CAMPS Photography Analysis Use the CAMPS worksheet to analyze the two photographs below, focus on similarities and differences. 1. “Interior view of the Jacob Birder home, Park River, North Dakota.” 1899. Online Image. North Dakota in the 1890s Photos. 9 August, 2010. <> 2. Riis, “Five Cents Lodging, Bayard Street.” 1889. Online Image. Jacob Riis: pioneer of flash photography for social change. 9 August, 2010. <> Lewis Hine, “Sweeper and Doffer in Cotton Mill”, 1908 Lewis Hine, “Child Labor Miner Boys”, 1908 http://gcevoices.com/dm/2011/02/15/45/
CAMPS TEACHER KEY Title: 1. Interior view of the Jacob Birder Home Type of doc: Photograph 2. Five Cents Lodging Type of doc: Photograph C Context --When and where was this taking place? --What was on before, during, & after event or era being studied? --What else was happening? --How might have surrounding events shaped this document? The photo was taken in North Dakota in 1899. It is the interior of a farm house, it looks like the dining room. At this time westward settlement was taking place. Immigrants were moving to the cities and sometimes traveling further west; people left eastern cities or rural areas for opportunities in the west. The photo reveals that people were bringing “civilized” comforts with them as they traveled. This picture was taken circa 1889 in a tenement in New York City. Massive economic growth and industrialization were taking place in the eastern cities at the end of the 19th century which drew immigrants from across the Atlantic and Pacific as well as migrants from the country. Most urban dwellers were working in order to survive and often lived in extremely cramped conditions. From the of the photo, we can figure out that these are lodgers who are here short-time. It is unclear whether the five cents is for a week or a month. A Author --Who was the author? --What were the author’s background, social class qualifications, sex & race? --When did the author write this? The photographer is unknown. We can infer that it is someone in the family or someone who knows the family. Photography was a luxury back then so they are doing something special. More than likely a person of means. It is unclear whether it was a woman or a man who took the picture. The picture was taken in 1899 Jacob Riis was a photographer who was focused on telling the story of the urban poor. He wanted those with means to help improve living and recreation conditions in the cities among poor workers. His work is significant since he is chronicling a major period of change.
Audience --Who have been expected to see or read this source? This may have been meant as a way to preserve what their home was like, it could also have been meant for publication in a magazine, or less likely, for an investigative story. This was to tug at the heart strings of the middle and upper classes so they would actively help the poor. It is meant to be viewed by someone who would not know about these conditions. It is like a visual Jungle, attempting to change people’s minds and get them to act. M Message --What does this document tell us? --What is the document’s main idea or thesis? It displays the life of those in the Midwest as proper and decent where things are clean and everything is in its place. The main idea might be that this was a civilized family. It shows that many workers were struggling to survive. Riis is an activist who is not satisfied with the present and he wants conditions to improve. P Perspective --What perspective or point of view does the document present? --What artificial/staged elements give you clues about the author’s point of view? What is staged about this is that it looks too perfect. It is obviously not an everyday scene because it does not look lived in, it is staged for posterity The perspective is that the social and economic changes that are happening are creating a new level of misery for the working class. His whole series of photographs are meant to influence the viewers. They are not necessarily artificial but he is being very particular about the kinds of things he depicts.
HOUSING CAUSE EFFECT Because, As Jacob Riis pointed out, multiple families would share urban dwellings, called tenements, homes became crowded and unsanitary. Because living in cities became so unhealthy, by 1879 New York City had passed laws that set minimum standards for plumbing and sanitation. Because garbage was picked up infrequently, people would dump their trash into air shafts where it attracted vermin. Because the stench was so bad, residents nailed their windows shut. Water Because homes in large cities seldom had indoor plumbing, residents had to collect water in pails from faucets in the street. Because people were contracting disease such as cholera and typhoid fever from unsafe water, cities introduced water filtration in the 1870’s and chlorination in 1908. Sanitation Because was no dependable trash collection, people often dumped their trash into the streets. Framed Paragraph Focus Question: How did industrialization affect living and working conditions for urban workers in America at the turn of the century? Thesis: Industrialization led to a decline of living and working conditions for American workers in American cities. Evidence: By examining Jacob Riis’ photograph from “How the Other Half Lives”, one can witness the poor urban living conditions.