A Nation of Immigrants Ch. 14 Introduction

What’s the message?

In history…

American Dream…

Statue of Liberty Inscription… “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” Emma Lazarus' sonnet, New Colossus What does this quote reveal about America’s history of immigration?

So, How Many… Historians estimate that fewer than 1 million immigrants – perhaps as few as 400,000 – crossed the Atlantic during the 17th and 18th centuries From 1850 to 1930, the foreign born population of the United States increased from 2.2 million to 14.2 million From 1880 to 1924, over 25 million Europeans migrated to the United States

Currently… In 2006, the number of immigrants totaled record 37.5 million After 2000, immigration to the United States numbered approximately 1,000,000 per year* Despite tougher border security after 9/11, nearly 8 million immigrants came to the United States from 2000 to 2005 – more than in any other five-year period in the nation's history Almost half entered illegally

Ultimately… HUGE, unprecedented increase in the amount of people coming to the United States People are extremely opinionated on the issue, leading it to be a major topic in the 2008, 2012 elections (and will be CRITICAL issue in 2016) Many systems and laws in place to monitor the amount of immigrants

Contemporary America… Message?

Opinions Vary… VS.

Now…

Anti-Immigration Camp

Pro-Immigration Camp

Debate… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSltLlwaK-c

Activity…25 points Step into the shoes of an immigrant in U.S. history Maybe an ancestor or person in the video we watched Compose a journal entry explaining where you are in life (have you made it to America or are you about to leave) Describe, in detail, your daily life One page minimum Imagine a specific time, place, situation