A political machine is a political organization in which an authoritative boss or small group commands the support of a corps of supporters and businesses who receive rewards for their efforts. Many times they would provide housing for the poor in exchange for their vote. Many people, including Thomas Nast, viewed them as corrupt. One of the most popular political machines was Tammany Hall. They played a big role in helping immigrants and they were mainly democratic.
Settlement houses were reform institutions that housed immigrants and solved poverty problems. One of the biggest and most popular settlement houses Hull house in Chicago. Everyone who lived in these houses lived together and shared with each other. Immigrants who came to live in settlement houses greatly benefitted, because they would constantly be around people of the American language and culture which. This made it much easier for them to adapt to their new environments.
Women's clubs would meet up and discuss what could be done to help them get more involved in politics, for instance gaining suffrage. Suffrage was a common theme of these groups because women believed they deserved to vote just as much as men. Not only did they work towards political involvement, they also worked toward economic equality. Many other things were promoted, including better schools, the regulation of child labor, women in unions, and liquor prohibition.
