1865 To 1900 Analysis

1. “An analysis of the popular culture of the United States from 1865 to 1900 reveals deep class, gender, and ethnic or racial divisions.” Assess the validity of this statement.

I believe that this statement is very accurate given the social conditions of American society around the turn of the 20th century. Following the end of the Civil War and Reconstruction, Americans struggled to regain a sense of normality and divisions between different groups of people highlighted the flaws within society. Racial and ethnic divisions were perhaps the most prominent form of social divisions during this time period as large numbers of ex-slaves struggled to integrate into society and millions of immigrants flowed into the country. Recently freed African
With so many immigrants flooding urban areas, in additions to the migration of southern farmers, many American cities quickly became overcrowded. The overpopulation in cities led to numerous problems, like poor sanitation and lack of adequate housing, but it also led to social tensions between different ethnic groups. Many white laborers feared that immigrants were stealing their jobs because they were willing to accept a lower wage. Additionally, the overpopulation in cities, combined with the lack of well-paying jobs, led poverty to run rampant through urban areas, especially among immigrant populations. Slums and ghettos were not uncommon and many people struggled to make ends meet. Such living conditions and problems caused social reformers to take action and seek change. Some, like Jane Addams, created settlement houses for immigrant populations to form their own communities and to help them adjust to American life. Many immigrants also brought their customs and cultures with them to America and often times, some of that would bleed into mainstream
Popular culture is defined as the ideas, interests, attitudes, etc. that are prominent among the majority of people, not just a specific group. With new developments in media and communications, such as the telephone and mass media, it was much easier for people to spread ideas across larger areas. As more people in an area began to have access to the same ideas, a popular culture began to emerge. Modernization, which was especially prominent in cities, also contributed to popular culture by allowing for the mass production of and wide-spread access to the same forms of products and entertainment. As the majority of people gained access to the same type of ideas and activities, a popular culture began to take hold surrounding those ideas and activities. Popular culture was especially prominent in cities due to the large, urban populations, which allowed a larger group of people to have easier access to such culture as opposed to rural