The Changing American Population Improvements in public health (the number of epidemics {such as the great cholera plague of 1832} which had periodically decimated urban and even rural populations), High birth rate- rapidly revived beginning in the 1830’s. The total population nearly 13 million, the foreign population was less that 500,000

The Changing American Population Immigration boom- By 1832 the immigration climbed to 60,000 and nearly 80,000 in 1837. Increased by reduced transportation costs and increasing economic opportunities. The deteriorating conditions in Europe also helped.

The Changing American Population Influx of Irish Catholics- The increased immigration brought a wave of immigrants from Southern Ireland. Marked the beginning of a tremendous influx of Irish Catholics that was to continue through the three decades before the civil war.

The Changing American Population The agricultural regions in New England and other areas grew less profitable, more and more people picked up stakes and moved- some to promising agricultural regions in the west, but more to the eastern cities.

The Changing American Population New York became largest city as a result of natural harbor and Erie Canal, which gave unrivaled access to the interior, liberal state laws By 1860: 26% of the population of free states was living in towns or cities In the Northwest once small trading posts became major cities; St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati

The Changing American Population Immigrants came from England, France, Italy, Scandinavia, Poland and Holland, but most came from Ireland and Germany In Germany economic dislocations of the industrial revolution caused widespread poverty, the collapse of liberal revolutions led to social unrest In Ireland the oppressiveness and unpopularity of the English drove people to emigrate, Potato Famine (1845 – 1849) one million people died of starvation and disease and led to immigration to the US

The Changing American Population Native American Association was formed to combat the "alien menace", agitating against immigration in 1837, held a convention in Philadelphia

The Changing American Population Supreme Order of the Star-Spangled Banner endorsed a list of demands, included banning Catholics from holding public office, restrictive naturalization laws, literacy test for voting- secret password "I know nothing" The Know Nothings created the new political organization known as the American Party, contributed to the collapse of the existing party system, creation of new national political alignments

The Changing American Population The Irish settled in eastern cities, provided unskilled labor, many young single women came over and found jobs in factories The Germans moved on to the Northwest, became farmers or went into business in the western towns, they had more money, came as members of family groups or as single men

The Changing American Population American views of immigration - welcome supply of cheap labor, move into regions to expand population and market for land, resulted in an increase in political influence of western states

The Changing American Population Nativism – a defense of native born people and hostility to the foreign-born, thought they were inferior, newcomers were socially unfit to live alongside people of older stock, were stealing jobs from native labor force, Whigs outraged because so many new comers were voting Democratic, feared they would bring new radical ideas into national life