Political Stalemate & Rural Revolt
Urban Life
● Tremendous Growth
○ 300% growth in cities
○ Cleanliness suffers
○ Overcrowded
○ Disease ridden
○ Still an appeal to the cities even with all these factors
○ Jobs available
○ More things to do
○ Immigrants that do not want to assimilate
○ Nativism - fears of immigrants, taking jobs, crime, don’t assimilate, spread
disease
○ Urban Boss - Neighborhood leader, promising votes in exchange for things
(mainly money), you want votes in an election, go to a boss for votes
■ Boss Tweed - lead irish democratic party, Tammany Hall
■ If you were in america, you could vote
○ Vices - things you can get in a city that you can’t get in a small town
■ Saloons in cities, not just a place to get drunk, offered food, housing, jobs,
banks, polling place
■ Going to a saloon means not going to other places for these things
causing problems with other businesses
■ Brothel, tolerated to an extent, try to contain brothels in one area (Red
Light Districts)
■ Most popular Red Light District is “Storyville” in New Orleans
■ All cities at this time had a red light district
Appeals of Urban Life
● Down time
● Sporting Events, Baseball become popular
● If you’re working in a factory for a long time, you’re going to want to be outside, go to a
baseball game
● Early movies
● Amusement parks, Coney Island was the first amusement park
● Beaches
● Release from working life
Darwinism
● “Origin of the Species”
● Religious Conflict
● Social Darwinism
○ Some people are more adept than others
○ Racism, certain races are more adept than others
Urban Life
● Tremendous Growth
○ 300% growth in cities
○ Cleanliness suffers
○ Overcrowded
○ Disease ridden
○ Still an appeal to the cities even with all these factors
○ Jobs available
○ More things to do
○ Immigrants that do not want to assimilate
○ Nativism - fears of immigrants, taking jobs, crime, don’t assimilate, spread
disease
○ Urban Boss - Neighborhood leader, promising votes in exchange for things
(mainly money), you want votes in an election, go to a boss for votes
■ Boss Tweed - lead irish democratic party, Tammany Hall
■ If you were in america, you could vote
○ Vices - things you can get in a city that you can’t get in a small town
■ Saloons in cities, not just a place to get drunk, offered food, housing, jobs,
banks, polling place
■ Going to a saloon means not going to other places for these things
causing problems with other businesses
■ Brothel, tolerated to an extent, try to contain brothels in one area (Red
Light Districts)
■ Most popular Red Light District is “Storyville” in New Orleans
■ All cities at this time had a red light district
Appeals of Urban Life
● Down time
● Sporting Events, Baseball become popular
● If you’re working in a factory for a long time, you’re going to want to be outside, go to a
baseball game
● Early movies
● Amusement parks, Coney Island was the first amusement park
● Beaches
● Release from working life
Darwinism
● “Origin of the Species”
● Religious Conflict
● Social Darwinism
○ Some people are more adept than others
○ Racism, certain races are more adept than others
