Textbook: Chapter 6
1. During immigration, women had gone to the United States in order to receive better opportunities and more equality than those of European and Asian countries. Most women had come from countries such as German, Italy and eastern Europe. Many of these women appreciated the idea that they were able to choose their own husbands in the United States and were not forced to marry. They were searching for their independence and The United States was the place where they would receive this independence. Men mainly emigrated to the United States in order to work temporarily and then return home. Some of these immigrant women had to go through harsh times when they were forced into prostitution. Others worked in the factories or as servants where they would receive low wages. Many immigrant men had received these low wages as well. Other similarities between the immigrant men and women were that they both came to the United States for economic or political reasons. The United States was the land of opportunity and the opportunity to become rich was believed to be very easy for these immigrants. The United States had enough jobs for many people in order to help its economy and both men and women saw the opportunity to become wealthy and pursued it.
2. Many of the women during the time of immigration were similar in their fight for what they believed in. Even though they all fought for their beliefs, all these women were involved in different kinds of protests and had their own distinct reasons for their movements. For example, the populists movement was based primarily on the alliance of farmers. These women were usually non-elite southern white women or black women who were in debt. The populist helped with the rise of women’s suffrage. The idea of the settlement house movement was different from that of the populist because it involved helping immigrants with the new values and culture of the United States. They had helped immigrant women that were away from their families as well. The populist and settlement house movement were similar in changing social reform for women. The Industrial protest had involved workers of industries in which they fought for higher wages and better working conditions for all the workers throughout the nation. All these women had their different reasons for their movements but they were all similar in trying to fight for their priorities in order to better themselves and future generations.
Source Interpretation
Textbook document
3. There were many different experiences for people who were involved in the work with immigrants because many different views were expressed in both spectrums. The charity worker usually sees herself as a person of good character who is more important than the poor. Those who are poor have a hard time understanding why the charity giver is there to advice them to work rather than just giving them what they actually want. They also have different views with saving. The rich believe that it is important to save while the poor do not see it as any priority in their lives. The poor usually talk about how the rich are landlords and collect money which is why they do not like them, although they do respect them. These different experiences allowed for Addams to write about the complex ideas and perspectives that these two groups had of one another even when dealing in close relations with one another.
4. As a settlement house volunteer, Addams' views of the poor were different than those of others because she had different opinions of why the poor became poor. Many believe that one of the main reasons for poverty was laziness. In contrast to that theory, Addams who was very well educated, believed that the reason for the poverty was do to the social structure of society. It was do to her knowledge and education that she was able to better understand the differences that occurred between the charity giver and the charity recipient after comparing the relationship to the words of the Hebrew prophet. If it was not for her education from college, she would not have had a different and maybe less accepting perspective of the settlement house volunteer.
2 comments:
Tyler R #1
Hey Elias! Great job on your blog. Again, you helped me understand what the text was saying. Thanks! I really agree with you on what Addam's views on the women in Hull House and the vollunteers. I think you can see a lot of the social structure reflected in todays society as well. We see a lot of vollunteers donating their time, money, energy etc on the less fortunate and they in return spend their helpings on things to up them on the social ladder. Like Addams studies, the poor spent their money on clothes that were "knock-offs" instead of putting the money into saviings for college or bills. People do that in todays society as well. It's a thought that many homeless people beg for money and then spend that money on drugs and alcohol. History is continuous throughout centries to come.
Response #2, Erica
Hi Tyler, I noticed you mentioned that even today people volunteer with getting something for themselves in mind, at least that is my interpretation, hope I am right . Anyway, that is a very good point and I completely agree with you and it reminds me of how certain jobs and schools require you to have some volunteer experience. I guess on the one hand whoever you are helping is still getting much needed assistance but on the other hand if you are going into something half heartedly or not with genuine sincerity you may not learn the value of your work. I think when you volunteer for the good of others, not only do they sense the difference in attitude but they appreciate you all the more and you even feel the value in yourself and it is a great feeling to help someone without expecting anything back. Hopefully, those that “have” to volunteer or even those that have some other type of incentive waiting at the end of the deed will learn a lesson when working with those less fortunate than themselves.
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