+

Immigration

+Immigration

In the late 19th century immigrants were coming to the U.S. in large numbers

Reasons for immigrating: (‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors) Escape oppression Poverty War Religious/ethnic persecution Freedom Economic opportunity Cultural ties

+Shifting Patterns of Immigration

Prior to 1880 Most immigrants came from Northern Europe (Great Britain,

Ireland, Germany)

The NEW IMMIGRANTS (1880-1920) Immigrants came from Southern in Eastern Europe in much

larger numbers (Poland, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Greece, Russia)

+The Immigrant Experience

Most immigrants entered the U.S. through Ellis Island (New York), or Angel Island (California) Traveled in steerage – an open room below

the water line often with awful conditions, disease spread rapidly, & all they owned with them in a single bag

Initial Hardships Mostly settled in inner city ethnic ghettos

Neighborhoods of same nationality, same language, same religion Immigrants felt more comfortable

around people with the same customs as themselves

Little or no money Discrimination from native-born Americans Isolated from mainstream American life

+The Process of Americanization

Americanized – learning to dress, speak, and act like other Americans

Assimilated – adopting the American way of life, culture

Melting pot – mixture of different cultures and ethnicities blended together and re-shaped in to the dominating culture

Americanization often led to conflict

+The Rise of Nativism As the immigrant

population continued to grow, so did the hostility towards them from the native-born Americans

Nativism – favoring the interest of native-born people over the interest of foreign-born people

Many nativists were concerned the most with the immigrants taking valuable jobs away from other Americans

+Early Restrictions on Immigration Chinese Exclusion Act – 1882

First federal law to restrict immigration to the U.S. Temporarily banned the immigration of Chinese workers Restrictions on Chinese immigrants who were already in the

U.S.

+Liberalism

Strongly anti-business, pro labor and pro-reform.

More open to change.

Conservatism would be the opposite. Pro-business, anti-labor and anti-reform.