EUROPEANS FLOOD INTO AMERICA Between 1865 and 1914 nearly 25 million Europeans immigrated to the United States By late 1890s more than half of all immigrants were from eastern and southern Europe ID: 654899
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immigration
Chapter 6 Section 1Slide2
EUROPEANS FLOOD INTO AMERICA
Between 1865 and 1914 nearly 25 million Europeans immigrated to the United States.
By late 1890s more than half of all immigrants were from eastern and southern Europe
Included, Italy, Greece, Austria-Hungary, Russia and Serbia
This period was known as ‘new’ immigration (old was from northern and western Europe)
More than 70% were men Slide3
EUROPEANS FLOOD INTO AMERICA
Europeans immigrated to the US for many reasons
American Industries had a lot of jobs available like in Europe BUT wanted better paying jobs to escape poverty and the social class system in Europe
Some moved to avoid forced military service
Some moved because of high food prices in their country
Population pressure
Escape religious persecution
Most European countries made moving easy
Could take their savings with them to the US
Repealed laws about peasants and trade workers not being allowed to leaveSlide4
The Atlantic Voyage
Voyage to the US was difficult
Immigrants payed for passage in
steerage
, the cheapest accommodations
One immigrant described steerage by saying “Narrow, steep and slippery stairways lead to it. Crowds everywhere, ill smelling bunks, uninviting washrooms….”
At the end of a 14 day journey, disembarked at
Ellis Island
A huge 3 story building served as processing center for many immigrants arriving after 1892Slide5
ELLIS ISLAND
Most immigrants could pass through island in a day but it was very hectic and memorable.
About 12 million passed through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954
All immigrants went past a doctor for initial inspection
Those who didn’t pass were separated from families and marked with colored chalk as to health issue
H = heart problems, K= hernias,
Sc
=Scalp problems, or X = mental disability
If they did not pass second inspection many were returned to Europe without their families.Slide6
ETHNIC CITIES
When passed inspection, many immigrants settled in cities
1890s immigrants made up large percentage of population of major cities like New York, Milwaukee, Chicago and Detroit
Jacob Riis (Danish-born journalist) stated
A map of New York City “colored to designate nationalities would show more strips than on the skin of a zebra.”
Immigrants lived in neighborhoods often separated by ethnic groups
There they could speak native languages and recreate churches, clubs and newspapers of their homelandsSlide7
ETHNIC CITIES
How well immigrants adjusted depend on how quickly they learned English and adapted to American culture
Also adjusted well if they had money, marketable skills or settled with members of own ethnic groupSlide8
QUESTIONS
Where did “new” immigrants come from?
Why did people from these areas immigrate to the United States?
Where did most immigrates stay when traveling the United States?
What are ethnic cities?
How did immigrants affect demographics in the United States?Slide9
ASIAN IMMIGRATION
Mid 1800s China’s population reached 430 million
Country suffered from unemployment, poverty and famine.
1850 Taiping Rebellion erupted in China
This insurrection caused thousands of Chinese to leave for the United States
In 1860s, need for railroad workers at Central Pacific Railroad
This led to increase of Chinese immigrationSlide10
ASIAN IMMIGRATION
Chinese immigrants mainly settled in western cities
Worked as laborers, servants or skilled trades
Others became merchants
Native born Americans kept them out of many businesses so some Chinese immigrants opened their own
Japanese also began immigrating to the United States
Biggest numbers happened between 1900 and 1910
Industrialization in Japan caused economic problems which caused people to immigrateSlide11
ASIAN IMMIGRATION
Until 1910 Asian immigrants arriving in San Francisco first stopped at two story shed in wharf
As many as 500 people would be inside the shed at a time
Chinese immigrants called it
mukuk
or wooden house
In January 1910 California opened barracks on
Angel Island
for immigrants
Most immigrants were young men who would wait here for months to hear results of their immigration hearings.Slide12
Questions
6. Why did Chinese immigrants come to the United States?
7. What did they open in California in 1910 to house immigrants waiting for results of their immigration hearings?
8. Why did Japanese immigrants come to the United States?Slide13
NATIVISM RESURGES
Increased immigration caused increased feelings of nativism
Nativism
is an extreme dislike of immigrants by native-born people
Focused in the late 1800s on dislike of Asians, Jews and eastern Europeans
Nativists opposed immigration for many reasons
Feared influx of Catholics would swamp Protestant United States
Labor unions said immigrants undermined American workers because they would work for low wages and be strikebreakersSlide14
PREJUDICE AGAINST CATHOLICS
American Protective Association was an Anti-Catholic organization
Formed by Henry Bowers 1887
Members vowed not to vote or hire Catholics
Irish suffered most from anti-Catholic feelings
Moved to escape famine, were often illiterate and found only lowest-paying jobs
With protestant British culture in America, saw Irish poverty as a result of laziness, superstition and ignorance
Although several presidents vetoed legislation limiting immigration, a law did pass
Enacted in 1882, banned convicts, paupers and the mentally disabled from immigrating to the United States
Also put a 50 cent tax per each newcomer.Slide15
RESTRICTIONS ON ASIAN IMMIGRATION
In the west, anti-Chinese feelings sometimes led to violence
Denis Kearney (Irish Immigrant) formed the Workingman’s Party of California in 1870s to fight Chinese immigration
Party won seats in California’s legislature
1882 Congress passed the
Chinese Exclusion Act
Law banned Chinese immigration for 10 years
Prevented Chinese immigrants already in the country from becoming citizens
Chinese immigrants filed suit in federal court but failed
Law was renewed in 1892, and made permanent in 1902
Wasn’t repealed until 1943Slide16
RESTRICTIONS ON ASIAN IMMIGRATION
October 11 1906, San Francisco Board of Education ordered all “Chinese, Korean, and Japanese children” to attend racially segregated “oriental School”
This caused an international incident as Japan was offended at insulting treatment of its people
Theodore Roosevelt invited school board members to white house to propose a deal
He would limit Japanese immigration if school board rescind segregation
Followed through and got Japan to agree to curtail immigration to mainland United States, schools rescinded segregation
Called “Gentleman’s agreement” because it was not a formal treatySlide17
THE LITERACY DEBATE
1905 Theodore Roosevelt commissioned a study on how immigrants were admitted to the nation.
Commission recommended an English literacy test
Two years later another commission recommended literacy tests in any language for immigration
These recommendations reflected the bias of people against “new” immigrants
Thought they were less intelligent than “old” immigrants
Taft and Wilson both vetoed literacy legislation, but was passed over Wilson’s second veto
Purpose of law was to reduce immigration from southeastern European nationsSlide18
QUESTIONS
9. Draw and fill in the Graphic Organizer below on your paper by listing reasons nativists opposed immigration
10. What was the Chinese Exclusion Act?
11. What bias did literacy legislation show?
12. From what country did the majority of Catholic immigrants come?
Reason Nativists Opposed Immigration