immigration.

This shows people in that area to be poor, the streets are dirty, and it doesn’t seem to be and organized city, the economy is obviously bad, and it seems to be a dangerous area that not many people would want to live in.there are people wandering the streets, not using the sidewalk, showing no sense of order in the area.

"The Walls Began to Give"

"the walls began to give"

I chose this photograph because it gave an image of destruction and helplessness. It shows a building that has been destroyed and the title of the picture suggests that it crumbled down by itself. It’s a very upsetting mood because it seems as though no matter how hard the community tried to build up a functional living environment, it just crumbles back down. Its upsetting to see that level of helplessness within a community because its clear that they were struggling to improve their living conditions.

Dens of Death #1

This picture reveals that social and economically the immigrants were at the bottom rung of the ladder. It shows the extreme poverty and very poor living standards that the immigrants were surrounded by. The roofs are uneven, broken, windows are cracked, wood is cracked, the area is just one big clutter.

Solutions could be better building material such as steel. Also more care and maintenance of these immigrant areas. Complete renovation is probably the best solution but I'm not sure if the government and people of the city would be for that because it involves the immigrants, thus creating tension.

Bohemian Cigarmakers at Work in Their Tenement

This photo reveals the excessive poverty that struck the immigrants that came to the United States. The immigrants are living a very simple life in mediocre at best shacks. There doesn't seem to be much socializing apart from families and other immigrants of the same nationality. However, Urbanization did create one positive for these immigrants, it make it easier for immigrants of the same nationality to live in close proximity to preserve and practice traditions of their native countries as well as assimilate and learn new traditions of the United States.

If the United Staes were to fix some issues such as the standard of living for immigrants that would in turn help the government with some of the issues they are presented with. A fix to some of the obstacles the immigrants face would be to stop immigration at the source to temporarily prevent immigration while they mainline the economy to fix the current living standards of the immigrants already in the United States.

Dens of Death

This photograph reveals the living conditions and the residences in the late 19th century. It is obvious in the picture that residences were crammed and buildings were built almost on top of each other. This created the problem of overcrowding and filth.

In order to remedy these problems the government would have to reconstruct the buildings in order to make living more efficient. People were crammed into two or three story buildings where they ought to be living in buildings that built upwards in order to reduce spacial congestion.

In a sweat shop

I chose this photo because it shows how dedicated and hard work it took in order to survive. In this photo is shows a bunch of men in a workshop and a child working. It looks like the men are on a work shift and putting the child to work. They seem to be making boots and using leather as the material. The mood and tone of this picture is very calm and tiring. All of the men look very dirty, tired, and ready to go home. the child looks drained as he continues to work on the piece of clothing. It reveals that it was not easy for anyone to make it living a good life. Everyone had to contribute in order to live. Even the children had to work for their family. It also shows how much hard work, time, and willingness they had to put in. There was no easy way out. Everything in the picture looks poor including the people and place. Being from what the picture shows times were hard for them and they put in the hours to achieve what they want.

I chose this photograph because it shows the real living conditions of whoever lived in this room.  There is a single surface, which I cannot tell if it is a couch or a bed, but doesn't look especially comfortable either way.  It also shows a single stool, with a bucket on it, next to the only door leading in or out of the room (as far as I can tell) which is perpendicular to the poor excuse of a wall.  The mood or tone of this picture is one of poverty and sorrow.  This photo doesn't reveal much about the time of day or time period, but the location is clearly in a lower class area in a cheap room which can only be used to sleep in.  This photo reveals that the economic situation of the 19th century was not good, since people had to live in places such as the one in this photo.  A technological or political solution to this problem might be to increase minimum wage, so that the people who were on minimum wage could afford ot live in places better than this.

Dens of Death

What does the photo reveal about the economic and social problems created by urbanization in the late 19^thCentury? What, if any, technological innovations and political solutions were necessary to address these problems?

The photo reveals just how squalid the homes of some immigrants were. The windows are either broken or non-existant and roofs were caving in. The buildings themselves were thin and broken. Politically, the area needed funding for supplies and workmen. On the technological plane, the buildings needed supports, the be cleaned, insulation, windows, and (considering no smoke is seen) stoves.

1. Why did you choose this photograph? (composition: color, subject, light; and/or subject matter: the memory of the person or time)

I chose the photo named "The Mulberry Bend Became a Park". I liked this picture because its like a picture that can be taken today. Its a picture of people enjoying a day at the park and its similar to activities that we all do in our time.

2. What kinds of information does the photograph contain? What story does it tell?

The information the photograph contains is that the park is new. It looks as if its in the middle of a city. The making of a new park in the city was created as public space that was suppose to look nothing like the city. A park was like a get away and was suppose to have an urban feel for the people to escape the city. It was also nice to experience nature and be outdoors in a city.

3. What is the mood or tone of the picture?

The mood of the picture is happy and it seems like a nice day. People seem to be having a good time and enjoying outdoor activities.

4. What does it reveal about the setting—location, time period, time of day?

The location is in the middle of a city, around the time of 1890's and its seems like mid-day. There are a lot of people just hanging out and relaxing.

5. On our class blog, post your photograph and answer the following questions:
   
   What does the photo reveal about the economic and social problems created by urbanization in the late 19^th Century? What, if any, technological innovations and political solutions were necessary to address these problems?

The picture reveals that there were no economic or social problems created by urbanization. Obviously, the economy was fine to create this park and there is no social problems because the people don't seem to have a problem with the park.

Men's Lodging Room in the West 47th Street Station

1. What does the photo reveal about the economic and social problems created by urbanization in the late 19^th Century? What, if any, technological innovations and political solutions were necessary to address these problems?

This photo reveals an awful side of immigrant life that often goes undiscussed. The first thing I notice in the photo is that in that little, crumbling, room, there are 6 sleeping men. This strikes me because I feel like it would be small for 2 people, so having 6 people in there is crazy. This introduces a strange economic dynamic, the immigrants sleeping in there do not have enough money to pay for a home for themselves so, with 5 other people, for very little money they are able to afford to live in the tenement. The other thing i notice is that none of them are sleeping in beds, which makes me think that urbanization created this economic trouble, which caused people to be poor, and therefore, have to room with many people. The technological innovations necessary to deal with this problem would not come until much later, when technology became a hugely important part of society, the jobs they had at the time would eventually become higher paying and more rewarding.

Immigration Queries--respond to both!

Why does immigration continue to be such a source of conflict in the US? What similarities can you identify between tensions today and those that existed in the late 19th century?

Comment on this--in class 9/23/10

What do you predict will be the key issues and unresolved issues for the 1850s?

Manifest Destiny

Please define "Manifest Destiny" without using any outside resources... Add this as a "comment" to this post.

comment on this! 9/10/10

What are you looking most forward to about this year in History, and/or what are you most worried about?

Welcome to Modern US History, Block 2

Hi Block 2,

Welcome to the class...I am looking forward to some of the new content we're doing this year; helping you successfully navigate the Junior Thesis process; guiding you through some compelling historical periods in our country; and, having some fun along the way.

Again, welcome and I am looking forward to a a great year for each of you.
Mrs. Branigan