1. Bell ringer
Some consider America a “melting pot”. What does this mean? Do you agree that America is a melting pot? If yes, why? If no, why not?

2. Anti-Immigration Movement

3. Immigrant Home Countries
China and Japan in the late 1800’s.
to mine gold.
build the railroads.
West Indies, Mexico, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Cuba
England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany,
Large number Chinese immigrants
Began severe unemployment, poverty, and famine
What brought them here
1848 discovery of gold in California
Rebellion in China
Demand for railroad workers – Central Pacific Railroad

4. Nativism: favoritism toward native-born Americans
Anti-immigration groups begin to form
Immigration Restriction League
American Protective Association

5. 3. Religious Differences- Most America was still Protestant.
Why?
1. Jobs- especially in large cities with substantial immigrant populations
2. Racism
3. Religious Differences- Most America was still Protestant.
4. Social Darwinism
This was the idea of “survival of the fittest”
Non Anglo-Saxons were not trusted
Social Darwinism was begun by a man named Herbert Spencer
It claimed that those who were the most powerful or advanced were a “higher species”.
Broke up the different races into different species. The Aryan (white) Race was at the top.
Eventually, led to the Holocaust in Germany.

6. Government Policies Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882.
Restricted Chinese Immigration with a few exceptions
Was kept into law until 1943.
“The Gentlemen’s Agreement”
Japan kept citizens from immigrating in return for better treatment of Japanese already in America.
Japanese students were segregated in San Francisco public schools
Why do you think people would have been so adamant about segregating schools?
Schools were desegregated due to the Gentlemen’s Agreement
1882– law banned mentally ill and convicts
Placed 50 cent tax on newcomers
Chinese Exclusion Act – Chinese already here not citizens ---- banned immigration
Fight it
No other immigration restrictions
Made permanent in 1902
Drastically drops