HIST 203 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Reed Johnson, Gilded Age, Bsc Young Boys
24 Apr 2016
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Prohibition, the kkk, & immigration restriction, 1900 1924. Progressive era was period of intense reform, when americans tried to right the wrongs of gilded age. However, as the histories of civic biology & eugenics show, ideas of progress were tied to ideas of race. Progressive era americans spoke of progress, they often meant progress for whites. As attitudes of trump & many present-day americans shows, many people still fear immigrants & want immigrant restrictions. Which is all to say, xenophobia is nothing new in. Mostly english, scots-irish, french, dutch, & german. Dominated by irish, but also germans & a few english. Largest wave , consisting of close to 14. 5 million people. Didn"t have money to buy land & lacked industrial skills (led to few economic opportunities) Took unskilled jobs in steel manufacturing, mining, or industrial production. 1907, 11,694 out of 14,359 common laborers employed in pittsburg"s steel mills were eastern european. Typically worked 12 hour days & 6 day weeks.
