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Immigration. Immigration. In the late 19 th century immigrants were coming to the U.S. in large numbers Reasons for immigrating: (‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors) Escape oppression Poverty War Religious/ethnic persecution Freedom Economic opportunity Cultural ties.
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Immigration • In the late 19th century immigrants were coming to the U.S. in large numbers • Reasons for immigrating: (‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors) • Escape oppression • Poverty • War • Religious/ethnic persecution • Freedom • Economic opportunity • Cultural ties
Shifting Patterns of Immigration • Prior to 1880 • Most immigrants came from Northern Europe (Great Britain, Ireland, Germany) • The NEW IMMIGRANTS (1880-1920) • Immigrants came from Southern in Eastern Europe in much larger numbers (Poland, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Greece, Russia)
The Immigrant Experience • Most immigrants entered the U.S. through Ellis Island (New York), or Angel Island (California) • Traveled in steerage – an open room below the water line often with awful conditions, disease spread rapidly, & all they owned with them in a single bag • Initial Hardships • Mostly settled in inner city ethnic ghettos • Neighborhoods of same nationality, same language, same religion • Immigrants felt more comfortable around people with the same customs as themselves • Little or no money • Discrimination from native-born Americans • Isolated from mainstream American life
The Process of Americanization • Americanized – learning to dress, speak, and act like other Americans • Assimilated – adopting the American way of life, culture • Melting pot – mixture of different cultures and ethnicities blended together and re-shaped in to the dominating culture • Americanization often led to conflict
The Rise of Nativism • As the immigrant population continued to grow, so did the hostility towards them from the native-born Americans • Nativism – favoring the interest of native-born people over the interest of foreign-born people • Many nativists were concerned the most with the immigrants taking valuable jobs away from other Americans
Early Restrictions on Immigration • Chinese Exclusion Act – 1882 • First federal law to restrict immigration to the U.S. • Temporarily banned the immigration of Chinese workers • Restrictions on Chinese immigrants who were already in the U.S.
Liberalism • Strongly anti-business, pro labor and pro-reform. • More open to change. • Conservatism would be the opposite. Pro-business, anti-labor and anti-reform.