Review
• What were some of the problems caused
by urbanization and what were some ways
that cities sought to remedy them?
E Pluribus Unum
(From Many, One)
A short history of American
Immigration
1607-1920
Today’s Objectives
• Learn the history of immigration to the
U.S.
• Learn the commonalities of the “old”
immigrants.
• Learn the characteristics of the “New”
immigrants.
Preview
• What are some reasons (throughout
history) that people have wanted to
immigrate to the U.S.?
• What are some reasons that people are
hostile towards immigrants?
Original Inhabitants
• Except for Native
Americans, all other
types of people that live
in the U.S. were
immigrants at one time
or another.
Colonial Immigration
• From the 1600s to the 1820’s, the following types of
people made up most of those that immigrated to the
Americas:
 A.
 B.
 C.
 D.
 E.
 F.
English
Africans
Scots-Irish
Dutch
Swedes
Germans
This groups of Immigrants is usually refereed to as the “Old
Immigrants.”
Commonalities of “Old Immigrants”
• Aside from the people from Africa who were forced to
come here against their will, the “Old Immigrants”
tended to have the following things in common:
• A. They were from Northern or Western Europe.
• B. They were mostly Protestant Christians.
There were, however, small amounts of Catholics and Jews.
The dominant culture was that of the English —language, politics—
because they were the majority and for 170 years, the U.S. was
ruled by England.
The Irish
• The first immigrants who came to this country willingly
that faced widespread hostility were the Irish.
– The Irish came mainly from 1840-1860 (1.7 million).
– They came because the situation in Ireland was bad—Most Irish
were very poor and then a potato famine in the 1840s caused
mass starvation.
– The reasons that they faced discrimination were:
• A. They were Catholic.
• B. Ireland had been conquered by the English and the English had
always considered the Irish to be an inferior, uncivilized people.
Common Stereotype of the Irish
• They were seen as harddrinking, ill-tempered, and
half-civilized.
“Irish Need Not Apply”
• Because of the
discrimination they
faced (and due to the
fact most were not
skilled workers), the
Irish immigrants
worked as laborers or
domestic servants for
low pay.
The Chinese
• Started coming mainly after
the Civil War to do the labor
on the West Coast side of the
transcontinental railroad.
• Suffered from terrible
prejudice and violence.
• Were victims of anti-Chinese
immigration laws that were
passed in the 1880s. These
laws were the first to limit
immigration to America.
Chinatowns
Anti-Chinese Cartoons
The “New Immigrants”
• Came primarily from Eastern
and Southern Europe.
• Start Coming to U.S. at end of
1800s.
• Brought different languages,
customs, and religious beliefs
that were different than most
“native-born” Americans at the
time.
• Most of the “new” immigrants
were Catholics and Jews.
• Most were unskilled workers
who settled in Northeastern
cities in ethnic neighborhoods.
Attitudes towards the “New
Immigrants”
• Many Americans subscribed to social Darwinistic
theories that held that the descendents of the Nordic
race (people from Northern and Western Europe) were
superior to everyone else.
• This was evidenced by their domination of other people
throughout the world.
• People who held this view worried that intermixing with
the “New immigrants” would bring the American people
to a lower level.
• This view, and the fear of competition for jobs, resulted
in restrictive immigration acts in 1917, 1921, and 1924.
More reasons why people were
hostile to “new” Immigrants
• Thought they were the “garbage” of the
countries that they were leaving.
• People complained that they were taking
jobs from people already here.
• People felt that many of the “new”
immigrants were political radicals that
were into socialism.
Ellis Island
Angel Island
Angel Island
Statue of Liberty
•
The New Colossus
•
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Emma Lazarus, 1883
•
Nativism
• Term used to refer to anti-immigrant
attitude.
• Nativists.
Review
• 1. What were the commonalities of the “old”
immigrants?
• 2. Why was their hostility to the Irish when they
began arriving in the US?
• 3. Where were the “New” immigrants from and
why was there hostility to them?
• 4. Who was the first ethnic group that the US
tried to restrict from coming to this country?