USA, 1865–1975 – Populism, progressivism and imperialism, 1890–1920:…

The idea

The period from 1890 to 1920 witnessed transformative social developments in the USA, primarily driven by mass immigration and rapid urbanisation. Millions of 'new immigrants' arrived from Southern and Eastern Europe, settling in overcrowded urban centres like New York and Chicago. The consequences included the rapid expansion of the industrial workforce, the rise of political machines like Tammany Hall, and increased nativist hostility. Concurrently, the position of African-Americans remained severely marginalised. Despite the abolition of slavery, Southern states enforced rigid segregation through Jim Crow laws and disenfranchised black voters. This systemic oppression, combined with the demand for industrial labour in the North, triggered the beginning of the Great Migration, fundamentally altering the demographic and social landscape of American cities.

What earns the marks

• Detail the demographic shift caused by 'new immigration' from Southern and Eastern Europe and its impact on urban population density.
• Analyse the consequences of urbanisation, including poor living conditions in tenements, the growth of political machines, and the expansion of the industrial workforce.
• Evaluate the nativist backlash against mass immigration, leading to restrictive legislation and heightened social tensions.
• Assess the position of African-Americans in the South, focusing on disenfranchisement, Jim Crow segregation laws, and the prevalence of lynching.
• Explain the causes and early consequences of the Great Migration of African-Americans to Northern cities during the First World War.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Conflating 'old' and 'new' immigration.

  Put it right: Distinguish between earlier Northern and Western European immigrants and the post-1890 influx from Southern and Eastern Europe.

• Assuming African-Americans experienced equality in the North.

  Put it right: Note that while escaping Southern Jim Crow laws, they still faced de facto segregation, discrimination, and race riots in Northern cities.

• Treating urbanisation and immigration as separate phenomena.

  Put it right: Explicitly link the two, showing how immigrant labour fuelled urban industrial growth and shaped city demographics.

Exam tips

• Use specific examples of legislation or Supreme Court rulings, such as Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), to illustrate the legal entrenchment of segregation.
• Contrast the differing philosophies of African-American leaders, such as Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois, when discussing responses to their social position.
• Connect social developments to political movements, demonstrating how urban poverty and immigrant exploitation fuelled Progressive reform efforts.