The land of Hope for many people around the World.

What is immigration? Immigration is the act of coming to a foreign country to live. The act of leaving one's country to settle in another is called emigration. Immigrants who flee their country because of persecution, war, or such disasters as famines or epidemics are known as refugees or displaced persons.

Main reasons for immigration People choose to immigrate for many different reasons: IN THE PAST NOW to avoid starvation because of persecution because of war disasters epidemics Some immigrants were brought to a new land against their will. From the 1500's to the 1800's Europeans shipped black Africans to the Western Hemisphere as slaves. the main reason for immigration has long been economic opportunity, the lure of better land or a better job (brain drain) religious persecution wars, revolutions, and political unrest have driven innumerable people to find new homes seek adventure others wish to escape unbearable family situations. Still others desire to be reunited with loved ones.

Immigration to the USA- history Most people find it very hard to pull up roots in their native land and move to a strange country. But throughout history, countless millions of people have done so. The heaviest immigration worldwide took place from the early 1800's to the Great Depression, the economic hard times of the 1930's. In that period, about 60 million people moved to a new land. Most came from Europe. More than half immigrated to the United States. Other destinations included Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Immigration to the USA - four periods The United States has long been the world's chief receiving nation for immigrants and refugees. The country has had four major periods of immigration.

The first wave began in what is now the United States with the colonists of the 1600's and reached a peak just before the Revolutionary War broke out in 1775. The second major flow of immigrants started in the 1820's and lasted until a depression in the early 1870's The greatest inpouring of people took place from the 1880's to the early 1920's. A fourth and continuing wave began in 1965 because of changes in U. S. Immigration laws.

ELLIS ISLAND

Ellis Island

Angel Island Angel IslandSome history - “Ellis Island of the West” – San Francisco - Construction began in 1905 and was completed in 1910 - Known as “The Guardian of the Western Gate” -The purpose was to control the flow of Chinese people into the country - A detention center 

West Coast (California)

New York City Immigrants lived in their own separateneighborhoods – like Little Italy or Chinatown – and kept many of their former traditions.

Tenement dwellings Immigration led to a massive increase in the number of slums in U.S. cities. Built apartment buildings – were often overcrowded and lacked many necessities.

The Rise of Nativism The flood of immigrants into the U.S. worried many Americans who felt their way of life could be changed. Nativism is an extreme dislike for foreigners by native- born people and a desire to limit immigration. Workers blamed immigrants for low wages or shortages of employment. A resentment of foreigners crept into America’s attitudes. New immigrants were blamed for many of the nation’s problems that were brought on by the Industrial Revolution.

Immigrants_Face_Hard_Times https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE4q-4ZmeQ4 The law barred Chinese immigration for 10 years and prevented the Chinese from becoming U.S. citizens.

First immigration law.

Good news

Facts about immigrants More than 1 million immigrants became legal permanent residents of the United States in 2012 Of the new U.S. residents, 14 percent came from Mexico, 7.9 percent from China, and 6.4 percent from India. Between 2009 and 2012, more than 70 percent of immigrants came from Asia and North America every year Immigrants are an essential element of a strong U.S. economy, fulfilling the intrinsic need of the labor force for workers. For the first time in 2012, the majority of babies under age 1 were black, Hispanic, Asian, or another non- white race. By 2026, it is predicted that the government will have a shortage of 20 million workers.

Ancestry with in largest population in country

Famous Immigrants

American Dream The American Dream is the belief that through hard work and determination, any United States immigrant can achieve a better life, usually in terms of financial prosperity and enhanced personal freedom of choice. According to historians, the rapid economic and industrial expansion of the U.S. is not simply a function of being a resource rich, hard working, and inventive country, but the belief that anybody could get a share of the country's wealth if he or she was willing to work hard . This dream has been a major factor in attracting immigrants to the United States

It’s high time to begin American Dream… time will tell whether this is a good idea. Thanks for watching