1. Why did they leave their native countries? Why did they move to the U.S.?

2.  Most immigrants came from West European countries, such as England, Ireland & Germany  By 1900, 50% of immigrants were coming from Eastern & Southern Europe  After 1892-most were screened & processed at Ellis Island New York  Nearly all Chinese immigrants landed on the West Coast & were processed at Angel Island

4.  Usually endured crowded, unsanitary conditions  Were screened for illnesses that would prevent them admitted to the U.S.  Could only bring limited luggage

5.  To escape religious & political persecution  To get jobs  To avoid upheaval of war  To escape starvation  To escape diseases

6.  Political and religious freedom  Better economic opportunities  Gold Rush  Encouraging letters from relatives  U.S. Government advertisements  U.S. Business recruitment

7.  Majority headed to industrialized cities- such as New York, Chicago, & Boston  Most settled in clusters by language, culture, & religion  Learning English freed them to move where they wanted

8.  California Gold Rush attracted numerous Chinese immigrants  Many were escaping poverty, & famine  Chinese were key workers on railroads  1910 Angel Island opens in CA--processing center akin to Ellis Island  1882 Chinese Exclusion Act bans Chinese immigrants until 1943!

9.  Powerful, exotic religious beliefs and ceremonies  Foreign languages, dress and customs  Competition for housing & goods  Political upset if immigrants become voting citizens  Crime and debauchery in immigrant population  Plentiful supply of cheap labor competing for jobs

10. “Cellar Tenement,” Women’s Municipal League Photo, 1914, No. 24-J58 Conwell, Col. Russell H. “Why the Chinese Emigrate, and the Means They Adopt for the Purpose of Getting to America.” Lee and Shepard, n. d. Frenzeny & Tavernia. “Emigrant Wagon—on the Way to the Railway Station” Harper’s Weekly, Oct. 25, 187?, p. 940. H. Harrah, S.C. “On Board an Emigrant Ship,” The Graphic. Dec 2, 1871. http://www.migrationinformation.org/datahub/charts/immigration18202007mils.jpg http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/pnp/ppmsca/05600/05660r.jpg http://loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3b http://www.angelfire.com/ns/immigration/ http://www.migrationinformation.org/datahub/charts/immigration18202007mils.jpg “The Result of the Immigration from China,” New York, T. W. Strong, n. d. Riis, Jacob A. How the Other Half Lives; Studies Among the Tenements of New York; With Illustrations Chiefly From Photographs Taken by the Author. Sandler, Martin J. Immigrants: A Library of Congress Book. New York, HarperCollins Publisher, 1995.Yankee Notions, Vol. VIII, #3, p. 65