Ch. 16 – Uncovering Problems at the Turn of the Century/EQ: What social, political, and environmental problems did
Americans face at the turn of the century?
16.1 – Introduction
 It is one of many arresting photographs that made Riis one of the most respected journalists in New York
City in the late 1800s.
 Homeless boys were a common sight in New York at the time.
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Riis was one of a group of journalists known as muckrakers. President Theodore Roosevelt gave them that
name because they "raked the mud of society."
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They uncovered the nation's problems and wrote about them.
16.2 – The State of the Union in 1900
 In addition, the rise of industry had stimulated rapid urbanization—the growth of cities—by creating jobs that
drew rural residents and new immigrants to American cities.
 It was becoming an urban, industrial society with an increasingly diverse population from around the world.
Settlement in the West: The Closing of the Frontier
 This expansion was so successful that in 1890 a report from the Census Bureau announced that the "American
frontier" was closed.
Factories Increase Production
 Industrialization also brought changes to American life.
 Advances in technology, transportation, and communications helped fuel rapid industrial growth after the
Civil War.
 The textile industry was one of the first to mechanize.
 The iron and steel industry also thrived in the late 1800s.
 As factory production increased, businesses looked for new ways to sell their products.
 One method was the mail-order catalog.
 Other companies, like Macy's and Marshall Field's, opened department stores in major cities.
Cities Attract Masses of Newcomers
 The United States was becoming an increasingly urban nation.
 City residents included many newcomers.
 Jobs were the most important attraction in cities, but other features also drew migrants.
 Cities had many amusements for people to enjoy when not working.
The Census Reveals an Increasingly Diverse People
 By the turn of the century, immigration from different parts of the world was changing the face of American
culture and society.
16.3 – Poor Living and Working Conditions
 Through their writings, muckrakers like Jacob Riis sought to expose these and other problems of urban life.
Conditions in the Slums
 Many of the urban poor lived in slum tenements.
 Some slum neighborhoods were among the most densely populated areas in the world.
 One reason for poor living conditions in cities like New York was that the urban infrastructure was
inadequate for such a large population.
o Infrastructure refers to the facilities and equipment required for an organization or community to
function. It includes roads, sewage and power systems, and transportation. A number of muckrakers
blamed city governments for failing to provide adequate infrastructure and services.
 Lack of fire protection was one serious problem.
 Cities also suffered from sanitation problems.
Problems in the Workplace
 Muckrakers also exposed terrible working conditions.
 Factory work was also dangerous.
 Many employers squeezed their workers by reducing the rate they paid per piece.
 Workers then had to work harder and faster to earn the same amount.
Unsafe Products: Buyer Beware
 Consumers often did not know what was in the products because the government did not regulate product
quality.
o Meat was one example. In his 1906 novel The Jungle, muckraker Upton Sinclair wrote about
unsanitary conditions in meatpacking plants: "There would be meat stored in great piles in rooms; and
the water from leaky roofs would drip over it, and thousands of rats would race about on it." Sinclair
reported that rat droppings, and even the rats themselves, often become part of processed meat.
Canned goods were not regulated either. Toxic chemical preservatives like borax and formaldehyde
contaminated many processed foods.
 Meanwhile, the growth of big businesses went largely unregulated, as monopolies took over many
industries.
16.4 – Problems with the Environment
 By 1900, Americans had settled much of the country and exploited many of its natural resources.
 Doing so enabled tremendous economic growth, but it also came at a cost to the environment.
Changing the Landscape
 By 1900, only a fraction of the country's virgin, or original, forests were still standing.
 But the cattle and sheep brought in by ranchers grazed the same area over and over, without moving on.
 As a result, they stripped the land of its natural vegetation and left it more vulnerable to erosion.
Extracting Natural Resources
 The landscape was also transformed by extractive industries, businesses that take mineral resources from
the earth.
 most people saw no problem with exploiting the environment and took no notice of the harm being done to
the natural landscape.
Polluting Water and Air
 Economic activities were also polluting the air and water in urban areas.
 In some cities, factories belched so much black smoke that it was difficult for people to breathe.
