Riis take on Immigration.
Starting anew in America.
Jacob Riis "How the Other Half Lives."
Jacob Riis wrote the book "How the Other Half Lives" to show how the immigrants and poorer familes of America thrived thoughout this period. Most worked in sweatshops or stole what they needed. Culture Shock was a major reason why Ethnic Ghettos were created as well as culture pluralism. Immigrants lived in tenements, which were small rooms that house 2 to 3 familes, most containing 5 to 8 people. From their home country to being shipped like cattle to a "New World", the first they see is the Statue of Liberty then Ellis Island where they would be processed and sent into a new life.
Tiny Tenements for the Immigrants
Immigrants lived in one to two room tenements with multiple family residing in each.
Work with a small pay but heavy price.
Sweatshops were built everywhere through the ghettos. Most were not ventilated well and were crowded with hundreds of people in a small room filled with machines.
Poverty takes its vengeance on the youth.
Kids were left homeless, without food or water, no clothing. They had as much of a chance as the homeless adults. They were trapped in poverty or death.
How the Other Half Lives
"Famine and poverty hits America where it hurts."
The man that changed immigrants lives.
Jacob Riis was responsible for making laws to help the immigrants with their journey to America and life afterwards. He opened up the governments eyes to see what they had left for the poverty stricken people.
Crime increases with poverty.
Most wanted to provide for their families so they would do anything to bring home whatever they could. Gangs were created.