Chapter 21, Lesson 1 New Immigrants

Immigrants More arriving from eastern and southern Europe, not northern and western Many non English speaking Catholics & Jews Lived in same neighborhoods, maintained customs (language, religion, festivals)

Push Factors Emigrated (exited) homeland because of economic hardship (poor) Few jobs or land for farming, crop failures New machines put craftworkers out of work Some ethnic groups (people who share common culture/heritage) were treated unfair

Pull Factors USA was a land of opportunity (jobs, land, hope) Travel was difficult, 12 days from Europe, several weeks from Asia Cheapest tickets were in cramped quarters of the lower decks (steerage)

Steerage

Entering the US Most landed at New York City After 1886 were greeted by Statue of Liberty Stopped for inspection at Castle Garden on Manhattan Island, Ellis Island in 1892 Names were sometimes shortened or changed Illnesses could prevent or delay entry

Life in the US Hard to find jobs Organizations in homeland would recruit (try to sign up) workers for jobs in US Worked unskilled jobs, steel mills, sweatshops Most wanted to assimilate (become part of the American culture)

Neighborhoods Most came from rural areas but too poor to buy farmland Rented apartments in big cities Jewish, Italian, Chinese and others developed in many cities Preserved culture Churches & synagogues important

Chinatown

Opposition Assimilation was slowed by attitudes of native-born Americans Worried they’d take jobs or work for low pay Nativist movement (opposed immigration) grew in late 1800s 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act prohibited Chinese for 10 years, extended in 1892, 1902