Immigration and Americanization 1.Look at the images and answer the questions that follow on your graphic organizer. 2.Read the information and summarize the topic on your graphic organizer. Be sure to use the vocabulary.
A: Immigration Questions: 1. What is happening in this image? 2. Why might the people be getting on a boat to leave their homeland? 3. How do you think they feel and why? Information: · Between 1890 and 1920, millions of people immigrated to the United States from eastern and southern Europe. Wars, famine (hunger), religious persecution, and overpopulation were four major reasons why people left Europe and came to the United States · Many native-born Americans viewed the new immigrants as a threat to the American way of life. They wanted the new immigrants to assimilate, or adopt the language and customs of the dominant culture in American society.
B: Ports of Destination Questions: 1. Who are the men with their shirts off? 2. Who is the man with the stethoscope? 3. What is happening in this image? 4. Why do you think the immigrants are being inspected 5. How do you think the immigrants feel? Information: · Most immigrants to the United States arrived at 1 of 2 places – Ellis Island (East coast, New York) or Angel Island (West coast, San Francisco). · Immigrants to the east coast arrived from Western, Central, and Eastern Europe. Immigrants to the west coast arrived from Central and South-East Asia (mostly China). · The processing of immigrants was a humiliating and dehumanizing experience for many. · With a huge number of immigrants arriving every day, the inspectors had just two minutes to complete each medical inspection and ask each immigrant 32 background questions. · Newcomers found to have contagious diseases could be shipped back home, and many immigrants had their last names changed by inspectors who did not have the time or patience to struggle with foreign spellings!
C: How immigrants were Americanized Questions: 1. What do you see in this image? 2. Why are the adults in the room? 3. What do you notice about the diversity of the people in the room? 4. Why do you think this an example of Americanization? Information: · The Americanization movement was an effort by the government and private citizens. Its purpose was to teach new immigrants the skills and customs that would allow them to become part of the mainstream culture. · Immigrants and their children were encouraged to attend public schools and other classes to learn English. They would also learn about American history and government. · Thousands of adult immigrants attended night school. Some employers, such as Henry Ford, offered daytime programs to their immigrant workers. · Organizations also offered classes in cooking and social etiquette (behavior). These classes were designed to help immigrants learn the customs of the dominant culture, with the expectation that they would abandon their own culture.
D: Effects of the Americanization Movement Questions: 1. What is happening in this image? 2. Who are the men on the left and right? 3. What is the author of the cartoon trying to say about the state of immigration in the United States? Information: · Many immigrants, especially children in the public schools, learned English and assimilated quickly. · Many others resented the idea that they should give up their own culture and language. Some combined American language and customs with those from their native countries. Many chose to live in neighborhoods with other immigrants who shared their language, customs, and religion (Chinatown is an excellent example of this voluntary separation). It was these immigrant groups that led to a “great fear” of the United States becoming less American. · Labor activists accused Ford of teaching immigrants not to question company management. They believed he was using Americanization programs to weaken the labor movement. · Catholics were concerned about the Protestant teachings and readings in the public schools. They started their own schools to give their children a Catholic education.