europeans were perceived as the most intelligence. Asians came next; then blacks and Native Americans. Yet, scientists during the Gilded Age ranked different nationalities within larger races of people. For example, the English were ranked more superior than the Greeks or Italians. The peoples of South and Eastern Europe were presumed less intelligent and were deemed as useful for menial labor. In fact, many eugenicists, those with a false science of human breeding, urged the restriction of immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe, believing that their “inferior” nature would only corrupt superior Anglo Saxon Americans.
The “Old immigrants” faced a struggle known as “scientific” racism. This led to the formation of anti-immigration pressure groups. In 1894, the Immigration Restriction League was formed. Many powerful and influential people in business, politics, and education, expressed their beliefs that America must only welcome immigrants of Germanic nationality. Immigrants from South and Eastern Europe would only weaken the nation. Restricting laws were created that prevented some immigrants from Europe or Asia coming to America. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 is an example of such acts. Those who were “idiotic,” mentally challenged or sick, people with contagious diseases, those convicted of felonies, and those who were likely to become a nuisance to the public were unwelcome. Radicals, Anarchists, and Communists were too forbidden. Ever since the assassination of president McKinley by a man named Leon Czolgosz, the American public believed that immigrants from South and Eastern Europe only bought radical and dangerous ideals into the country.
The housing that immigrants had to live in were disgusting. An average immigrant family lived in one room with other immigrants as well. The rent was high. The rooms were also small, crowded, and the ceiling was constantly dripping water. Many immigrants ended up dying of diseases such as cholera because of their crowded conditions. Children even ended up dying because they were unable to breathe the polluted air in their lungs. There wasn’t even enough furniture. One room housed five families, but there were only two beds. Some couples and other immigrants even committed suicide because they weren’t even able to pay for their rooms.
When I think of Rii’s argument for Social reform and Herbert Spencer’s views on Social Darwinism, I believe that the government sort of has an obligation to protect its citizens. This includes sickness and health. These immigrants are now American. They were accepted into the country by the American government. If the government helps its non-immigrants who live in America, then the government is certainly obligated to help its immigrants who’re know considered Americans. It’s not like these immigrants are aliens. Aliens should not be allowed to even live in the country. They should be sent back to their respective nations. My family came here from Russia with nothing. They worked long and hard and they managed to become extremely successful people. My family also waited a long time to come into the country. For six years, they waited for permission to come into the country. It bothers me when aliens are hiding in our nation, with no permission whatsoever, when other immigrants, had to go through a long and difficult journey. Illegal immigrants should not receive the same social services. Medicare, social security, and welfare are funded by the taxes of the American people. If I were a tax-paying citizen, I would not want my money going towards a man or woman who does not even have permission to live here in the country; especially, if that immigrant spends my own money on alcohol or drugs. If my family had to wait to legally come into the country, then so should everyone else who wishes to come here. There’s nothing wrong with immigrants coming into the nation, just as long as they come here legally.
Teresa: If I lived here during the Gilded Age, I would probably be shunned and end up dying of some deadky disease. My family immigrated from Eastern Europe. Many Americans viewed Eastern Europeans as slouthful and lazy fools. I don't think I'd be treated like royalty.
Justin Lefkowitz
AP US History
Health, sanitation, and scientific theory affected the lives of “old immigrants” in a large way. These three topics made the lives of old immigrants almost impossible to live. As a result of scientific theory, sanitation, and health, not only were the immigrants kept out of the work place, but some of them were even kept out of the country. Many US citizens and the US government felt that they should not have people like immigrants coming into “their” land. Due to health problems, the government felt that the immigrants would spread diseases they brought throughout the United States of America. Due to scientific reasoning and theory, the government also felt that immigrants were uneducated and they had smaller brains than Americans. Many of the “old immigrants” who lived in American society during the end of the 19th century were often shunned by society. They were never able to get good jobs, if they ever got jobs at all, and they lived wherever they could find a home, mainly in tenements. It didn’t matter whether you were Lithuanian or German; you were still treated badly. The conditions that the “old immigrants” had to live under were horrible.
Jacub Riis discusses social reform for New York City immigrants in his story “How The Other Half Lives.” Social reform refers to a reform, or a change that needs to be made in certain aspects of society. In his book, Jacub Riis exposes the world to the disease, filth, and overpopulation of the 1,000,000 immigrants that used to inhabit New York. He helped to change the ways that these immigrants lived by bringing his ideas up with Teddy Roosevelt, who during this time was the Police Commissioner of NYC. He was eventually able to change the ways that the immigrants lived in the city. They benefited in a big way from Riis’s book.
The belief of Social Darwinism is the theory that certain individuals, groups, or races, achieve advantages over others as a result of genetic or biological superiority. Social Darwinism is easily considered to be one form of racism, mainly because it is just untrue.
In my opinion, the government was responsible for the health and safety of immigrant communities at the turn of the 20th Century. Without the government’s consent, none of the social reforms that were created during this time would have been passed as law. True, Jacub Riis’s book “How The Other Half Lives” did bring up the idea of social reform to the government, but Jacub Riis was not the one passing the laws to make the changes needed to help improve the lives of immigrants. It is the government who passes the laws, and as a result, they are in fact responsible for the health and safety of immigrant communities at the turn of the 20th Century.
