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Immigration Reform During the Industrial Revolution

Many immigrants came to the United States looking for a new opportunity to live out the American Dream and make a living and new lives for themselves in a New World that had a booming economy. America shifted from an agricultural society to an industrial one, where cities were booming and factories created more opportunities for jobs and life in the city. Immigrants came to America thinking that it would be a new start for them, a chance for a new life in a free country ("The Making of a Nation"). 

Immigration

The Effects of the Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution opened up the doors for many jobs for this immigrants, however it also opened up the doors for bad treatment of these people, insufficient pay, and prejudice against many of the races who came to America. Many business owners took advantage of these immigrants by forcing them through atrocious working conditions and low wages ("Social Welfare History'). They were taken advantage of by these big business owners and American tycoons, and within a few number of years, immigrants held most of the unskilled laboring jobs in America ("The Making of a Nation"). The immigrants were often stepped all over and taken advantage of, but many social workers fought to help them receive humane treatment, better wages, and conditions for both working and living (Brinkley, 521). 

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The Hull House

Jane Addams and the Hull House

Much distress from the immigrants came from the overcrowded immigrant neighborhoods. One solution to this problem came through the Settlement House Movement, led by Jane Addams. The Hull House was the first of these Settlement homes, located in Chicago and opened in 1889. The homes were staffed by educated members of the middle class who sought to help immigrant families adapt to life in America. Those who worked at the homes taught them about the culture and even helped they speak English so they would have more opportunities (Brinkley, 521). The settlement homes lead to the profession of social work. Many universities began to train social workers in response to the work of Jane Addams and her assistance to the immigrants (522). The Settlement Houses also assisted in the proactive movements for women to have college educations. Many unmarried women helped to run the Hull House, starting their careers as social workers and helping many immigrants to improve their places in society (521).

Oddly enough, Florence Kelley lived in the Hull House before she became a social worker and the head of the National Consumers League. The League was an attempt to increase the power of Women consumerism and to force companies and factory managers to increase wages of their workers and improve the working conditions for the immigrants ("Florence Kelley"). The NCL fought for the conditions of the working class by urging everyone, especially women, to make sure that products that they had been purchasing and would continue to purchase had the NCL "white label" to ensure that the merchandise was made under fair and humane working conditions (Brinkley, 466). She urged women to make an effort to help these immigrants who were treated with unfairness and through this organization, women also gained more power and influence. 

Florence Kelley and the National Consumers League 

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Justification of Reform Positions

In addition to helping many helpless immigrants, the reform movements also helped women's rights and gave women more control in society. Women had more prominent roles through their assistance of the working, uneducated class, and this helped to prove that women could play a huge role in society if given the same opportunities as men. Women suffrage was beginning to be a big fight in the United States and women began to do all they could to prove themselves and fight for their rights. By fighting for both causes, women suffrage and the working and living conditions of the immigrants, more proactive policies were able to be put in place ("Florence Kelley'). Thus the joint fight for feminism and equality began. 

Legislative Assistance

Many labor laws were put in place, and they can be attributed to all the dedicated social workers who sought to fight for women's rights and the lawful treatment of the working class. (Brinkley, 267). Through the 19th Amendment, women gained the right to vote and many laws were set in place to dictate a minimum wage, improve working conditions, and implement laws against child labor ("Child Labor Laws"). Many of these laws helped to fix what Jane Addams and Florence Kelley helped the immigrants with. Immigrants received better treatment and a consistent pay that was determined by the government, not the stingy big businessmen ("Second Industrial Revolution"). The Contract Labor Law saved many immigrants, prohibiting any company to make an unlawful contract with any immigrants before they came to the United States. It allowed many immigrants to be settled and look for a fair job once they arrived in America. Following this law, the first minimum wage law took place in Massachusetts, and immigrants were finally receiving more fair treatment, although there was still a ways to go before they received complete fairness ("Minimum-Wage Law").

Success or Failure?

Although both reforms were successful in the 19th century and early 20th century, the NCL outlasted the Settlement homes, ultimately making Florence Kelley's reform the most successful og the two. 
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