Land of Opportunity Or Land of Problems IMMIGRATION Land of Opportunity Or Land of Problems

WHO SAID THIS?? (Referring to applicants for public office) "Among the number of applications..., cannot we find an American capable and worthy of the trust? ...Why should we take the bread out of the mouths of our own children and give it to strangers?" John Adams "The importation of foreigners into a country that has as many inhabitants as the present employments and provisions for subsistence will bear, will be in the end no increase of people, unless the new comers have more industry and frugality than the natives, and then they will provide more subsistence, and increase in the country; but they will gradually eat the natives out. Nor is it necessary to bring in foreigners to fill up any occasional vacancy in a country for such vacancy will soon be filled by natural generation.“ Ben Franklin

SENTIMENTS OF “REAL” AMERICANS NATIVISTS Believed that native born Americans, and their way of life, were superior to immigrants and their way of life. Believed that new immigrants’ language, religion, and traditions would have a negative impact on American society. New immigrants became the subject of jokes, stereotypes, and discrimination.

REACTIONS AGAINST IMMIGRANTS

THE AMERICAN PARTY AKA THE KNOW NOTHING PARTY

REALLY, THEY KNEW NOTHING! Worked during the 1850s to limit voting strength of immigrants Keep Catholics out of office Require LONG residency before citizenship PS – NONE OF THESE CAME TO BE, AND THE PARTY QUICKLY DIED OUT

OTHER DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES AIMED AT MMIGRANTS Chinese Exclusion Act, 1882 – designed to eliminate the “Yellow Peril,” this act sharply limited Chinese immigration (under pressure from California). Banned all except students, teachers, merchants, tourists, and government officials. “Gentlemen’s Agreement” – 1907 – Pres. Theodore Roosevelt had an informal agreement with Japan which nearly halted all immigration to the US. Japan would limit immigration in exchange for repeal of the San Francisco segregation order.

Discriminatory Policies Literacy Tests – 1917 – Congress limited immigration to those who could read and write. Emergency Quota Act of 1921 – Limited the number of immigrants each year to 350,000. National Origins Act of 1924 – Reduced immigration and biased it in favor of those from northern and western Europe.

IMMIGRANTS AND SOCIETY… CULTURAL PLURALISM Beef Stew Theory MELTING POT

…AND CORRUPTION

Political Machines “Machines” that controlled power in American cities Immigrants were bribed to support candiates of the machines” choosing NYC: Tammany Hall Run by William Tweed