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38. From the Countryside to the City

The glamour and the underside of the industrial city: immigration, machine corruption, the Social Gospel, and the art and writing the period produced.

38. From the Countryside to the City

Photograph by Arthur HewittIrish immigrants at Ellis Island circa 1900. The Age of Industry brought tremendous change to America. Perhaps the single greatest i…

38a. The Glamour of American Cities

Photograph by Howard DavisBridges such as the Brooklyn Bridge permitted middle-class Americans to work farther from home. They spread like wildfire. For a new…

38b. The Underside of Urban Life

photo by Jacob Riis [courtesy of Yale University]Sewing and Starving in an Elizabeth Street Attic Lights, trolleys, skyscrapers, romance, action. These were am…

38c. The Rush of Immigrants

The Statue of Liberty — a gift from France upon the United States' 100th anniversary — welcomed immigrants from around the world to New York City. Immigration…

38d. Corruption Runs Wild

Harper's Weekly MagazineThomas Nast was a cartoonist for Harper's Weekly Magazine. His cartoons condemning the corrupt regime of Boss Tweed helped end the era…

38e. Religious Revival: The "Social Gospel"

Jane Addams, founder of Hull House in Chicago The Protestant churches of America feared the worst. Although the population of America was growing by leaps and…

38f. Artistic and Literary Trends

Butler Institute of American ArtWinslow Homer drew several versions of "Snap the Whip," capturing school children at play in 1872 rural America. Like the Ameri…