Gilded Age Immigration
Brainstorm Why Come to America? Why Come to America? How do you get to America? How do you get to America? What do you do once here? What do you do once here?
Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
1 st Wave—The “Old Immigrants” Source of original Europeans who came to America. Source of original Europeans who came to America. Mostly from Northern and Western Europe. Mostly from Northern and Western Europe. –England, Ireland, Germany. Numbers grew very large from 1840s to 1880s. Numbers grew very large from 1840s to 1880s.
2 nd Wave—The “New Immigrants” Came to the US from 1880s to the 1920s. Came to the US from 1880s to the 1920s. How Many? How Many? –2100 per day by the 1880s. –As many as 20 million come in the 2 nd Wave. Where From? Where From? –Southern and Eastern Europe –Italians, Croats, Slovaks, Greeks, Poles –Also smaller numbers from Mexico, China, Japan
Why did they Leave? Old World population grew rapidly Old World population grew rapidly Flocked to cities for jobs in Industrial Revolution ; many unemployed Flocked to cities for jobs in Industrial Revolution ; many unemployed Letters from America painted a land of fabulous opportunity Letters from America painted a land of fabulous opportunity Freedom from military conscription Freedom from military conscription Fleeing persecution (Jewish especially) Fleeing persecution (Jewish especially) Ads from America – cheap land, labor available, need more people in new states Ads from America – cheap land, labor available, need more people in new states
Steam-powered ships accelerated immigration
Ellis Island Open from Open from Approximately 12 million people passed through its halls. Approximately 12 million people passed through its halls. Received medical and legal inspections: Received medical and legal inspections: –Healthy? Capable of supporting themselves? Prevent contagious diseases from entering the nation.
Nativism Immigration to the US peaked around World War I (1914). Immigration to the US peaked around World War I (1914). Nativism is the hatred of foreigners. Nativism is the hatred of foreigners. –Increased with immigration, targets changed with each wave of immigration. Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) suspended Chinese immigration for 10 years. Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) suspended Chinese immigration for 10 years. Other laws followed in the 1920s which reduced immigration across the board. Other laws followed in the 1920s which reduced immigration across the board.