Explore the following websites devoted to virtual tours of NYC turn of the century tenements. Give a comparison/ contrast assessment of life in the tenements as opposed to life on the prairies in the western US.
http://www.tenement.org/Virtual_Tour/index_virtual.html
http://www.thirteen.org/tenement/
http://www.thirteen.org/tenement/ (about pioneer life)
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Throughout the nineteenth century, America experienced a change of cultures, bringing new challenges and diversity to the country. In the east, immigrants flooded into the nation, creating a surplus of new cultures and languages. Similarly, in the west, farmers began to migrate to the prairies to embark on a new adventure.
Although the immigrants and the pioneers were different in their culture, location, and background many of the same challenges were faced by both groups as they entered a new phase in their lives. When the immigrants first arrived at Ellis Island, they had virtually nothing with them; food, shelter, clothing, and work were all needed. The necessities that the immigrants managed to find were better than they were used to, but abysmal to the standards in America. Some immigrants managed to find jobs in factories, but many could not speak English, limiting the jobs that could be found. The pioneers of the western frontier also began a journey to discover better opportunity. When the pioneers entered the vast, uninhabited west, they virtually had to start fresh. Just as the immigrants, the pioneers had not been able to bring much with them to their new homes. Shelter had to be found, as well as food and work. The jobs that the pioneers created involved much of the same work that they had done in the south. Working on farms provided a living for many pioneers. Both groups of people had to adapt to their new environments in order to survive. Some old habits and practices would have to be changed, and new ideas learned.
Even though the two groups were similar in several ways, they also had their own unique challenges to face. The immigrants had moved to a completely different country, their culture and language were sometimes completely different from what was known in America. The immigrants had to endure ridicule for several generations before they would be accepted as Americans. The housing situation for the immigrants was quite different from the pioneers. Immigrants from the same country joined together and formed homogeneous ethnic communities. Most first generation immigrants did not have the opportunity to attend school, and many children were forced to work for a living. The immigrants got involved in the politics of the east, when they agreed to support “their” political bosses for office. In the late 1800’s New York passed several housing laws that allowed for better living conditions for the immigrants, but this did not make up for what they had been put through. The pioneers did not face as many challenges, but they had to deal with the Native Americans, and also the lack of variety western job opportunity.
It seems as though the immigrants and the pioneers both set off to create better lives for themselves, but for the most part, more challenges were faced than opportunities presented. For the most part, security and acceptance were not met until the third or fourth generation of these groups. For me, it seems impossible to imagine that the government allowed the immigrants and pioneers to endure such conditions, or maybe they just didn’t care.
The immigrants and the pioneers were similar. They were both searching for a better life with not much with them. They had to find the same necessities: food, shelter, money, etc. In both cases there was someone to help them: homestead in the west and the political bosses in the cities. The pioneers went to a place that had the same language and lived where no one was in mud houses. The immigrants went to a entirely different place in groups from the same country/background and lived in small crowded apartments.
America during the 19th Century faced a large increase in our population as immigrants rushed to the US in the hopes of a better life. In the east immigrants were entering our borders similar to the west where citizens became pioneers in hopes of a better life. The immigrants and the pioneers were different in their culture, location, and background however many of them faced the same challenges as the entered a new beginning in their lives. When the immigrants first arrived they usually had nothing with them except their clothes on their back. However what the immigrants managed for a meager living was better than what they had. The eastern immigrants usually had jobs in factories and because of low pay usually needed to send their children to work as well. The pioneers who ventured west has very little and mostly worked as farmers. Many were offered opportunities from the Homestead Act so families with almost nothing finally had land. Although their living environments were poor they looked to the future and also had their children help them as well. The labor on the farm however was far more safe and practical then the cruel jobs offered to immigrant’s children in the east. One large difference would occur that we observed in the websites. In the east if immigrants were not offered places on corrupt government grounds then the immigrants banded together to create tenement buildings. These at first were poor conditions for living by laws would provide immigrants with better living. Out west it was not as populated or lawful so families could be fending for themselves and also facing Indian problems. However again there was another large difference in all this because the immigrants did ban together for it was a necessity. Most immigrants did not speak English nor know much of an American life. They hoped to rid themselves of their culture and give their children a hopeful future. Pioneers spoke English and understood American culture so life was far easier to understand and live even if they were on their own. In the end both the pioneers and the immigrants hoped to improve their lives. Each faced many similar challenges and it was unknown whether or not they would succeed in where they went. Most hoped for the future that the children of their children would live a better life as more of the US industrialized and laws were formed to protect the lower citizens. The largest connection between these groups was this hope. Though immigrants and natives of the land they were all people and equal. They both faced the challenges of life. Not all could live the dream the Carnegie achieved but they wished to try and slowly increase this possibility.
