Gilded AgeGilded Age

ImmigrationImmigration

BrainstormBrainstorm

• Why Come to America?Why Come to America?

• How do you get to How do you get to America?America?

• What do you do once here?What do you do once here?

Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

11stst Wave—The “Old Wave—The “Old Immigrants”Immigrants”

• Source of original Europeans who Source of original Europeans who came to America.came to America.

• Mostly from Northern and Western Mostly from Northern and Western Europe.Europe.– England, Ireland, Germany.England, Ireland, Germany.

• Numbers grew very large from 1840s Numbers grew very large from 1840s to 1880s.to 1880s.

22ndnd Wave—The “New Wave—The “New Immigrants”Immigrants”

• Came to the US from 1880s to the 1920s.Came to the US from 1880s to the 1920s.• How Many?How Many?

– 2100 per day by the 1880s.2100 per day by the 1880s.– As many as 20 million come in the 2As many as 20 million come in the 2ndnd Wave. Wave.

• Where From? Where From? – Southern and Eastern EuropeSouthern and Eastern Europe– Italians, Croats, Slovaks, Greeks, PolesItalians, Croats, Slovaks, Greeks, Poles– Also smaller numbers from Mexico, China, JapanAlso smaller numbers from Mexico, China, Japan

Why did they Leave?Why did they Leave?

• Old World population grew rapidlyOld World population grew rapidly• Flocked to cities for jobs in Industrial Flocked to cities for jobs in Industrial

Revolution ; many unemployedRevolution ; many unemployed• Letters from America painted a land of Letters from America painted a land of

fabulous opportunityfabulous opportunity• Freedom from military conscriptionFreedom from military conscription• Fleeing persecution (Jewish especially)Fleeing persecution (Jewish especially)• Ads from America – cheap land, labor Ads from America – cheap land, labor

available, need more people in new statesavailable, need more people in new states

Steam-powered ships Steam-powered ships accelerated immigrationaccelerated immigration

Ellis IslandEllis Island

• Open from 1892-1954.Open from 1892-1954.

• Approximately 12 million people Approximately 12 million people passed through its halls.passed through its halls.

• Received medical and legal Received medical and legal inspections:inspections:– Healthy? Capable of supporting Healthy? Capable of supporting

themselves? Prevent contagious themselves? Prevent contagious diseases from entering the nation.diseases from entering the nation.

NativismNativism

• Immigration to the US peaked around Immigration to the US peaked around World War I (1914).World War I (1914).

•NativismNativism is the hatred of foreigners. is the hatred of foreigners.– Increased with immigration, targets Increased with immigration, targets

changed with each wave of immigration.changed with each wave of immigration.

• Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) suspended Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) suspended Chinese immigration for 10 years.Chinese immigration for 10 years.

• Other laws followed in the 1920s which Other laws followed in the 1920s which reduced immigration across the board.reduced immigration across the board.