Anybody who is an illegal immigrant does not deserve any of the rights shared by Americans. The main reason why is because they are NOT Americans. It takes time to become an American and earn the rights that we have today. If the undocumented immigrants just wait their time, then they will become one of us. As the Beastie Boys once said, “You have to fight, for your right, to party!” If immigrants want their own rights they have to fight for their rights to become an American.
Based on Teresa’s question, I believe that I would be treated the same way as any other immigrant would have been treated, horrible. Unless somebody has an Anglo background, then they would have to work hard to get what they want.
Health, sanitation, and scientific theory were three main social issues that effected “old immigrants” during the Gilded Age. As populations in large cities were increasing, so were diseases, deaths, and poverty. Much of this due to a very modern caste system, also known as “social Darwinism.” Social Darwinism was the theory of the “survival of the fittest,” simply put; this meant that many were putting Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution into a social perspective. Social Darwinism promoted racism and alienation between the new ethnic groups that had just arrived to America. As the newest groups arrived, the older ones would be pushed up a bit in social hierarchy, whilst the freshest immigrants were the lowest of the low, and avoided due to this. The alienation of the poorest and newest classes of people led to the poor conditions that they were forced to live in. These crowded tenement homes were breeding places for germs and disease that would eventually kill off a major number of immigrants. Due to the lack of sanitation that existed, these germs would turn into fatal diseases such as Tuberculosis, Cholera, Mumps, and other ill fates. It seems that the government turned a blind eye to such instances and instead focused their eyes on the wealthy who were feeding them from wallet to wallet. The government should have stepped in to improve the lives of these people who came into America to work. These were people who were paying taxes even though they have very little money to fork over to the government, the least the government could do was to provide them with proper sanitation in the city streets so their health can improve. Good health leads to a good work ethic, leading to more money into the government’s pocket, and by not providing sanitation, they were just losing money.
Undocumented immigrants in today’s time should NOT receive social services in America. Since they are not here legally, they technically aren’t even here, so why should the government provide for people who don’t exist in the books? If these illegal immigrants wanted social services, they should have come into the country LEGALLY. In Riis and Spencer’s time, however, the only choice people had was to come into the country legally, so this is a whole new issue being presented.
To Teresa’s question : Due to my ethnicity, I would have been one of the ones discriminated against due to me being Eastern European. It was assumed that Eastern Europeans were lazy and ungrateful workers who knew nothing, but unfortunately it was the complete opposite. It was the Americans who were lazy sods, who sat on their behinds all day whilst the immigrants worked for them.
Margaret Scalesci
Block- B
2-7-08
During the Gilded age, the Immigrants were treated very badly and exploited into working for low pay and work under horrible working conditions. Herbert Spencer was a British philosopher who wrote about the ideas of animal and plant evolution in reference of “natural selection”. He believed in “Social Darwinism” which really only justified racism and was an economy of survival of the fittest. This means that he believes that the poor people deserve where they are because they’re lazy and that they wouldn’t be where they were if they were determined to get out of their horrible lives. I disagree because people are in that position because of how rich people treat them and exploit them making it near impossible to ever get out of where they are. Spencer is completely wrong about this whole thing because he can’t make a general statement about all poor people being lazy and worthless. Some of them may be like that but definitely not the poor as a whole. Spencer wanted laissez-faire capitalism in America, which would mean that the government would have no control over private businesses. This would be good for the rich because they would make more money but not good for the poor because then the working conditions would be overlooked and the wages that workers are supposed to be paid will be unregulated.
How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis is a book documenting how the poor lived during the gilded age, during the 1880’s in New York City. This book shows the true side of how the poverty-stricken lived during this time. Since they were immigrants and came from another country, it’s harder for them because they grew up speaking a different language most likely. Most of these immigrants are also uneducated, which makes it harder for them to obtain higher paying jobs. From Riis’ book many of the immigrants benefited because he was able to put his ideas out there and show everyone how they really lived.
During this time the overall health of the poor was very bad, which meant there were many diseases. Since their health was so bad, they never seemed to get over it because there was no medicine available for them because they couldn’t afford it. The sanitation was also horrible which also caused their health to stay the way it was; terrible. It was a never ending cycle. The government was responsible for health and safety of the “old immigrants” because this is their country and if the government couldn’t take care of them, then they should have never let them into the country if they couldn’t take care of them. It was like the poor were trapped in this terrible living situation and the government is responsible for helping them. I do not think that the illegal immigrants of modern society should be accommodated because they should just come to the country legally because that’s what they did back in the 1900’s. That’s the right way to do it and if they do it any other way, it’s their own fault. I am leaning more towards Riis because Spencer was completely out of line for say the things he said.
In response to Teresa’s question:
Any immigrant coming from anywhere, except England, would be treated less than human. Since I am Irish and Italian I think that I would be treated very badly, just like everyone else. Also because I know that the Irish and the English do not have a good relationship, I would be treated even worse.
