Notes Chapter 5.1 Immigration and Urbanization
I. “New” Immigrants
A. Were poor unskilled workers.
B. Lived in the City
C. Came from places like Italy, Poland, Greece, Hungary, and Russia
II. Factors that lead to increase in Immigration
A. Push factors drive individuals away from home (ex. Famine, war, and/or
persecution)
1.) Farming difficulties in Mexico, Poland and China
2.) Religious Persecution in Russia and towards Eastern European Jews
B. Pull Factors drive individuals on the basis of opportunity (ex. Religious freedom
and economic opportunity)
1.) Land was plentiful in the U.S.
2.) Many believed they can make it by digging for gold
3.) And others came seeking religious freedom
III. The Immigrant Experience
A. Long Journey
1.) Steerage – The worst accommodation on the ship
a. Located on the lower decks
b. People would be put in small, dirty, cramped areas with no privacy
c. Many healthy individuals would get sick and those of poor health
would die
d. Think of the Titanic
2.) Key American Ports
a. Ellis Island – In New York for immigrants coming from Europe
i. People would usually be released within hours
b. Angel Island – In San Francisco for immigrants coming from
China and other Asian Immigrants
i. Immigrants could be held for weeks or months in poor
conditions.
IV. Opportunities and Challenges in America
A. Assimilation (Look up the definition) into Society
1.) Stayed in Cities close to the factories
a. Ethnic Neighborhoods and ghettos allowed those to stay close to
those that were similar to them. (Think of Chinatown in New York
or Little Italy in Chicago)
2.) Americanization programs hoped that immigrants would learn English,
and even dress and eat like Americans
a. However, many kept their traditions
B. Immigrants and Hostility
1.) Nativism – The belief that native-born white Americans were superior
a. Was sparked due to competition in the job market (foreigners are
taking all the jobs
b. Religious tension (particularly between Protestants and Catholics)
2.) Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
a. Stopped immigrant Chinese workers from entering the U.S.
b. And limited the rights of those already here
c. Marked the first time the U.S. restricted immigration.
V. Immigrants contributed to the rapid economic growth of the U.S and its future title of
Super power.