1. The Push and Pull Factors Mexico and the United States 1890-1930

2. Mexican Immigration, 1900-1939  1900-1904  1905-1909  1910-1914  1915-1919  1920-1924  1925-1929  1930-1934  1935-1939  2,259  21, 732  82, 588  91, 075  249, 248  238,527  19,200  8,737

3. General Definition  Push factors are those factors in Mexico that contributed to displacement and forced migrations  Pull factors are those conditions in the United States that magnetized the border region and attracted Mexicans to the region

4. The Porfiriato defined  A ruler with virtually absolute power  One enjoying complete autocratic  control of leadership  One ruling absolutely, typically with brutality, oppression and ruthless suppression of opposition.  Dictatorship: A form of government in which a dictator or small clique has absolute power without effective constitutional limitations.

5. Push Factors 1. Porfirio Diaz: 1876-1910  Railroad Construction—mostly north/south  Anti-Indian policies, favors Europeanization of Mexico  Land Policies: abolished the ejido: favored modernization of Mexican agriculture, land ownership increasingly concentrated  Political policies: no political parties, anti-unionism, no freedom or independence of the press, Oligarchy  Favored Foreign investment

6. Porfirio Diaz, cont.  Encouraged immigrants from the United States, Britain, Spain and China.  Sought immigrants to bring technical skills and intellectual capacity to modernize the Mexican economy.  Agricultural production declines in major Mexican staples.  Dependency on foreign capital in railroad, mining, agricultural, petroleum industries.

7. Porfirio Diaz, cont.  Real wages of masses declines  Agricultural sector does not provide enough food for domestic consumption  Two-thirds of capital investment from foreign sources  Vast differences in standard of living between rich and poor  80% illiteracy in 1900  Catholic church: controls education, powerful politically

8. Push Factors  2. The Mexican Revolution  (1910-1921)  Destabilizes Mexico  Destroys the Mexican economy  Mass death and starvations  Out-migrations result  Around 1 million Mexicans flee and arrive in the United States between 1920-1930.

9. Pull Factors  1. Southwestern economic development  Railroad construction  Agricultural stimulus through:  The Dingley Tariff  The Newlands Reclamation Project  Labor intensive industries, agriculture, ranching mining.

10. Pull Factors  2. Proximity to Mexico and availability of Mexican cheap and surplus labor.  Availability of jobs.  Attractive wage scales—six to ten times the Mexican daily wage  Escape from Mexican political and economic chaos

11. Immigration Legislation  1. Restrictions on world-wide immigration to the United States through:  Chinese Exclusion, 1880s  Gentleman’s Agreement: 1907 agreement with Japan to curtail Japanese immigration  Immigration acts from 1917-1930: restrictions/quotas placed on immigration from Europe, primarily eastern and southern Europe  Mexicans excluded from provisions of the 1917 immigration act that required a literacy test and $8 head tax.