The (Not) Gilded Age consisted of nothing but misery for immigrants coming to America at this time. Living, working and sanitation conditions were absolutely horrendous, but complaining or actually doing something about it was completely out of the question.
Immigrants were discriminated against the moment they stepped off (or onto, for that matter) the ship. The popular Social Darwin theories at the time ranked different ethnicities, and the ethnicities on the lowest rung of the ladder, as Michelle pointed out, were the immigrants. Southern and Eastern Europeans in particular were thought to be less intelligent based upon Darwinistic theory. The less intelligent, therefore, were not thought of to be of any particular concern. The conditions they were living in, then, were perfectly acceptable. Ridiculously expensive health care, zero to no sanitation, and certainly no kind of healthy breathing atmosphere were what was available to immigrants. Based on this, it's no surprise that diseases such as cholera spread through immigrant populations at such an alarming rate. In 1855, the death rate of New York City, one of the largest immigrant slums in the nation, was about one in twenty-seven.
Regardless, the situation of the immigrants cannot be seen as the fault of the government. Granted, they should have not been listening to the lobbies of big business, but according to the capitalist and laissez-faire principles of the democratic nation we live, they were almost physically incapable of doing anything. It falls to the individuals to take care of each other in such a privatized country. The plight of the immigrants was the fault of those who took advantage of their helplessness, not the ones that didn't pick them up from their helplessness.
At the same time, if the government can do something to help, they should. Undocumented immigrants today should definitely receive social services, provided that once they receive the services they start paying taxes!
Heather Vale.
Health, sanitation and scientific theory affected the lives of ‘old immigrants’ during the Gilded Age as these three factors all reflected preventions toward economic success. Due to barbarous working conditions, most immigrants were forced to witness unsanitary and unhealthy labor. Published novels such as How the Other Half Lives and The Jungle illustrate the physical suffrage several immigrants faced while struggling to survive in American society. Since America is often advertised as the land of freedom and opportunities, several immigrants turn to America in search for economical advancements.
However, once the immigrants reach America they receive the true aspect of the fight and hardship to survive. As a result, the dirty factories and spreading diseases affected the old immigrants of the Gilded Age to struggle with advancing to high economic standards. As for scientific theories, like Social Darwinism, immigrants were automatically degraded and labeled as ‘unfit’ individuals. Social Darwinism reflects the idea of ‘survival of the fittest’ in this competitive world. Since most immigrants were seen as unskilled and lazy, Social Darwinism gave immigrants a bad name to begin with.
Thus, the government was responsible for the health and safety of immigrant communities at the turn of the 20th Century. Although the immigrants were not helped immediately, sooner or later the government was able to pull together the agreement of labor unions. Such labor unions like the Knights of Labor and the American Union of Labor were able to fight for the workers’ rights, as many were violated on a daily basis. If it were not for government officials to come into agreement with the immigrants, several communities would have remained clustered and contaminated. Not only were labor unions able to recognize a voice for the typical worker, yet the wages and hours were changed for the better.
In agreement with Justin, undocumented immigrants should not receive the same social services in modern US society as they are not legally citizens of the United States. If America wants to justly work its way through life, illegal doings should not be tolerated. Indeed, America has ‘survival of the fittest’ yet in order to compete in such a competition, one must be an American citizen. Interestingly, as the years go by life seems more and more like a game. All individuals are for themselves, reflecting the intense competition to succeed.
Ashley Aydin.
AP U.S. History –Block B.
Nativism, or the hostility from native-born Americans, influenced the restriction of incoming immigrants, limiting the foreign willingness to work for low wages under poor conditions. During the Gilded-Age, 1871 to 1901, immigrants overwhelmingly came from European countries such as Germany, Britain, Ireland, Scandinavia, Italy, Russia, and Austria. As with most settlers in American history, perceived economic/social advantage was the foremost propulsive force for minority migration – proving a push-pull movement. Nonetheless, there existed a difference between old immigrants and new immigrants. Old immigrants moved with the purposes of permanent inhabitance, while new immigrants held the intention of temporarily taking advantage of the greater wages paid by dedicated industrial employment. With 11 million pupils traveling to the States, the percentage of foreigners in the country justly characterized a rapid change in every aspect of American life.
Seemingly, health, sanitation and scientific theory affected the lives of countless minorities and foreigners. Because the Gilded Age was an era of expanding production, most immigrants worked at manufacturing locales, usually under unskilled levels. Most immigrants were left to complete the most intricate, lowest paying, hazardous tasks. Immigrant women and children were also involved in the labor force, completing duties that were unbearable to many. Accordingly, native born citizens wanted to regulate and lessen immigrant input. Within a few years, America’s once free and unrestricted immigration policy was modified. An example of such action would prove The Chinese Exclusion Act, implementing the suspension of Chinese immigration. Immigrants had to pay a small fee to enter the nation, and contract labor was further forbidden.