I think that life in the tenements was similar to that in the prairies in the west because the two groups of people shared related circumstances. They both were moving into an area that was different and unknown to them and both the pioneers and the immigrants needed to find a home, work, and supplies. I think that life in the tenements differed from that in the western prairies because of the conditions which each group faced. Altough moving and living out west was very difficult I would think that being an immigrant coming to the US would be more difficult. Immigrants didn't know the language whereas the pioneers did, so right away that made life for immigrants harder. Also, many immigrants came to the US and had to start completely over, even with new names and such and live in horrible/cramped conditions. A lot of them had pretty much nothing. At least the pioneers could bring some of their stuff with them and keep their names. So, although there were similarities between life as an immigrant and life on the prairies during this time period, I think that the immigrants' situation was more difficult.
From the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s, life in the tenements and on the western prairies was similar in some aspects, but also greatly differed. Similarly, as immigrants moved west to America and started settling in large cities such as New York, others were moving west to the open plains--both in search of a new life and greater opportunity. In some ways, they were both self-sufficient, depending on the job. For instance, in the west the inhabitants produced goods for themselves and for market off of the land and in the lives of the tenements they had tailors...both lives also had children working whether in the factories or on the farm. Mainly, both of them had to work at adapting to the surroundings. Both lives had entered new locations and struggled to find balance.
In contrast to the western frontier, the population in the eastern cities was compacted into small apartments, or tenements within the cities. These tenements became increasingly crowded as immigrants poured through. As one census showed, 495, 592 people called these buildings home, and made up more than half of the population of New York City. A majority of Americans lived in tenements than cabins, farm houses or large estates. In some tenements, anywhere from 8-18 people lived inside the cramped three-room apartments, so split jobs/chores into shifts…and there was a central plumbing area for the spigot and toilet. Due to the uncleanliness of the tight living conditions many suffered from diseases such as turberculosis. Unfortunately at the 97 Orchard St. tenement, 40% of the babies documented there died. Although the tenements were decent shelters for families in that time, they proved to be fairly unhealthy.
The western plains on the other hand were obviously much more open. Although the people had to work to fit into the environment, they most likely had a sense of freedoms from being more spread out. They had different obstacles to face than in the tenements. Also, some were trying to become wealthier, and the immigrants in the tenements mainly wanted to have stability.
The immigrants and poineers were similar yet had many differences. first of all the immigrants in the tennant buildings moved to the cities to find economic opportunity as well as education for their children. they lived in ethnic neighborhoods and in many cases a lot of people lived in 3 room appartments. in the west, the poineers moved there mainly for the opportunity, but also to get away from the more industrialized and politically unstable parts of the US. they moved in families just like the immigrants. both groups were adventurous and taking risks in moving to both location and trying to make a living.
I agree with Jenny T,from the block.....The immigrants and poineers were similar but there were still many differences.
Immigrants in Tenents:
-- moved to the cities to find opportunity
-- for education for their children
-- "in the ghetto" fool. straight up.
Pioneers:
-- poineers moved there for the opportunity like the immigrants, but for different reasons
--Escape industrialized cities
Both:
-- moved in "packs"
-- looking for opportunity to make a better life
I think life between immigrants and the pioneers were similiar and different in many ways. Immrigrants came to the US for opportunity, and the push-pull. When they came many of them lost their names or wanted to change them. They were put into a society with people like them, with the same culture, language and background. This differed from the pioneers because, unlike the pioneers they had nothing, while the pioneers could pick up their stuff and bring it with them. Both the immigrants and pioneers lifestyles were alike. They were both in situations where they most likely didn't know anyone except for their families. They were living in small cramped, dirty places. And every single person in the family had to do hard labor work to survive and make a living. This is unlike the Cult of domesticity, where the wife would take care of everything just to make the husband happy. Another difference between the immigrants and the pioneers was their social clase. They were at the bottom of the pyramid, just barely above blacks. They recieved the worst jobs and had limited places to work. The pioneers work consisted of farming and building. They had to keep up with the labor in order to survive. Both of these types of people encountered smiliar things when it came to their standard of living. but had different decisions to make.
There are many similarities and differences between the housing during the nineteenth century. There were also many different groups of people that were similar such as the immigrants and the pioneers. Both groups are trying to find a new route to their journey either through moving to the States or moving out west. The difference between them is that people treat immigrants much differently then the pioneers. Pioneers are accepted wherever, but the immigrants have a very hard time moving in.
