Immigration and Progressivism by Eric Hopkins

To read more about Progressivism, visit the link below:

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The boom of the Second Industrial Revolution brought the demand for cheap labor to the busiest cities of the United States.

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Massive immigrant populations crowded these urban areas in order to fill the jobs and chase the American Dream.

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To read more about Muckrakers, visit the link below

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To read more about immigration during the Second Industrial Revolution, visit the link below:

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Works Cited:

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1. Hirschman, C., & Mogford, E. (2009, December 1). Immigration and the American Industrial Revolution from 1880-1920. Retrieved September 15, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2760060/

Between 1880 and 1920, the immigrant population doubled from 7 to 14 million (Hirschman).

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Recently Arrived Persons at Ellis Island, NY (1907)

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photo courtesy: Library of Congress and Underwood & Underwood http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3a40444/

Unfortunately, the factories were hard places to work; offering employees poor wages and long hours spent toiling endlessly in oftentimes dangerous conditions. The supply of potential workers was seemingly endless though, so dissent was near impossible as the average worker was easily replaced by an eager body. It would seem that something is better than nothing when no clear alternatives are present.

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Factory Workers of the Late 1800s

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photo courtesy: University of Northern Iowa

http://www.uni.edu/schneidj/webquests/adayinthelife/factorysystem.html

Interior of Magnolia Cotton Mills Spinning Room

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photo courtesy: timetoast.com

http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/122163

The inescapable poverty and stressful work conditions only made a difficult, urban home-life worse. The slums of the immigrant tenement districts faced a multitude of problems, including:

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Disease

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Severe crime rates

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Cramped, multi-family housing

To read 'How the Other Half Lives' by Jacob Riis, in its entirety, visit the link below:

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Progressives sought to change the systemic issues that allowed for such disparaging conditions to run rampant in the new industrial country.

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Political Corruption

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Substance Abuse

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Hunger

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Racial Tensions

They also fought for other social changes, including healthcare, education and women's suffrage.

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Political Cartoon featuring Commerce Secretary Cortelyou and President Roosevelt

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photo courtesy: Salty Political Musings

http://saltypoliticalmusings.com/2012/10/23/inequality-and-the-world-economy-true-progressivism/

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The issues were best communicated to the mainstream public via reporting. Certain journalists stared the corrupt system in the face, and brought the dark truth to the voters. Their social commentary was expressed through a wide variety of mediums, including print journalism, cartoons, photo journalism, and even novels.

Needless to say, those profiting from injustice, and those resistant to change, were upset with the reporters, who became known as 'muckrakers,' for sifting through the filth of society to bring out the truth.

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Muckrakers

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courtesy of Youtube

One of the most well known muckrakers was a man named Jacob Riis, who published a photographic journal of the immigrant slums. His photos inspired many to push for better conditions for the industrial working class.

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Jersey Street Tenement

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photo courtesy: Jacob Riis and authentichistory.com

http://www.authentichistory.com/1898-1913/2-progressivism/2-riis/chap4.html

Bunks in Seven Cent Housing

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photo courtesy: Jacob Riis and authentichistory.com

http://www.authentichistory.com/1898-1913/2-progressivism/2-riis/chap8.html

The muckrakers brought issues to light, and many changes came in the following years thanks, in part, to their contributions.

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A flat in the Pauper District with all its Furnishings

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photo courtesy: Jacob Riis and authentichistory.com

http://www.authentichistory.com/1898-1913/2-progressivism/2-riis/chap21.html

There were many issues progressives in the United States sought to address during the Second Industrial Revolution, but how did these social problems come to light? Using the example of labor problems in urban society, let's explore the muckraker movement.

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