Furthermore, most Gilded-Age immigrants, like their predecessors, lived in ethnic enclaves in both the town and country. They were permitted to speak their own languages, practice their faith, and generally carry out their daily activities. Nonetheless, the sanitation and health statuses were dire. “Neatness, order, cleanliness, were never dreamed of in connection with the tenant-house system, as it spread its localities from year to year; while redress slovenliness, discontent, privation, and ignorance were left to work out their invariable results, until the entire premises reached the level of tenant-house dilapidation, containing, but sheltering not, the miserable hordes that crowded beneath smouldering, water-rotted roofs or burrowed among the rats of clammy cellars.” Thus, attempts to create familiar surroundings, maintaining old cultures, were largely doomed by breakdown.
Generally, two viewpoints that are commonly applied to immigration come from Jacob Riis, an American social reformer, photographer, and journalist, and Herbert Spencer, a philosopher and enlightener. Riis brought light to the horrors of tenement housing, introducing the public to congested, grubby neighborhoods. Oppositely, Herbert Spencer trusted in the fundamental of Social Darwinism, or the belief that the fittest should survive and flourish in society. “Social Darwinists also believed that some races of people were superior or inferior to others. Respected scientists at major universities ranked the races based on their supposed abilities.”
From our earliest history, most free immigrants have remained individuals who want to come to America to better themselves, attempting to flee some their homeland’s persecution and/or adversity. Rightly, immigrants have come from many time periods –the colonial era, the agricultural era, the industrial era, and the post-industrial era. Thus, immigrants deserve the benefits of receiving assistance from the government. Seeing that this nation was formed by a mass of foreigners, the idea of condoning immigrants, alien or not, seems rather contradictory. Therefore, legislative bodies should be fully responsible with immigrant dealings.
Wholly, my view is similar to Jacob Riis’s. Socially active and outspoken, Riis understood the hardship and true desires of the common migrant. Hence, his open minded views about social reform, equality, and justice pertain to my principles of immigrant treatment.
________________________________
*Kasey’s thoughts on social services are considerable. If the government holds the resources needed to aid undocumented immigrants, they should. Countless foreigners provide the United States with mass production and an exceptional labor force – highlighting their achievement of jobs that seem unpleasant to the average American.
During the Gilded Era, people were 'classed' by the likes of social Darwinism and furthermore, their socio-economic bracket. These judgments effortlessly justified the treatment and segregation of these people, all while the government turned the blind eye.
These 'old immigrants' of the Gilded Era tended to congregate in tenements. These cramped quarters were ideal for the spread of disease and poverty. These apartments were usually small, dirty and, by todays standards, probably worse than a housing project.
Obviously this is unfair and a rather harsh, uneducated way to pass judgment about people. Stereotypes that were created during this era still ensue the minds of people everywhere.
Teresa, in response to your question. I think I'd be treated rather harshly seeing as I'm a woman, and I'm Italian. Not exactly the 'whitest of the whites.' If it were 100 years ago, I'd be very nervous because people wouldn't see me as Liana Inzerillo, the girl with a good head on her shoulders. But Liana Inzerillo, who doesn't deserve good pay because she has ovaries.
Sarah Berfond
B Block
1) Health, sanitation and scientific theory greatly affected the lives of “old immigrants” in the gilded age. Health issues posed threats to almost all immigrant families and lead to increasing discrimination against them. During the time referenced in the article, immigrants suffered from many diseases and epidemics such as the cholera epidemic. The viruses spread rapidly due to immigrants living in cramped and crowed spaces and working in horrible disease invested factories. Many Americans felt that the immigrants developed these diseases because they were an inferior race. The belief of inferiority was heightened by the concentration of immigrants and the problems which afflicted them in large cities. Sanitation problems also worsened the foreigners’ experiences in America. Almost all immigrants lived in large cities filled with millions of people making sanitation a large issue. Immigrant families usually lived in a small room with five other families, forcing them to share toilets or outhouses. They did not have any clean water resources or ways to dispose of their garbage, leading to more disease spreading throughout the cities. Lastly, scientific theory affected many immigrants’ way of thinking along with Americans’ perceptions of immigrants. After, Charles Darwin’s scientific theory of Evolution became popular; Herbert Spencer applied the theory to society calling it Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism is the theory of “survival of the fittest” in society, meaning that only the superior will survive in the 20th century. The belief led many Americans to feel that their superior intelligence and health would ultimately lead to the elimination of the immigrants and survival of Americans.
2) At the turn of the 20th century, the government was undoubtedly responsible for the health and safety of immigrant communities. The United States government had a moral obligation to protect everyone living in their nation including the immigrants. Most immigrants came to America to enjoy the freedom and equality they were denied in their home country. It was the duty of all Americans to give them the opportunity to seek the “American Dream” that they had traveled miles and miles to achieve. The founding fathers of our country based the entire existence of the nation on the concept of freedom, liberty and equality, which is contradicted by denying rights and protection to immigrants. The issue of illegal immigrants receiving social services is a widely debated issue in modern society. Illegal immigrants should receive social services under some conditions. The services must be provided to illegal immigrants while being trained in job skills and educated. After their education is complete the foreigners should be returned to their home countries. After returning to their home countries, immigrants can become successful in their societies and overpopulation in the U.S. would be averted. My opinions relate mostly to Riis’ presented in How the Other Half Lives. Riis believed that immigrants during the gilded age were treated badly and needed help from the American government. The author explained the conditions immigrants were living in during the gilded age in his novel and stressed the necessity for action. Spencer’s ideas are based on ideas of superiority of Americans which is hurtful towards other races. Everyone has an equal chance of being successful based on determination and willpower. If immigrants were allowed to participate in society, many of them could have thrived as the Americans.
