The Immigrant Experience American Immigration 1865-1920

Coming to America In the five+ decades following the Civil War, (1865-1920), a flood of immigrants came to America US population in 1860 was 31.5 million people Between 1865 and 1920, close to 30 million additional people entered the country

Waves of Immigration The United States experienced four major waves of immigration 1st Wave Began in 1600’s with first colonists. Majority of immigrants from England 2nd Wave 1820’s-1870’s Mostly from Northern and Western Europe - 1/3 Irish, 1/3 German 3rd Wave 1881-1920 Approx. 23.5 million immigrants Mostly from Eastern and Southern Europe 4th Wave Begins in 1965 Built upon new Immigration law reform

Why Did They Come? Push Factors: Conditions that help push a person out of a location Wars Famine Religious Persecution Overpopulation Pull Factors: Conditions that help draw a person to a location Jobs Freedoms

Most immigrants to America were poor How Did They Get Here? Most immigrants to America were poor Passage often cost a life’s savings Families would save enough money to send one or two family members to America Hoped those family members could earn enough to bring over the rest of the family From Europe: One Week Journey From Asia: Three Week Journey

How Did They Get Here? The steerage deck was usually overcrowded Below deck was crowded, dark, and damp Lack of air Low food rations Contagious disease “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, and disagreeable to the touch”

By 1910, six million immigrants had come through Ellis Island In 1890, Congress designated a three acre island in New York Bay as an immigration station By 1910, six million immigrants had come through Ellis Island

Immigrants faced a medical inspection Ellis Island Immigrants faced a medical inspection If one had a communicable disease, they could be immediately deported back to their home country. Might also be placed into quarantine for an indefinite period of time

Ellis Island Due to large numbers, inspectors had 2 minutes to complete the process Many immigrants had their names changes by the inspectors because they didn’t have the time or patience to struggle with foreign spellings

Ethnic Cities The majority of immigrants settled in big cities where factory jobs were available Many immigrants lived in areas with people of similar ethnic backgrounds Neighborhoods provided support but slowed assimilation into US culture

“Melting Pot” “Salad Bowl: A mixture of people of different cultures and races who blended together by abandoning their native languages and customs A mixture of people of different cultures and races who form a new community while retaining some pieces of their native cultures “Salad Bowl:

Asian Immigrants to America During the mid-1800’s, Chinese and Japanese immigrants began to arrive on the West Coast of the US Processed at “Angel Island” Located in California Very slow process, sometimes taking months to clear immigration hearings

The Rise of Large Cities Growth of Industrial Cities Urbanization: city building and the movement of people to cities - Populations in cities doubled or tripled in size Cities such as New York City, Philadelphia and Boston grew into industrial hubs

The Rise of Large Cities Living Conditions No plans No building codes No sanitary codes

The Rise of Large Cities Living Conditions Lacked adequate amount of housing. Little opportunity for education Very little police protection Most of the unpaved streets had no drains, and collected heaps of garbage Workers lived in dark, dirty shelter, with whole families crowding into one room Sickness was widespread Workers in the city had average life span of 17, rural areas 38

Mulberry Street Bend, 1889

5-Cent Lodgings

Men’s Lodgings

Women’s Lodgings

Immigrant Family Lodgings

Dumbbell Tenement Plan

Reform Social Gospel Movement—preached salvation through service of the poor Settlement houses– community centers in poor neighborhoods that provided assistance; especially immigrants. Hull House– one of the most famous settlement houses founded by Jane Addams and located in Chicago.

Construction Brooklyn Bridge—took 14 years to build Skyscrapers—invention of elevators and development of internal steel skeleton them to be built. Louis Sullivan designed the 10-story Wainwright Building in St. Louis Daniel Burnham designed the Flatiron building in 1902 Frederick Law Olmsted started planned urban parks—Central Park in New York!

Louis Sullivan: Bayard Bldg., NYC, 1897

Louis Sullivan: Carson, Pirie, Scott Dept. Store, Chicago, 1899

D. H. Burnham 1846 – 1912 Use of steel as a super structure.

DH Burnham: Flatiron Building, 1902, 2004

Anti-immigration societies grow Nativism Increased waves of immigration led to increased feelings of nativism An extreme dislike for immigrants by native-born people and a desire to limit immigration WASPS (White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestants) Disliked unfamiliar customs and languages Viewed immigrants as a threat to American way of life Anti-immigration societies grow American Protective Association: Despised Catholics and foreigners Workingman’s Party of California: Goal was to fight Chinese immigration

Why Such Hatred? “Old Immigration” Time Period—1820-1880 Nationalities– (Northern & Western Europe) British Isles (Great Britain and Ireland), Germany, & Scandinavia Characteristics—mainly Protestant, English speaking, high literacy level, and high level of occupational skills

Why Such Hatred? “New Immigration” Time Period—1881-1920 Nationalities—Southern & Eastern Europe. They were Italians, Greeks, Croat, Slovaks, Poles, and Russian Characteristic—poor, illiterate peasants, not accustomed to democracy, largely Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and Jewish

Impact of Anti-Immigrant Movement 1882- banned convicts, paupers, and the mentally disabled from immigrating - .50 tax on each newcomer Prejudice against immigrants stimulated new federal laws 1882- Chinese Exclusion Act- barred Chinese immigrants for 10 years - Chinese already in country denied citizenship

Impact of Anti Immigrant Movement Gentlemen’s Agreement of 1907- Informal agreement between the USA and Empire of Japan in which the USA would not impose restrictions on Japanese immigration, and Japan would not allow further emigration to the US Tried to ease tensions Discrimination of Japanese in California had to be stopped