Unit 7: The Progressive Era & Roaring 20s (1890 – 1929) Lesson 1-The Immigrant Experience United States History
Bell Ringer Famous Immigrants to the U.S. Charles Atlas (Italy) Irving Berlin (Belarus) Max Factor (Poland) Frank Capra (Italy) Bela Lugosi (Hungary) Bob Hope (England) Lucky Luciano (Italy) Lou Gehrig (son of German Immigrants) Knute Rockne (Norway) Rudolph Valentino (Italy) Mike Strank (Czechoslovakia) Ettore Boiardi (Italy) Hyman Rickover (Russia) Yogi Berra (son of Italian Immigrants) 22 Presidents of the U.S. are descended from ?
Old Immigrants vs. New Immigrants 1865 –U.S. Population = 31.5 Million 1865–1920 – 30 Million Immigrants entered the U.S. Most from Europe. 1840–1880 – Most from N & W Europe. These were the Old Immigrants – New Immigrants from E & S Europe (Slavs, Italians, Russians, and many Jews; Culturally different from Old Immigrants & many didn’t assimilate well ).
Why did they come? Push Factors Factors that caused them to leave home Wars Famines Lack of Freedom Lack of Opportunity No Jobs or Land Pull Factors Factors that drew them to America Freedom Desire to Own Land Mostly the availability of Jobs
Identifying Pushes and Pulls Handout 3-33 Examine the 12 Facts. Complete T-Chart for Pushes/ Pulls List the reasons people came to America and classify them as Pushes/ Pulls
Push or Pull? 1.In 1800 there were no railroads in America; by 1900 railroads connect virtually every city in the U.S. 2.Ireland was devastated by a potato famine between 1845 and One million died; ¼ of Irish population moved to U.S. 3.“My dear brother, in America, we eat everyday.” – letter from Polish boy to younger brother in Poland. 4.During the 1880s, due to improved farming technology, peasant farmers in southern Italy are forced off lands they had lived on for generations. 5.President Lincoln signs the Homestead of Act of 1862 which allots 160 acres of free western land to any married male, 21 years of age, who agrees to farm the land for five consecutive years.
Ellis Island, NYC ( ) By 1900, crossing took 7 days Most traveled in the steerage b/c it was cheaper 12 Million came (2% failed physicals) Most lived in ghettoes Discrimination/ Nativism were common
Immigrants from Asia Angel Island, SF (1910) – Most Asians came into here Chinese Exclusion Act (1882), 92, & 02 Gentlemen’s Agreement with Japan (1907) Webb-Alien Land Law (CA) – prevented land ownership by aliens
Immigrants from Latin America more than 10% of Mexico’s population came to the U.S. Settled in CA and S.W. U.S. WW I created labor shortage in mines and on farms
Shutting the Golden Door Xenophobia – the fear of immigrants Nativism – the belief that native-born white Americans were superior to newcomers Emergency Quota Act of 1921 (3% or 1910 Census) Immigration Act of 1924 (2% of 1890 Census) End of WW I in 1918 saw a revival of the KKK
Exit Slip – Immigration 1. The major port of entry after 1892 for European immigrants to America? a. Long Islandb. Ellis Island 2. Immigrants who came mostly from countries of Eastern and Southern Europe? a. New Immigrants b. Old Immigrants 3.Most of the 12 million who came to the U.S. in NYC were turned away. a. Trueb. False 4. Most immigrants from Asia arrived here? a. San Diego, CAb. San Francisco, CA
The Immigrant Experience: The Long, Long Journey As you watch the DVD, list 8 difficulties or hardships Janek and his family faced as they struggled to assimilate into American society upon emigrating here from Poland in 1907.