Response to Kasey’s comment: I agree with your opinion on immigrants receiving social services. The American government should try to help the immigrants become legalized or gain the tools needed to be successful in their home country. Illegal immigrants need to be helped in some way to discontinue the increasing tension between the government and immigrants.
Elizabeth Che
Block B - AP US History
The Gilded Age refers to the late 19th century America where wealth was an important aspect in determining the lifestyle of the individual. At this time, there were large differences between the wealthy and the poor causing society to be influenced by the economic status of each citizen. The industrious elites generally lived in elegance and glamor and at certain points became philanthropists who contributed towards the development of communities. Meanwhile, immigrants and the poor lived together in run-down areas. Tenements were housing structures that spanned four to six stories without regard to ventilation or light but instead, focused on getting the most out of a given space. As quoted from the report to the Legislature of 1857 in How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis, “the tenant-house became a real blessing to that class of industrious poor whose small earnings limited their expenses, and whose employment in workshops, stores, or about the warehouses and thoroughfares, render a near residence of much importance.” Although tenements were cheap housing immigrants were able to afford, the rich soon discovered profit could be made by providing necessities to the unfortunate. Hence, old houses were remodeled with “large rooms were partitioned into several smaller ones, without regard to light or ventilation, the rate of rent being lower in proportion to space or height from the street; and they soon became filled from cellar to garret with a class of tenantry living from hand to mouth, loose in morals, improvident in habits, degraded, and squalid as beggary itself.”
Old immigrants also faced unsanitary and unhealthy conditions at both work and home. Cramped factories with dingy lighting and high injury risks were common in majority of all professions who welcomed cheap labor. As industrious machinery continues to spread, wastes were moved into rural areas that were unplanned to be used as public or private projects. The poor who lived at locations close to the waste lands were exposed to foul odor and uncleanliness. Diseases and illnesses were common throughout society despite new initiatives in plumbing. Meanwhile, scientific theories such as Social Darwinism flourished, splitting the citizens further based on the rights of the rich or poor. Favoring the superior, the weak were left to die out on their own accord. Based on Darwinism, the rich were believed to be able to pass on their traits to their children as would the poor. But, in order to gain prosperity, luck and hard work is needed. The old immigrants were subject to the opinions of the majority. Depleting their moral, immigrants were constantly reminded of their inferiority, decreasing the encouragement of work as Darwinism causes individuals to believe nothing will change as they are already since it was decided by his/her previous skill.
Chapter one of How the Other Side Lives by Jacobb Riis details the conditions of tenements and immigrant housing conditions. Meanwhile Herbert Spencer’s theory of social Darwinism notes how the wealthy are successful whereas the poor will continue to muddle around within a pit until they are one day gone from the world. Based on both readings, a judgement of which the government should be responsible for the health and safety of the immigrant communities at the tun of the 20th century is concluded. Although the immigrants may not have immigrated from the same areas, they are still people who are giving out their effort to survive within the developing society. The government should be able to take care of society and those who will be citizens in the future. Since the Gilded Age represented a time of industrial wealth and reasons, immigrant societies will develop the country further and should have been watched over closely. Instead, tenement owners blamed the damages of the buildings on the behavior of the tenants. As Riis notes, “proprietors frequently urged the filthy habits of the tenants as an excuse for the condition of their property, utterly losing sight of the fact that it was the tolerance of those habits which was the real evil, and that for this they themselves were alone responsible." However, in modern society, undocumented immigrants should not receive social services as they did not earn the benefits. Unlike the Gilded Age, modern times have societies that are already formed and developed. As Justin states, “the main reason why is because they are NOT Americans. It takes time to become an American and earn the rights that we have today. If the undocumented immigrants just wait their time, then they will become one of us.” Individuals who did not follow proper procedures and work for their rights, should not receive it as each aspect of America was gained through the suffering of an individual. Relating to Spencer’s Social Darwinism, the weak should eliminate themselves over due time and if they are able to leave the bottom layer, the work on their futures, right will be bestowed upon them as citizens just like others.
As for Teresa’s question, I would probably have been treated horribly as like other poor immigrants since Chinese were not welcomed and for times, excluded from the United States. Sadly, racial issues continue to influence society but not as much as during the past.
A) In the Gilded Age, the health and sanitary conditions were extremely poor. How the Other Half Lives by Riis, mentioned the terrible living conditions for immigrants of this time. Their large rooms were broken into smaller ones, some without light or ventilation, causing health issues. “Neatness, order, cleanliness, were never dreamed of in connection with the tenant-house system… containing, but sheltering not.” This quote shows that the people living in these conditions didn’t even have time to be concerned about the poor living conditions, but instead were somewhat grateful for a place to live. The second part of the quote is saying that the people were contained rather than sheltered, so they were simply being kept there instead of being taken care of. In addition, when the living conditions worsened further, there were cases of an outbreak of cholera in which tenants died at the rate of one hundred and ninety-five to the thousand of population.
