IMMIGRATION Chapter 6 Section 1

EUROPEANS FLOOD INTO AMERICA ■Between 1865 and 1914 nearly 25 million Europeans immigrated to the United States. –By late 1890s more than half of all immigrants were from eastern and southern Europe –Included, Italy, Greece, Austria-Hungary, Russia and Serbia ■This period was known as ‘new’ immigration (old was from northern and western Europe) –More than 70% were men

EUROPEANS FLOOD INTO AMERICA ■Europeans immigrated to the US for many reasons –American Industries had a lot of jobs available like in Europe BUT wanted better paying jobs to escape poverty and the social class system in Europe –Some moved to avoid forced military service –Some moved because of high food prices in their country –Population pressure –Escape religious persecution ■Most European countries made moving easy –Could take their savings with them to the US –Repealed laws about peasants and trade workers not being allowed to leave

The Atlantic Voyage ■Voyage to the US was difficult –Immigrants payed for passage in steerage, the cheapest accommodations –One immigrant described steerage by saying “Narrow, steep and slippery stairways lead to it. Crowds everywhere, ill smelling bunks, uninviting washrooms….” ■At the end of a 14 day journey, disembarked at Ellis Island –A huge 3 story building served as processing center for many immigrants arriving after 1892

ELLIS ISLAND ■Most immigrants could pass through island in a day but it was very hectic and memorable. –About 12 million passed through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954 ■All immigrants went past a doctor for initial inspection –Those who didn’t pass were separated from families and marked with colored chalk as to health issue ■H = heart problems, K= hernias, Sc=Scalp problems, or X = mental disability –If they did not pass second inspection many were returned to Europe without their families.

ETHNIC CITIES ■When passed inspection, many immigrants settled in cities –1890s immigrants made up large percentage of population of major cities like New York, Milwaukee, Chicago and Detroit ■Jacob Riis (Danish-born journalist) stated –A map of New York City “colored to designate nationalities would show more strips than on the skin of a zebra.” ■Immigrants lived in neighborhoods often separated by ethnic groups –There they could speak native languages and recreate churches, clubs and newspapers of their homelands

ETHNIC CITIES ■How well immigrants adjusted depend on how quickly they learned English and adapted to American culture –Also adjusted well if they had money, marketable skills or settled with members of own ethnic group

QUESTIONS 1.Where did “new” immigrants come from? 2.Why did people from these areas immigrate to the United States? 3.Where did most immigrates stay when traveling the United States? 4.What are ethnic cities? 5.How did immigrants affect demographics in the United States?

ASIAN IMMIGRATION ■Mid 1800s China’s population reached 430 million –Country suffered from unemployment, poverty and famine. ■1850 Taiping Rebellion erupted in China –This insurrection caused thousands of Chinese to leave for the United States ■In 1860s, need for railroad workers at Central Pacific Railroad –This led to increase of Chinese immigration

ASIAN IMMIGRATION ■Chinese immigrants mainly settled in western cities –Worked as laborers, servants or skilled trades –Others became merchants –Native born Americans kept them out of many businesses so some Chinese immigrants opened their own ■Japanese also began immigrating to the United States –Biggest numbers happened between 1900 and 1910 –Industrialization in Japan caused economic problems which caused people to immigrate

ASIAN IMMIGRATION ■Until 1910 Asian immigrants arriving in San Francisco first stopped at two story shed in wharf –As many as 500 people would be inside the shed at a time –Chinese immigrants called it mukuk or wooden house ■In January 1910 California opened barracks on Angel Island for immigrants –Most immigrants were young men who would wait here for months to hear results of their immigration hearings.

Questions 6. Why did Chinese immigrants come to the United States? 7. What did they open in California in 1910 to house immigrants waiting for results of their immigration hearings? 8. Why did Japanese immigrants come to the United States?

NATIVISM RESURGES ■Increased immigration caused increased feelings of nativism –Nativism is an extreme dislike of immigrants by native-born people –Focused in the late 1800s on dislike of Asians, Jews and eastern Europeans ■Nativists opposed immigration for many reasons –Feared influx of Catholics would swamp Protestant United States –Labor unions said immigrants undermined American workers because they would work for low wages and be strikebreakers

PREJUDICE AGAINST CATHOLICS ■American Protective Association was an Anti-Catholic organization –Formed by Henry Bowers 1887 –Members vowed not to vote or hire Catholics ■Irish suffered most from anti-Catholic feelings –Moved to escape famine, were often illiterate and found only lowest-paying jobs –With protestant British culture in America, saw Irish poverty as a result of laziness, superstition and ignorance ■Although several presidents vetoed legislation limiting immigration, a law did pass –Enacted in 1882, banned convicts, paupers and the mentally disabled from immigrating to the United States –Also put a 50 cent tax per each newcomer.

RESTRICTIONS ON ASIAN IMMIGRATION ■In the west, anti-Chinese feelings sometimes led to violence –Denis Kearney (Irish Immigrant) formed the Workingman’s Party of California in 1870s to fight Chinese immigration –Party won seats in California’s legislature ■1882 Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act –Law banned Chinese immigration for 10 years –Prevented Chinese immigrants already in the country from becoming citizens –Chinese immigrants filed suit in federal court but failed –Law was renewed in 1892, and made permanent in 1902 –Wasn’t repealed until 1943

RESTRICTIONS ON ASIAN IMMIGRATION ■October , San Francisco Board of Education ordered all “Chinese, Korean, and Japanese children” to attend racially segregated “oriental School” –This caused an international incident as Japan was offended at insulting treatment of its people ■ Theodore Roosevelt invited school board members to white house to propose a deal –He would limit Japanese immigration if school board rescind segregation –Followed through and got Japan to agree to curtail immigration to mainland United States, schools rescinded segregation –Called “Gentleman’s agreement” because it was not a formal treaty

THE LITERACY DEBATE ■1905 Theodore Roosevelt commissioned a study on how immigrants were admitted to the nation. –Commission recommended an English literacy test –Two years later another commission recommended literacy tests in any language for immigration ■These recommendations reflected the bias of people against “new” immigrants –Thought they were less intelligent than “old” immigrants ■Taft and Wilson both vetoed literacy legislation, but was passed over Wilson’s second veto –Purpose of law was to reduce immigration from southeastern European nations

QUESTIONS 9. Draw and fill in the Graphic Organizer below on your paper by listing reasons nativists opposed immigration 10. What was the Chinese Exclusion Act? 11. What bias did literacy legislation show? 12. From what country did the majority of Catholic immigrants come? Reason Nativists Opposed Immigration