Immigration 1890-1910
Old Immigrants Protestants Northwest Europe England, Germany Holland Scandinavia
New Immigrants Southern and Eastern Europe Czechs Russians Greeks Hungarians Poles
New Immigrants Also Arabs Armenians Chinese Japanese French Canadians
Why did they Come ? To escaper persecution Poverty Racial intolerance (Jews in Russia) To work for the railroad To work for steamship companies
The Voyage Voyage across the Atlantic was difficult Most traveled below deck/ steerage No privacy, poor ventilation, Noise Cramped quarters disease
Ellis Island New York harbor Screened for physical and mental health Mental disorders, serious health defects or contagious diseases were turned back and deported Background check Job skill Relatives in america
Reality in America Lived in cities Forced to settle for unskilled low paying employment Substandard housing Deteriorating neighborhoods Tenements/slums Better than where they came from
Northeast and Midwest Patchwork quilt Ethnic neighborhoods Spoke same languages Followed same customs from the old country Religious institutions Community centers Benevolent : to assist immigrants in cases of unemployment – religious and non-religious
Employment for the Immigrant Bottom of the labor ladder Nations”dirty work Mines, sweatshop, construction Exhausting and hard Poor wages Long house Unsafe conditions
Anti-immigrant feelings Nativists: argued that the newcomers would never fit into American society Blamed them for crime, poverty and violence Took jobs away from native born American Led to rise of union