B) At the turn of the 20th century the government was responsible for the health and safety of immigrant communities. One of the government’s responsibilities is to keep the citizens of the United States safe, regardless of whether they originally came from another country or not. The sole idea of America is the land of the free, which a phrase that should not only pertain to those born there. Most immigrants came to America in search for the better life they feel all Americans have, only to see such disastrous results. The Social Darwinist view simply promoted racism. It made it okay for whites to consider themselves a superior race just because of that one trait. They used the phrase “survival of the fittest” which was unfair since the immigrants weren’t really given the same opportunities as American born citizens. However, Riis’s opinion is more similar to mine in the sense that he details the poor treatment of the immigrants. I think alien immigrants should receive some benefits, because if they found a way to get into America they must REALLY want to be there. That’s not to say they should get everything handed to them, but they should be entitled to something, such as a job so they can work hard for their own money.
C) In response to Teresa’s question, since I am Italian and a woman, I would probably not be treated in the best manner. I would probably be subject to harsh treatment only because of the way I look, rather than who I am as a person. The fact that I would be treated so differently is a very hurtful fact and hard to believe.
John Harden
Block B
Absent day due-make up posting/2008-02-8
During the Gilded Era, “old immigrants” came under the attack of United States’ governmental racism and enormous amounts of poverty. It was the United States of America’s duty to make sure all new immigrants coming into the United States from Ellis or Angel Island were sanitary. Because the health on many immigrant ships was so low, many of the immigrants whom moved to America fell quickly to diseases such as cholera. These immigrants were denied access to the east coast from Ellis Island according to chapter one of Jacub Riis' “How the Other Half Lives”. The sick were placed in quarantines much like virus’ found on computers. Treated in such a lowly manner, immigrants most likely not feel the joys of America they had heard of.
Scientific Theories like Social Darwinism went as far as calling for the banishment of certain ethnicities. Most ethnical groups were cited by post 1st generation American’s as diseased ridden rats. It is interesting to note that many scientists in the field of ethnical study believed that more Germanic and Anglo peoples should have been allowed into the states. Such mistreatment and discontent with new immigrants did however not stop the flow of them from their homelands. I agree with Kasey’s political ideologies in relations to the government’s responsibility with immigrants. If the immigrants were given better and less racial welcome and given adequate help in setting up for a life in the United States, the economy would be better off. However, the Laissez-Faire economic policy of the time did not call for such duties to be completed, thus many immigrants entered extreme poverty. Immigrants who were sick should have not been quarantined but instead sent back to their homeland aswell.
A) Discuss how health, sanitation and scientific theory affected the lives of "old immigrants" in the Gilded Age.
Health, sanitation and scientific theory negatively affected the lives of “old immigrants” in the Gilded Age.
Health negatively affected old immigrants, as most immigrants’ health worked against them. Health among immigrants was terrible. Since most immigrants worked and lived near or in industrious areas, they were constantly exposed to polluted air. This led to health issues among immigrants. Moreover, the work hours that the average immigrant worked daily negatively affected his or her health, as the average immigrant worked 8 hrs a day, usually doing repetitive sweat inducing work. Sanitation was also terrible in the Gilded age, especially amongst immigrants. During this age, the streets were covered in manure. Tenements, housing for many immigrants, were also extremely crowded and unsanitary. During the period, Jacob Riis found a room where somebody stayed to be only a few feet in width and length, and tenements weren’t even ventilated which led to polluted air inside. Because tenements were so crowded and unsanitary, epidemics of Cholera for example broke out occasionally. Thus, this led to many deaths among immigrants. What’s worse with poor health and living conditions, immigrants were also ridiculed through the use of scientific theories.
Americans used poor scientific theory to prove the supremacy of the Anglo-Saxon race and inferiority of other races like the Irish and African races. Social Darwinism was the belief that some humans or races were more superior than other humans or races. Thus, the rich were deemed naturally superior to the poor, as the rich had proven themselves superior in the competition of life. Craniometry, the process of measuring the volume of the brain cavity, also worked to prove immigrants were inferior, as scientists found Anglo-Saxons had bigger brain cavities than Asians and other races. Thus, the Chinese were deemed inferior. With these scientific theories claiming immigrant inferiority, immigrant life was much worse, and some immigrants even believed they were indeed inferior.
1. B) Consider Riis' arguments for social reform and Herbert Spencer's theory of Social Darwinism.
In your opinion, was the government responsible for the health and safety of immigrant communities at the turn of the 20th Century?
The government was definitely responsible for the health and safety of immigrant communities at the turn of the 20th century, as one of the government’s major jobs is to protect the people. Even though immigrants came from another nation, the government was still responsible for their safety, as most did work to economically advance the nation. Thus, they proved themselves patriotically worthy for protection. Furthermore, the Declaration of Independence stressed equality amongst all.
Should undocumented (alien) immigrants receive social services in modern US society?
