IMMIGRATION

An immigrant is a person who migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence

Immigration (14 million immigrants came to U.S. 1860-1900) “New “Immigrants”: Southern and Eastern Europeans (1870s until WWI) Came from Ireland, Germany, Italy, Greece, Poland, Hungary and Russia. Often unskilled, poor, Catholic or Jewish, and planning to save some money to take back home. “Old” Immigrants”: Came before the Irish and German immigrants. After 1900, “New” Immigrants made up 70% of all immigrants. Many American natives felt threatened by the new immigrants

Old v. New RELIGION Protestant Catholic and Jewish BIRTHPLACE REASONS DESTINATION OCCUPATION Protestant Catholic and Jewish Northern/Western Southern/Eastern Europe Both escaping poverty, religious and political persecution Moved to farms Moved to cities in the Midwest Northeast Farmers Unskilled workers

Push Factors Push Factors= Things that force/“push” people out of a place or land. Drought or famine Political revolutions or wars Religious persecution Economic struggles

Push Factors 1880s- Farmers had a difficult time in Mexico, Poland, and China. 1840s- many wars and political revolutions in China and Eastern Europe caused instability and economic troubles. Russian and Eastern European Jews faced religious persecution and fled to the U.S. for safety.

Pull Factors Pull Factors= Things that attract people to a place or land. Plentiful Land Employment Religious Freedom Political Freedom New Life

Pull Factors 1862 Homestead Act and aid from railroad companies made western farmland inexpensive. Workers were recruited from homelands to build railroads, dig mines, or work in factories. Many wanted to find gold. Chain immigrants: come to be with family or friends who had gone before to start new lives.

Journey to America Many immigrants could barely afford a ticket to come to the U.S. They could only pack what they could carry. (Clothes, photograph, tools for their trade) Many would wait in line for hours to try to get on a ship , and travel could be dangerous.

Journey to America Steerage, where most immigrants traveled, was located on the lowest decks of the ship. It had no private cabins, and was dirty and crowded. Seasickness was an issue in rough weather, and illnesses spread quickly in the lower decks.

Immigrants Arrive in America 2 ports of entry into the U.S. Ellis Island- New York City Angel Island- San Francisco Bay To enter the ports, immigrants had to be healthy and show they had money, a skill, or a sponsor to provide for them. They had to go through a series of health tests and evaluations and could possibly be sent back to their homeland if they did not meet proper guidelines.

The goal was to “screen” immigrants coming from Europe. Ellis Island was built in 1892 as the 1st “Immigration Center” Operated until the 1940s Today it is a museum. The goal was to “screen” immigrants coming from Europe. Immigrants took physical examinations and were held at Ellis Island before they were released to the US mainland.

Ellis Island Most European immigrants came through here. (NYC) 1st and 2nd class passengers were inspected on the ship then released. 3rd class had to go in to be inspected. A series of medical and legal inspections would take place before you were allowed to take a ferry in to the city. Ellis Island was the more welcoming of the two ports. http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/

Angel Island Majority Asian immigrants (China, Japan, India, Philippines) came through here (San Francisco Bay) Opened in 1910 to monitor flow of Chinese immigrants entering U.S. (Chinese Exclusion Act allowed entrance only to merchants, clergy, diplomats, teachers and students, barring laborers.) However, officials were suspicious of all Asian applicants. Immigrants were sometimes left here for days or weeks in poor conditions, awaiting hearings. About 18% were rejected.

Immigrants Change America Immigrants changed America in many ways. Fueled industrial growth Acquired citizenship Elected politicians Made their traditions a part of American culture. Mexican Americans developed ranching techniques. Chinese, Irish, and Mexican workers built railroads. Immigrants worked in coal mines, steel and textile mills, and factories. Women immigrants worked in factories, seamstresses, laundresses, made piecework, and worked as servants. Immigrants helped the U.S. become a world power.

But how were immigrants treated?

Immigrants Assimilate Into Society to fit in, cause to resemble. Most immigrants stayed in cities and lived in ethnic neighborhoods called ghettos. These neighborhoods would share the same language, religion, and culture. By 1890 many cities had a huge immigrant population (4/5 people in NYC were immigrants).

Explore the life of an immigrant and their living conditions http://www.tenement.org/

Assimilation Americanization = helping newcomers learn American ways. (Language, customs, dress, and diet) In many cities Americanization institutions arose to help immigrants fit in. America became known as the “Melting Pot”. Immigrants usually stuck with their native cultures but children of immigrants were more likely to adopt American ways.

Immigrants Face Hostility Nativism : preference for native born white Americans over immigrants. Thought immigration should be limited Competition for jobs and homes often fueled resentment, and religious and cultural differences caused added tensions.

Anti-immigrant Organizations American Protective Association 1887-1894, Northeast and Midwest Henry Bowers Despised Catholicism Peaked at 1 million members Workingman’s Party of California 1870s, West Denis Kearney (Irish immigrant) Anti-Chinese

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) Prohibited immigration by Chinese laborers for 10 years (later renewed), limited civil rights of immigrants in America, and forbade naturalization of Chinese residents. Senator George Frisbie Hoar of Massachusetts described the Act as "nothing less than the legalization of racial discrimination."

Chinese Exclusion Act

Congress also passed an act in 1882 that taxed immigrants 50 cents/head and prohibited the entry of criminals, paupers, and the handicapped. These were the beginnings of immigration restriction in America. A quota act will later be placed on how many immigrants can come to the U.S. from a given country.