Chapter 15 quiz 1 and 2

Here are the definitions for the terms and answers to the questions from Chapter 15, Sections 1 & 2 to help you study. You can copy and paste these into Quizlet.

Chapter 15, Section 1: Immigration (pp. 464-468)

Terms & Definitions

1. Steerage – The cheapest accommodations on a steamship, located in the lower levels, with poor conditions. Many immigrants traveled this way to America.

2. Ellis Island – The immigration processing station in New York Harbor where European immigrants were inspected before being allowed into the U.S.

3. Jacob Riis – A journalist and photographer who exposed the poor living conditions of immigrants in New York City through his book How the Other Half Lives.

4. Angel Island – The immigration processing center in San Francisco, mainly for Chinese and other Asian immigrants, with harsher conditions than Ellis Island.

5. Nativism – A belief favoring native-born Americans over immigrants, leading to discrimination and restrictive immigration policies.

6. Chinese Exclusion Act – A U.S. law passed in 1882 that barred Chinese immigration for ten years and prevented Chinese immigrants from becoming citizens.

7. American Protective Association – An anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant organization founded in 1887 that sought to restrict immigration and influence political policy.

8. Workingman’s Party of California – A political organization that opposed Chinese immigration, arguing that immigrants took jobs from American workers.

9. Muk uk – A derogatory term used for Chinese immigrants who left for the United States, meaning “wooden men.”

10. Edward Steiner – An author and sociologist who wrote about the immigrant experience and worked to promote fair treatment of immigrants.

11. Taiping Rebellion – A massive civil war in China (1850-1864) that caused widespread destruction and economic hardship, leading many Chinese to immigrate to the U.S.

12. Henry Bowers – The founder of the American Protective Association, which sought to restrict immigration and limit the influence of Catholics in American society.

Questions & Answers

1. Why did many Europeans leave their homelands to immigrate to the United States in the late 1800s?

• Many left due to economic hardship, political instability, religious persecution, and job opportunities in America.

2. What was the process immigrants went through when they arrived in the United States?

• Immigrants underwent medical inspections, legal questioning, and had to prove they could support themselves. Ellis Island processed European immigrants, while Angel Island handled Asian immigrants.

3. How did immigration affect demographic patterns in the United States?

• Immigration led to rapid urbanization, the growth of ethnic neighborhoods, and changes in labor markets as cities expanded.

4. Why did many Chinese leave their homeland to immigrate to the United States in the late 1800s?

• Many left due to the Taiping Rebellion, poverty, and opportunities to work on railroads and in gold mines.

5. Why did some Americans blame immigrants for the nation’s problems?

• Many Americans believed immigrants took jobs, increased crime, and changed the culture, leading to nativist movements.

6. What was the Nativist response to the wave of immigrants?

• Nativists pushed for laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act and supported groups like the American Protective Association to limit immigration.

Chapter 15, Section 2: Urbanization (pp. 469-475)

Terms & Definitions

1. Frank Lloyd Wright – A famous American architect known for designing innovative buildings, including the Prairie School style.

2. Skyscrapers – Tall steel-frame buildings that became common in growing urban areas due to space constraints.

3. Louis Sullivan – An architect who designed some of the first skyscrapers and promoted the idea that “form follows function.”

4. Mass transit – Public transportation systems, such as streetcars and subways, that helped people travel within cities.

5. Tenements – Overcrowded, poorly built apartment buildings that housed many immigrants in urban areas.

6. Jacob Riis – A journalist who documented poor living conditions in tenements and wrote How the Other Half Lives.

7. Political machine – A political organization that controlled local government through patronage and corruption.

8. Party bosses – Leaders of political machines who controlled votes, contracts, and city governments.

9. George Plunkitt – A politician associated with Tammany Hall who defended “honest graft,” meaning personal gain from politics.

10. Graft vs. Honest Graft – Graft is corrupt political practices, while “honest graft” refers to using insider knowledge for personal gain.

11. Tammany Hall – A powerful Democratic political machine in New York City, led by Boss Tweed.

12. William M. “Boss” Tweed – The corrupt leader of Tammany Hall who controlled NYC politics and was eventually arrested for fraud.

13. Pendergast brothers, James & Thomas – Political bosses in Kansas City who controlled local government through their political machine.

Questions & Answers

1. How much did the urban population grow after the Civil War?

It increased dramatically, with millions of immigrants and rural Americans moving to cities for jobs.

2. Why did most immigrants settle in cities instead of moving to rural areas?

Cities had more job opportunities, ethnic communities, and better access to services.

3. Why did some rural Americans move to the cities in the late 1800s?

Many sought jobs in factories, as farming became less profitable due to industrialization.

4. What are skyscrapers and why were they built in cities?

Skyscrapers are tall buildings that maximize space in crowded urban areas and were made possible by steel-frame construction.

5. What new technologies helped people in the late 1800s get to and from work?

Streetcars, subways, and elevated railways improved urban transportation.

6. What were the three social classes that developed in cities during the late 1800s? Where did they live in cities? Which social class grew very large as a result of industrialization and what professions were many of its members?

The upper class lived in mansions, the middle class in suburban homes, and the working class in tenements. The middle class expanded due to industrialization, including professionals like teachers, doctors, and office workers.

7. What problems posed major threats to people who lived in cities during the late 1800s?

Overcrowding, sanitation issues, disease outbreaks, crime, and fire hazards.

8. What were political machines and political bosses? Why did political machines help city dwellers in the late 1800s?

Political machines controlled city politics, with bosses offering jobs, housing, and services in exchange for votes, helping immigrants but also engaging in corruption.

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