Immigration

SWBAT

• Explain why and how immigrants came to the US in the Gilded Age

• Describe the immigrant experience and contributions

Immigration

• Many immigrants came to this country because of job availability and few restrictions (no laws) on immigration

Colonial Immigration

“Old” Immigration (1779-1865)

“New” Immigration (1865-1924)

Origin England, Germany, Sweden, Africa, Netherlands

N & W Europe (Ireland, Ger., Scandinavia, Mexicans)

S & E Europe (Italy, Poland, Russia), Japan & China

Reason for Immigration

Political & religious freedom; Economic opportunities & slavery

Famine in Ireland; Revolution in Germany; Economic opportunities

Economic opportunities; Escape persecution in Russia

Difficulties Faced

Conflicts with Native Americans; challenging new way of life

Religious discrimination (Irish & Catholics) by Protestants; Mexican discrimination from whites

Discrimination in jobs & housing; fear & hostility from native-born Americans

Areas of Settlement

13 Colonies Irish- cities in Northeast; Germans- midwest; Mexicans; southwest

Industrial cities & port cities; Asian immigrants- West Coast (California)

How they Influenced America

English lang; sys of govt, religion, & cultural tradition; Africans- labor & culture

Irish- built railroads, canals; factory work Germans- advanced farming methods, & kindergarten Mexicans- manual labor & farming techniques

Italians & Russian Jews- garment industry Poles & Slaves- coal mines & steel mills Chinese- Transcont. RR & laundries Japanese- manual labor & farming

Push-Pull Factors

Reasons for Emigration

“Push Factors”

• Population pressure, overcrowded

• Recruitment

• Economic conditions

American Attractions

“Pull Factors”

• Labor Shortage

• Liberty & Freedom

• Ghettos (ethnic neighborhoods)

Immigration • Where did they go?

How did they get here?

• Passage to the U.S. often cost a life’s savings. Because of this, entire families often saved enough money to send one or two family members to America, hoping eventually these members could afford to bring over the rest of the family.

On the Boat • The crowded steerage deck

contained a diverse group of people. Many were poor farmers whose fathers’ or grandfathers’ land had been divided so often that the plots were no longer large enough to support even single families.

The Promise of a Better Life • Others were

schoolmasters unable to find work or artisans looking for greater opportunities. Many were young men & women willing to risk traveling to an unknown land in hopes of finding a brighter future.

Travel Dangers • As for conditions below decks, an agent for

the U.S. Immigration Commission described them as follows: “During the twelve days in the steerage I lived in…surroundings that offended every sense. Only a fresh breeze from the sea overcame the sickening odors. Everything was dirty, sticky, & disagreeable to the touch.” In such conditions, disease & even death were not uncommon.

Living Conditions • Conditions were uncomfortable, crowed, &

dirty.

• The majority of immigrants settled in the big cities where factory jobs were available. By 1900, 4 of 5 people in New York City were immigrants or children of immigrants.

• In one part of New York City, 1,231 people lived in only 120 rooms.

• In Chicago in one year, over 60% of newborns never reached their first birthdays. Many babies asphyxiated in their own homes.

Living Conditions

• Many immigrants had no home & slept in “5-Cents-A-Spot” rooms where people paid for a small space to spend the night.

• Tenements then…

• Tenements now… • Do you think they

still exists in the US? Explain.

Immigration

• Island of Hope, Island of Tears • Directions: After watching the documentary about

Ellis Island, and reading the article “Who’s Coming to America”, write a 1 PAGE reaction. For the first part of your reaction, focus on the documentary. For the second paragraph, focus on comparing immigrants from the documentary during the late 1800s, and early 1900s, to those who are coming

to the United States today.

Nativism & Cultural Pluralism

SWBAT

• Explain reactions to immigrants

Do Now:

Where were most immigrants during the wave of “New” Immigration, coming from?

Nativism • Nativism- belief that native born citizens

are more superior to immigrants

Explain how the cartoon, “Looking Backward” represents nativism.

“The High Tide of Immigration- A National Menace”

Explain the message in this cartoon.

“The Last Yankee”

• Cartoon by an English immigrant, depicting the point-of-view of the nativists, who feared the original American-stock of Anglo-Saxons was being degraded by S. & E. Europeans, & Chinese

• Does this cartoonist support or oppose Nativism? Explain.

• What about this one…

Immigrate & Emigrate

• Immigrate- when a person has arrived in a new nation

- Ex. Claude immigrated to America

• Emigrate- when a person leaves their home country to settle in another nation

- Ex. Charles emigrated from Britain

Reactions to Immigration

1. Know-Nothing Party (Political): anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, tried to keep immigrants from voting & obtaining citizenship

2. Chinese Exclusion Act 1882: Congress passed law to severely limit Chinese immigration; referred to Chinese as “Yellow Peril”

Reactions to Immigration

3. Gentleman’s Agreement 1907: President Roosevelt asked Japan to stop its emigration to the U.S.; in return US promised not to discriminate against Japanese already in the US

Reactions to Immigration

4. Literacy Tests:

In 1917, Congress passed a law barring any immigrant who could not read or write

Reactions to Immigration

5. Emergency Quota Act of 1921:

Limited the number of immigrants to the US each year to 350,000

Reactions to Immigration

6. National Origins Quota Act of 1924: - Set quotas (limits) on the amount of immigrants who could come into the US

- Discriminated against Southern & Eastern Europeans

- Later, limits # to 150,000 immigrants/year

Reactions to Immigration

• Stereotyping of the Irish Immigrant

Reactions to Immigration

• How has immigration changed from 1880-present?

Immigrants & American Society

• How were they “absorbed” into American society?

1. Assimilation: a) immigrants disappear into an

already established culture b) gave up older language and

customs & became “Americanized” to be accepted

Immigrants & American Society

2. Melting Pot Theory: a) people from various cultures met

in US formed “New American” culture

b) contributions of individual groups NOT easily distinguished

c) “New” culture is more important than its parts

Immigrants & American Society

3. Cultural Pluralism (Salad Bowl Theory): *most correct

a) recognizes that groups do not lose their distinctive characteristics

b) groups live side-by-side, contributing in different ways to society

What’s the difference between these two theories?

Wrap Up • Which laws restricted the # of immigrants

to the US each year?

• Why do you think people wanted to restrict immigration?

• How did the views of settlement house workers (Hull House) differ from those of nativists?

• Would you consider the US a “land of opportunity” during the “New” wave of immigration? Explain.

Ellis Island