Looking at the situation of the immigrants vs the pioneers, I'm really not sure who had it better off.
They both had to worry about the climate where they took up residence. While they both had to worry about the chill of winter, the pioneers also had to worry about the sweltering heat of summer. The immigrant's shabby home did little more than keep the elements out and the pioneer's sod house melted after a good rain.
The problems of money and food were often closely linked, as one usually results in the other. The immigrants had jobs in exchange for votes thanks to the political machine and the pioneers had a life of constant labor, ie- their land. They both had jobs, but neither yeilded much moolah. But it would all work out, the immigrant would work long hours to bring in the bacon and so would the farmer (pun intended).
For some reason, the third website wasn't working for me, but i think that ther are still enought similarities and differences for me to note. First of all both groups wanted to make a better life for themselves. America is the land of opporunity, and that is what both groups wanted. They just tried for thiers in two different ways. In the east, there was much more industrial factories than in the west. The west was much more agricultural so pioneers were either looking to build farms or even possibly gold still. There were many opportunities and not a lot of people out west so many moved because of a better chance of a good job. But both still had to find money, food and shelter. Many pioneers built their houses, many immigrants lived in large appartment buildings with horrible conditions. So both wanted better lives, but just in different ways.
I think the people involved in these two time periods were more a like. They both were looking for something better, different, and outgoing. They both were true examples of the American dream, and they both had to go through a lot of negatives, to get to where they wanted to be. I think the differences is just how they got there, and I think that is only different because of their location, and time period.
The people who lived in tenements and those who lived in the west have many similarities as well as differences. They were both typically people of the lower class who were trying to make life in America. The people living in the tenements were typically immigrants. It would not be fair to say which style of living is more difficult because they are so different. In the tenements disease runs ramped because of overcrowding. The smell must have been unbearable and the temperatures must have been extreme. For the pioneers the problem was not the people around them (because there weren't any) but environment. Living on the prairie would be difficult because of the lack of stability the mud huts gave you. You would almost have to survive by farming, which caused severe dust storm. Both settlements were kind of disorganized. The west was completely wild and the pioneers had to make what they could of it. And the Upper east side was originally farm grown and there was no street plan and so people just made streets, and if they connected then so be it. There was not a level of organization in either of them. Both the pioneers and tenants lived with a large number of people in their house. The immigrants of the tenements had to be crunched because of the large demand of housing in the new York city area. Tenements such as the one on 97 Orchard St. were extremely cramped, they ended up serving over 7000 immigrants. And in effect, it make its owner rich, and the tenants even more pour. There was reform to try and fix the conditions of the tenements, however there want much you could reform in the west. It was wild and you were the only one that could tame it, no one could help you.
I found these threee documents very useful in understanding what life was like for the people of the cities and for the people of the frontier. They also demonstrate the changes in culture. Many of the same problems were encountered by the pioneers and the city-dwellers. One of these problems was that of living space. The city apartments were often cramped because of lack of space for larger apartments while on the frontier they didnt have the resources or time to build large houses. Both groups also had a drive to find a better life which didnt always happen but they kept trying to improve their situation. Throughout history shelter has been one of the keys to survival and these tenements were all that was available at the time.
Life in the tenements was certainly condensed as opposed to the open range of the praries. Although people in more urban areas had access to food and commercial life whereas on the praries there was nothing, or there was but you had to hunt it yourself to get it and feed your family. The tenements weren't bad necessarily I mean they don;t compare witht he standard of living in this country today but for a lower class industiral work horse it wasn't entirely third world.
First, I would like to acknowledge the fact that Jenn Chalmers wrote and essay.
Anyway, the tenement residents and the prarie dwellers are not so different. Both require the same things to live. Both lived in generally less than sanitary conditions, and both saw financial hardships. The main difference is that some lived in crowded tenements, and others lived in houses made of mud and grass. Both had to struggle to survive.
Though the enviornments were very different, life on the prarie and an inner city worker's life were very similar. Both had to work themselves to the bone and often they shared the same low standard of living. These two lives may seem to be entirely different, however they were near mirror images.
Throughout time, people came to America and moved around it in search for economic opportunity. Both pioneers and the immigrants living in the cities were both seeking their fortunes and trying to live "the American dream". However, life for these two were very different. Out in the west, the living quarters were usually not perfect, but at least they were spacious, with lots of land. The tenements in the cities were cramped, dirty, and usually unsanitary. Both of the conditions were not ideal.
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