History 1700

Prompt 2

In the latter half of the 19th century the United States experienced a huge wave of immigration mainly from Europe. Many of these immigrants came to America seeking jobs created by the industrial revolution. The sheer number of people arriving created a variety of problems. As you read the following documents be aware that Josiah Strong is an American and Jacob Riis is an immigrant from Denmark which results in the differing viewpoints. 

“ The Dangers of Cities 1886; Josiah Strong (Links to an external site.) ” 

“How The Other Half  Lives 1890 (excerpt); Jacob Riis (Links to an external site.) ” 

1. What problems did Josiah Strong associate with immigrants? Are these problems still relevant today?

2. How do the authors differ in their assessment of immigrant life in America?