Undocumented immigrants should receive social services in modern US Society, but only if they pay taxes. If they don’t pay taxes, then they are not living as normal US citizens and thus, shouldn’t be treated as the average citizen. When an immigrant does everything a normal American citizen does, then they are entitled to everything an American citizen is entitled to. Moreover, this nation was in fact founded on notions of liberty and equality.
How do your opinions on these matter relate to the Riis and Spencer?
These opinions relate to Riis’s and Spencer’s opinions, as we all discuss immigrants. Spencer spoke of immigrant inferiority through social Darwinism, and Riis spoke of immigrant hardships.
I am discussing what immigrants were and are entitled to in the US.
C) Respond to the post of at least one classmate.
Teresa stated the question, “based on your own individual ethnicity, how do you think you would have been treated during the Gilded age?”
Well, based on my ethnicity, Mexican, I would’ve been treated horribly during the Gilded Age. I would’ve been deemed inferior through Social Darwinism and Craniometry. Moreover, many Americans would’ve simply hated me, as I would’ve been seen as an immigrant, even if I was born in the US. Finally, many Americans simply feared immigrants and their effects on the nation, and nativism was gaining popularity. Because of all this, I would’ve been heavily ridiculed during the Gilded Age.
The Gilded Age in American History is a time of great wealth, development and success. However, as the rich were getting richer, the poor was getting poorer. Old immigrants were families who were squished into tenements. Although tenements saved room as they were built up, (4-6 stories) they lacked ingredients that were essential to everyday life. Social Darwinism and capitalism at the time were the cause of the lower classes suffering. Social Darwinism is a theory that claims competition is essential to everyday life ("survival of the fittest"). And capitalism is where means of production are private and where investments, distribution, income, and the production and pricing of goods determined through the operation of a market economy. With these two ideas being the main priority in the United States during the Gilded Age the country grew with the help of the richest, but social balance was not even and the lowest class, which is the largest, is taken advantage of. The lower class-men attempted to fight for their rights with labor unions, for example, but failed with many, many similar attempts. On the other side, the rich passed many acts like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 to further shun the lower classes little power.
Teresa: As part of a middle class family I would of had a not-so-well experience in the United States. Furthermore, me and my parents are immigrants, therefore, we would be treated with zero respect. On top of that, we are Polish and at the time our beautiful country didn't exist because the bloody Russians, Prussians, and Austrians decided to get greedy for no good reason and borrow our country for 123 years. Although, I'm positive we would be treated like the rest of the immigrants at the time during the United States, I would personally enjoy living in the United States then under bloody oppression rule. As Michele said, we'd be known as "slouthful and lazy fools."
Anam Baig
The old immigrants during the Gilded Age lived under extreme duress. These immigrants were exposed to terrible sanitation, working and living conditions. The inadequate housing systems made old immigrants susceptible to harmful diseases, and filthy working conditions further increased this threat. As evident in Jacob A. Riis’ “How the Other Half Lives” the conditions were so terrible that houses that would originally hold two families now held ten. The old immigrants were also subject to “scientific” scrutiny. Although many of these immigrants had white skin color, they were not considered white. One of the most famous theories of racism was called Social Darwinism, which upheld the term “survival of the fittest.” Social Darwinism would justify actions of a person depending on his or her race. Those of the unfit race would struggle to survive, and those of a superior race (white) would always come on top. The old immigrants were considered non-whites, and therefore it was okay for them to live under harsh conditions because it was in their genetic make up to struggle.
Jacob A. Riis pushed for social reform while Herbert Spencer supported his theory of “survival of the fittest.” Riis saw immigrants suffering first-hand. He was a journalist who took photographs of immigrants suffering, and had been around them long enough to advocate social reform. On the other hand, Herbert Spencer supported laissez faire and Social Darwinism because he felt the white race was superior to all others. Social reform was desperately needed during the Gilded Age. It was unfair that so many immigrants lived in terrible, disgusting conditions while the higher classes thrived on their cheap labor. The government should have intervened to balance the gap between the rich and the poor. At the turn of the 20th Century it seemed that the government turned a blind eye on all immigrants but supported those who exploited the immigrants’ cheap labor. It is imperative for the government to aid those who lacked the benefits of the upper classes. Undocumented citizens should be encouraged by the government to become US citizens in order to receive benefits that are inexpensive.
In response to Teresa’s question: There is no doubt in my mind that I would be considered one of the lower classes. Being of Indian decent, I’m not even considered remotely white. At this time in history, I was probably being racially prosecuted in my own country, which was under British rule. If the United States was cruel to East Asian immigrants at the time, South Asian immigrants would probably receive the same, if not worse, treatment.
Rachel Geissler
During the Gilded Age, the lives of basically all of the "old immigrants" were greatly effected by health, sanitation, and scientific theories. Health and sanitation definitely tied in together. On the trip over to America, many immigrants often contracted sicknesses. Once they were here, poor sanitation conditions in the tenement houses simply made it worse. People were squished together in insanely small rooms which they paid to share with twenty or thirty other people. These houses were usually terribly built. Thus, it was easy for one to get sick from the cold in the winter. Also, bugs and other sorts of vermin could easily get in and run wild throughout the house. If one person were to get sick, the illness could be spread rather rapidly. The boarders in the tenement houses were usually dirty as well, thus making them more susceptible to illness and disease. In the case of scientific theories, many scientists picked apart ethnicities and broke different groups down into smaller and more specific groups. Through those groups, people were placed in ranking of inferiority or superiority. Many races that are commonly considered to be white in modern society were considered "non-white" and looked down upon during the Gilded Age.
