IMMIGRATION Coming to America

Where did they come from? MOSTLY FROM: Northern/Western Europe (Before Civil War) English, Scots, Irish, Germans, Scandinavians Southern /Eastern Europe (After Civil War) Italians, Greeks, Slavic peoples (Poles, Slovaks, Czechs, Croats, Serbs, Ukrainians, Russians, Armenians)

To clarify… Before 1880, most European immigrants came from northwest Europe After 1880, most European immigrants came from southwest Europe

Push and Pull Reasons of Course! Why did they leave? Push and Pull Reasons of Course!

Over-Population

How much did the US Population change over time? US population 1860: 31.5 million US population 1920: 61.5 million What a HUGE addition - 30 million more people!

How many Immigrants came to the United States?

Lack of Jobs

Government Tyranny

Crop Failures! Land Shortages!

Famine

High Taxes/ Cost of Living

Political or Religious Persecution

How did immigrants get here? Steamships made of iron and steel 2-3 weeks to 1 week by 1900 Created “birds of passage”-single male worker who came for a short time, earn money, and return home

Steerage – for the “Economically Disadvantaged” Most immigrants traveled in Steerage (large open area under the ship’s deck) Cheap fares Limited toilet facilities with no privacy

Steerage postcard

Ports of Entry Boston Philadelphia Baltimore Seattle San Francisco But New York was most popular!

Entrance to USA In 1886 greeted by Statue of Liberty in NY harbor

What do you think she represented to immigrants?

70% of all European immigrants arrived in NYC Castle Garden 70% of all European immigrants arrived in NYC Overwhelmed by 1890!

ELLIS ISLAND In 1892 an immigration center opened at Ellis Island in NY harbor to “process” those in lower-class/”steerage” Immigrants were given a medical check-up and asked a series of questions

ELLIS ISLAND “Gateway to America” or “Golden Door” 70% of European immigrants arrived in NYC Processed through within hours or days

The caption reads . . . Held at Ellis Island – Undesirable emigrants to be taken back by steamship company that brought them Sometimes immigrants were “quarantined” (isolated to prevent the spread of disease): tuberculosis, small pox, measles Some were even deported due to serious diseases: trachoma or other reasons

Deportation of “idiots, imbeciles, feeble-minded persons, epileptics, insane persons; …persons with chronic alcoholism The Ellis Island record of an immigrant who deemed "feebledminded" by US officials, then summarily deported. (source: ForgottenEllisIsland.com)

After the Medical Exam, an interview… Name? Occupation? Who paid your fare? Can you read or write? How much money do you have? Have you been to prison or in a poorhouse? Where are you going? Do you have a job already?

Angel Island - California The Ellis Island of the West Coast

Angel Island Located in San Francisco Bay Poor conditions: Overcrowded Poorly ventilated Filthy conditions Men and women, including husbands and wives, were separated and not allowed to see or communicate with each other again until they were admitted to the country.

Immigrants were processed over a longer period of time: weeks or months vs. days on Ellis Island

Urbanization – Growth of the Cities! Most immigrants tended to settle in the city of their arrival (i.e. - land in Ellis Island, stay in New York…) Ethnic neighborhoods develop – people in the neighborhood share a common language, food, history, etc…(i.e. – Little Italy, Little Greece, Chinatown, etc

Where Did Immigrants Settle? Only 2% of Immigrants went to the south –why?

Immigrant Work Unskilled jobs Low paying – even children had to work Long hours Factory work – tedious, tiring, dangerous So many people needed jobs – you could be replaced very easily – don’t even think about calling in sick!

Jobs for European Immigrants Limited opportunities Mines, mills, and factories Friends and relatives helped each other

Asian (Chinese) Immigrants Viewed with suspicion and subject to hostility because the culture was so different! Kept to themselves with other Chinese immigrants

Jobs for Chinese Immigrants On the railroad (Transcontinental Railroad in particular) Agriculture Mining Fishing Food Prep. Laundry

A Chinese Laundry

Chinese Exclusion Act Racism and the loss of jobs fuels Anti-Chinese sentiment in California. In response to California labor unions, the U.S. government bans all Chinese laborers from entering the country in 1892! This and other Chinese restriction laws remain in effect until 1965!

Jobs for Japanese Immigrants Worked in private business and were not involved much with unions, unlike the Chinese

Immigration Restrictions Poor Economy War Racism Overpopulation All lead to official restrictions on U.S. Immigration

How do you limit the amount of immigrants coming into a country? Limiting Immigration How do you limit the amount of immigrants coming into a country? Quotas – a limit placed on the number allowed to immigrate Exclusions – preventing a group from immigrating

The Gentleman’s Agreement Most notably… The Gentleman’s Agreement In California, Asian students attended segregated schools. Japan protests, so… T. Roosevelt made a compromise with Japanese officials. According to the Gentleman’s Agreement – America promised not to segregate Japanese students and Japan promised not to send Japanese workers to America

Example of a Quota Immigration Act of 1924 – limited the number of immigrants from each country. the 1890 US Census totaled the amount of immigrants in the US, and then restricted immigration to 2% of each individual group’s total IE. There were 200,000 Italian immigrants in the US in 1890. Only 4,000 Italians were allowed entry each year.

What about Mexico? Starting in 1902 immigration from Mexico was PROMOTED for jobs in the farming and mining industries of the Southwest …how does that differ from today?

The Growth of the Cities Urbanization!

Filled w/ tenements – low cost apartments, designed to hold many families Very poor living conditions Rats, Open Sewers, Disease, & Fire Immigrant Ghettos

City Growth Urbanization – the growth of the cities!

Rise of Political Bosses Political Machine – unofficial city org. that kept a party / group in power. Headed by a single leader / “Boss”

Rise of Political Bosses Most Famous - William “Boss” Tweed Ran Tammany Hall - Democratic Party in NYC

Rise of Political Bosses That doesn’t sound so bad….. City government grows powerful to provide for people’s (immigrants) needs Fire protection, transportation, etc Exchange of favors Politicians offer jobs, loans, help finding a place to live They helped poor people when gov’t or industry would not

…so what’s the problem? All those “gifts” were given with understanding that you would support the “machine”. You had to vote for who they wanted and not complain about it. …if not, you could find yourself without a job or a home!

“the Tammany Tiger destroys democracy…” Is that true democracy? Other candidates didn’t stand a chance “the Tammany Tiger destroys democracy…”

Brought down by Political Cartoonist – Thomas Nast