IMMIGRATION

• Push Factor: reasons that people may choose to LEAVE a certain area

• Pull Factor: reasons people GO to a certain area

Immigration

• Between 1870 & 1920, over 20 million people immigrated to the United States

• Some came for the promise of a better life• Others wanted to escape difficult conditions– Religious or political persecution– Famine, land shortages

• “Birds of passage”– Move temporarily, earn $ and return home

Old Immigrants

• Western & northern Europe• Similar to those already in U.S.– Protestant– Spoke English

• Came with:• some money• job skills

New Immigrants

• Eastern & Southern Europe, Asia• Very different from Americans– Catholic, Jew, Buddhists, etc.– Few job skills – Settled in ethnically distinct neighborhoods

• Stood out because they looked different & were subject to racism

• See map on pg. 263

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=eastern%20europe&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=FwtxbpWWpnRUhM&tbnid=Mc7NDZp9Gb5-AM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FEastern_Europe&ei=M1c4UoufJ4Tm9gS824FI&bvm=bv.52164340,d.eWU&psig=AFQjCNGsE30RlJt_3fDLSBaWV71pUe2SOw&ust=1379510443172511

Ellis Island & Angel Island

• European immigrants entered the U.S. @ Ellis Island in NY Harbor

• Asian immigrants entered @ Angel Island in San Francisco Bay

Response to Immigration

• Nativism: favoritism toward native born Americans

• Job competition• Anti-immigrant groups• Literacy tests• Restrictions such as the Chinese Exclusion Act

Political Problems

• Graft: the illegal use of influence for personal gain (bribes)

• Patronage: giving jobs to the people who helped a candidate get elected

• Election fraud• Corrupt political machines

Political Machines

• Offered services to voters & businesses in exchange for votes

• Organized party activities• Popular with immigrants

Tweed Ring Scandal

• William Tweed: Head of Tammany Hall, NYC Dem. machine

• Corrupt politician who cheated taxpayers out of $10 million

Tweed• Thomas Nast:

cartoonist who raised awareness of corrupt politicians like Tweed

• What happened to Tweed? – His sentence was

reduced to one year & he escaped

Need for Reform

• Reformers wanted to replace patronage with a merit system for civil service jobs

• Progress was made under presidents Hayes, Garfield, and Arthur

Pendleton Civil Service Act

• President Arthur• Gov. jobs would be based on performance on

an exam

Business Buys Influence

• The merit system negatively impacted campaign contributions

• Politicians turned to wealthy business owners who favored high tariffs

• Tariffs protect domestic products from foreign competition

Election of 1888Cleveland- Dem.• Served non-consecutive

terms• Won in 1884 & 1892• Low-tariff platform

Harrison- Rep.• Campaign was financed by

big businesses• McKinley Tariff Act- raised

tariffs