Causes & Effects of Immigration

Immigrants flock to America In the mid-1800s, immigrants came to America by the thousands Most came from western Europe England, Ireland, Germany, Scandinavia Some came from China

Push Factors – Emigration (Leaving) Population growth Europe's population boomed after 1750, and the land became overcrowded Agricultural changes As Europe's population grew, so did cities Landowners wanted to make money selling food to those cities New methods made it more efficient to farm large areas of land than to rent small plots to tenants Landlords forced tenants off the small farms

Push Factors – Cause of Emigration Crop failures Poor harvests made it difficult for small farmers to pay their debts Some farmers chose to start over in America Crop failures also led to hunger, causing people to emigrate Industrial Revolution Goods produced in factories became cheaper than goods produced by artisans Artisans were out of work, some took factory jobs, others emigrated See if they can draw parallels between the info on this slide and the bar graph from slide #2.

Push Factors – Cause of Emigration Religion Quakers fled Norway Jews left Germany Political Turmoil Germans came after a failed revolution in Germany in 1848 The picture is of Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, he was a German prince and military officer in both the Austrian army. He was the Commissioner General of the Adelsverein (an immigration company based in present day-Germany/Austria), he spearheaded the establishment of colonies of German immigrants in Texas. Prince Solms named New Braunfels, Texas in honor of his homeland. When the settlement filled up, many moved further west to Fredericksburg.

Pull Factors –Immigration Freedom “…to practice the teaching and religion he prefers.” Economic opportunity Immigrants sought a land where they could support their families and have a better future. Immigration often rose during times of U.S. prosperity and fell during hard times. See if they can draw parallels from the Germans on the previous slide and how it impacted German immigration.

Pull Factors – Cause of Immigration Plenty of land Because of the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase and the Mexican Cession, United States offered millions more acres of land. To land-starved Europeans, America was a land of opportunity. The story on the graphic is that imagine you are a farmer living in Germany at around 1700, you own 100 acres of land. If you have kids you have a couple of options on what to do with the land. You can give it all to the first-born son, or you can divide amongst the kids. Well, after about 3 to 4 generations that division will be so small that the kids will be receiving only a couple of acres. So, land was a very attractive pull for a German or Irish immigrant.

Effects of Immigration Many problems Overcrowded cities Lack of sanitation Disease Crime No housing Dealing with problems Aid societies founded for immigrants Politicians helped in exchange for votes Police forces created

Opposition to Immigration Native born Americans feared immigrants Too foreign to learn American ways Would outnumber natives Nativists worked to oppose immigrants Refused to hire them Formed societies to keep them from running for office Formed a political party

Citizenship Immigrants had a strong impact on American culture Many immigrants became citizens of the United States Immigrants appreciated the nation’s values and laws Immigrants who want to become a citizen must pass multiple exams on: English The U.S. political system The rights and duties of an American citizen

Sample Citizenship Questions Who was the first President? George Washington John Adams Abraham Lincoln Thomas Jefferson Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s. World War II Civil War Korean War World War I If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? the President Pro Tempore the Speaker of the House the Secretary of State the Secretary of the Treasury What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States? Pacific Ocean Southern Ocean Arctic Ocean Atlantic Ocean When was the Declaration of Independence adopted December 7, 1787 July 4, 1789 July 4, 1776 March 4, 1789 What is the supreme law of the land? the Constitution the Emancipation Proclamation the Declaration of Independence the Articles of Confederation