 Animal waste was often left where it landed, producing a foul stench and a serious disposal problem.
 In some cities, household sewage and industrial pollutants were simply released into nearby water sources
without regard for the consequences.
16.5 – The Politics of Fraud and Bribery
 Another problem at the turn of the century was political corruption.
 Corruption served the interests of dishonest politicians and those who bribed them, while weakening the
political influence of average Americans.
 In short, it distorted and undermined democracy.
Political Machines and Bosses
 By 1900, many cities were controlled by political machines.
o These organizations consisted of full-time politicians whose main goal was to get and keep political
power and the money and influence that went with it.
 Political machines exercised control at all levels of city government, down to the wards and precincts that
subdivided most cities.
 At a time when the national and state governments did not provide such benefits as welfare for unemployed
workers, local political machines filled the void.
Corruption in Local and State Politics
 Although political machines provided aid, they also stifled opportunity for many citizens.
 The political machine also controlled business opportunities.
 The political machines profited from urban entertainment, both legal and illegal.
 To keep control, political machines rigged local elections.
 At the state level, corrupt politicians tied to powerful industries, such as railroads and mining, controlled
many state governments.
Corruption on the National Level
 The national government also suffered from corruption.
 In both the House and the Senate, politicians received campaign contributions from big business in exchange
for passing favorable legislation.
 Politicians frequently engaged in patronage—giving jobs to friends and supporters.
o The Pendleton Act set guidelines for hiring civil service employees—nonmilitary government workers.
It set up a civil service commission to administer exams to new applicants for government jobs.
16.6 – Social Tensions
 American cities in 1900 brought together many types of people in crowded and often difficult circumstances.
 As a result, social tensions increased.
Growing Differences Between Social Classes
 During the late 1800s, the gap between rich and poor grew wider.
 By 1900, American cities were organized in ways that reflected class, race, and ethnic differences.
Life for African Americans
 In the 35 years since the end of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, African Americans had made few
gains in their struggle for equality.
 Segregation affected nearly every aspect of public life in the South at the beginning of the 20th century.
 In addition, by 1900 most African Americans in the South had been disenfranchised.
 Violence against blacks was also common.
 In response to racism, many African Americans fled from the South in the late 1800s.
The Changing Role of Women
 Life for American women was changing, too.
 One trend was the growing number of women working outside the home.
 New appliances made available through mass production changed the lives of many middle-class and upperclass women.
 Some women had the chance to attend college, too.
 Women known as suffragists actively pursued voting rights.
Challenges for the American Family
 By 1900, roughly one out of every five children between the ages of 10 and 15 was a wage worker.
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Although public education expanded in the late 1800s, working for wages kept many children out of school.
Many people saw alcohol as another obstacle to improving family life and society as a whole.
Since the early 1800s, there had been calls for temperance, or moderation in drinking habits.
o By the late 1800s, the temperance movement had grown significantly.
In addition, many parents worried that city life was corrupting the morals of their children.
Summary
Americans faced social, political, and environmental problems at the turn of the century. Many of these problems
were the result of rapid changes brought on by industrialization, urbanization, and immigration.
Industrialization The rapid growth of industry resulted in poor working conditions for many workers. Monopolies took
over industries, squeezing out competition. Some companies also made unsafe products. Muckraking journalists like
Upton Sinclair, author of The Jungle, worked to expose these problems.
Urbanization Cities grew rapidly with the rise of industry and increased immigration. The infrastructure in many cities
could not meet the demands of a growing population. Many immigrants were crammed into poor ethnic
neighborhoods, such as New York's Lower East Side, where they had few services.
Environmental damage Industry and urbanization produced air and water pollution. Ranching, logging, and extractive
industries also damaged the natural environment.
Political corruption Political machines, like New York's Tammany Hall, fueled corruption in city government. Big
businesses influenced state and national governments. Congress passed the Pendleton Act to clean up the federal
government by creating a professional civil service.
Tensions in society A growing gap between rich and poor fueled social tensions. African Americans suffered racism and
mob violence, while women also faced discrimination. The temperance movement tried to limit or even ban alcohol
consumption. Social changes strained American families, and many people feared the loss of traditional family bonds.