At the turn of the 20th century, the government should have been responsible for the health and safety of the immigrants who lived here legally. As new citizens, they still deserved to be guaranteed rights which are entitled to all United States citizens. Illegal immigrants, however, do not deserve the same rights. The same goes for modern society. Immigrants deserve to be treated rightfully if they are documented and here in the United States legally. It's rather ridiculous to reward the undocumented immigrants for breaking laws by providing them with social services, similar to what Heather and Justin both stated.
Dominique D. Johnson
AP U.S. history
The scientific theory affected lives of “old immigrants” during the Gilded Age through poor conditions that they were exposed to while on their long voyage to America, tenements, and work environment. Often there were up-to five families living in the cramped apartment that was affordable among them. Since a large group of immigrants were arriving during that era do to the propaganda of America being the place where dreams become a reality, diseases developed which were often highly contagious and often time deadly. During this period of time the government abandoned them and these immigrants had no one. Dealing with discrimination and competition was enough to deal with but having no support or protection by the government was very oppressing.
How The Other Half Lives by Jacob A. Riis is one of the most inspiring novels of the 1880s that targets the slums of the Lower Eastside of Manhattan through photography. Riis uses photography to point out what the rest of the world ignored. In his writing he suggests that the wealthy class should invest in constructing the slums for the better rather than asking for government intervention. The conditions of the poor is the same as it was in the 1880s, but instead of the main races presented in the novel, there are more immigrants coming from all over the world. The homeless are still ignored today regardless of the many charities and the project hospitality homes offered. Homelessness is one of the main issues in the world especially in America. The government has yet to fix the problem. Riis’s motivation for using photojournalism to expose the lives of the forgotten Lower Eastside Manhattan residents was an invasion of privacy but was beneficial for the residents. The world was viewing these citizens’ lives through pictures. This perhaps started many organization groups to attempt to make a difference. Riis was racially insensitive towards the immigrants that he spoke of in his novel.
The government was responsible for the health and safety crisis of immigrant communities at the turn of the 20th century because most of the factories owned by rich business men were building our country economically and dominating. The government’s greed to be ahead of the market overpowered their democratic duty to the people. America propagandized itself to lure immigrants into the country in order to build its money hunger. Undocumented immigrants should receive social services in modern U.S. society because most of these immigrants flee from countries in search and reliance on America’s tag name.
Response to Teresa:
Since, my parents are immigrants from two different countries, I know that most definently that I would've been discriminated against. Also being a woman also would have me discriminated aginst. I would have competed for jobs with low wages and living with many different families in one small apartment.However, at one point every nationality was discriminated against back than and today.
Dominique D. Johnson
AP U.S. history
The scientific theory affected lives of “old immigrants” during the Gilded Age through poor conditions that they were exposed to while on their long voyage to America, tenements, and work environment. Often there were up-to five families living in the cramped apartment that was affordable among them. Since a large group of immigrants were arriving during that era do to the propaganda of America being the place where dreams become a reality, diseases developed which were often highly contagious and often time deadly. During this period of time the government abandoned them and these immigrants had no one. Dealing with discrimination and competition was enough to deal with but having no support or protection by the government was very oppressing.
How The Other Half Lives by Jacob A. Riis is one of the most inspiring novels of the 1880s that targets the slums of the Lower Eastside of Manhattan through photography. Riis uses photography to point out what the rest of the world ignored. In his writing he suggests that the wealthy class should invest in constructing the slums for the better rather than asking for government intervention. The conditions of the poor is the same as it was in the 1880s, but instead of the main races presented in the novel, there are more immigrants coming from all over the world. The homeless are still ignored today regardless of the many charities and the project hospitality homes offered. Homelessness is one of the main issues in the world especially in America. The government has yet to fix the problem. Riis’s motivation for using photojournalism to expose the lives of the forgotten Lower Eastside Manhattan residents was an invasion of privacy but was beneficial for the residents. The world was viewing these citizens’ lives through pictures. This perhaps started many organization groups to attempt to make a difference. Riis was racially insensitive towards the immigrants that he spoke of in his novel.
The government was responsible for the health and safety crisis of immigrant communities at the turn of the 20th century because most of the factories owned by rich business men were building our country economically and dominating. The government’s greed to be ahead of the market overpowered their democratic duty to the people. America propagandized itself to lure immigrants into the country in order to build its money hunger. Undocumented immigrants should receive social services in modern U.S. society because most of these immigrants flee from countries in search and reliance on America’s tag name.
Response to Teresa:
Since, my parents are immigrants from two different countries, I know that most definently that I would've been discriminated against. Also being a woman also would have me discriminated aginst. I would have competed for jobs with low wages and living with many different families in one small apartment.However, at one point every nationality was discriminated against back than and today.
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