1. America’s Changing Population

2. The American Population
The population in the US in the early 1800s was characterized by three things:
1. there was a rapid increase in the number of people in the US
2. more people were moving to the cities from rural areas
3. many people were moving westward
4 million in US
1790
17 million in US
1840

3. Improvements in public health High birth rate Immigration
The US was growing due to …
Improvements in public health
* Better food, less disease = Longer life
High birth rate
* Average of 6-7 children per family
Immigration
* Job opportunities
* Problems in Europe

4. The growth of cities increased dramatically from 1800-1860.
New York (around 1 million)
Philadelphia (600,000)
Boston (200,000)
St. Louis, Pittsburg, Cincinnati were ports located along the Mississippi River
The growth of cities increased dramatically from
Major cities included…

5. Ireland Germany! Immigration came from all over… England France Italy
Poland
Holland
The Irish (around 45% of immigrants in 1850) came because of the “potato famine” in Ireland that led to starvation and disease
The Germans came because of poverty and political revolution
The majority of immigrants came from
Ireland
and
Germany!

6. Rise of Nativism * Cheap labor source
*Politicians wanted immigrant votes
* Investors wanted to expand the west (buy land, goods)
Pro -
Immigrant
* Claimed immigrants were “inferior” to native-born
* Feared corruption of traditional “American” beliefs
Anti –

7. Nativist Political Parties
Native American
Began in 1837
Based on anti- immigration attitude (nativism)
Know-Nothings
Officially the “Supreme Order of the Star Spangled Banner” (nativism)
Known as “Know-Nothings”
American Party
Know-Nothings created the American Party in 1852
Were very politically successful in the Northeast