Immigration and migration in the Gilded Age | Period 6: 1865-1898 | AP US History | Khan Academy

Khan Academy2 minutes read

The population of major US cities, like New York and Chicago, grew significantly from 1860 to 1900 due to factors like industrialization, immigration, and migration, shaping urban development during the Gilded Age. This period saw a shift towards factory jobs, with a diverse industrial workforce comprising immigrants, migrants, and African Americans drawn to cities for job opportunities and community support.

Insights

  • The late 19th-century urban population boom in the US was primarily fueled by industrialization, immigration, and migration, with cities like New York and Chicago experiencing exponential growth due to factors like job opportunities and community support.
  • The Gilded Age saw a transformation in American labor dynamics, shifting from self-directed farm work to factory jobs, with unskilled laborers becoming predominant. This period also witnessed the formation of diverse industrial workforces comprising immigrants, migrants, and African Americans, who found economic opportunities and cultural solidarity in urban centers.

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Recent questions

  • Why did city populations grow post-Civil War?

    Industrialization, immigration, and migration drove city growth.

  • What marked the shift in American labor during the Gilded Age?

    Transition from self-directed farm work to factory jobs.

  • What factors led people to move to cities during the Gilded Age?

    Push factors like poverty and persecution, combined with pull factors such as job availability and community support.

  • How did the population of Chicago change from 1860 to 1900?

    Chicago's population grew from 100,000 to 1.7 million.

  • Which cities had over a million residents by 1900?

    New York, Chicago, and one other city had over a million residents.

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Summary

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Urbanization and Industrialization in 19th Century America

  • In 1860, New York City was the largest US city with less than a million people, but by 1900, three cities had over a million residents, with New York having nearly 3.5 million.
  • Chicago's population grew drastically from 100,000 in 1860 to 1.7 million in 1900, reflecting a significant urbanization trend in the late 19th century.
  • Factors driving city population growth post-Civil War were industrialization, immigration, and migration, with unique aspects during the Gilded Age contributing to urban development.
  • The Gilded Age marked a shift in American labor towards factory jobs, with unskilled laborers dominating the workforce, transitioning from self-directed farm work.
  • Immigrants and migrants from southern and eastern Europe, Mexico, and Asia, along with African Americans, formed a large industrial workforce in cities during this era.
  • Push factors like poverty and persecution, combined with pull factors such as job availability and community support, led people to move to cities, where industries thrived and ethnic enclaves provided assistance and cultural familiarity.
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