“The New Immigrants”

“The New Immigrants” Immigration & Nativism in America at the turn of the 20th Century

Lack of land, or overcrowding in European Nations like Italy Religious persecution in Europe: Pogroms VS. Jewish Revolution and Political Unrest in nations like Mexico Job opportunities in the United States of America Freedoms: of speech, of the press, of religious expression, and the chance to participate in a democratic government. List at least five (5) reasons for immigration to the United States between 1865 and 1920.

The Irish Potato Famine of Black ‘47 • War and Conflict in Southeastern Europe • Lack of Jobs and Land in Europe – Economic Opportunity in the United States. • Religious Persecution in Europe – Religious Freedom in the United States. • Democracy and Representative Government in the United States – against monarchies and authoritarian governments in Europe. Other Reasons for Immigration

“Old Immigrants” • The myth of the WASP – White, Anglo-Saxon Protestants… • Northern or Western Europeans • English Speakers or familiarity with the language and alphabet • Protestant faiths allowed church-centered community development. “The New Immigrants” • Southern and Eastern Europeans… Russian, Slavic, Balkan, Italian, Greek • Non English speakers – some with unique alphabets: Greek Cyrillic, Arabic. • Catholic, Jewish, or Orthodox Christian faiths made assimilation more difficult. Immigrants: The “Old” VS. The “New”

Ellis Island, New York Harbor Angel Island, San Francisco Bay Immigration Stations processed New Immigrants to the United States – by the 1880s, though, immigration restrictions were being drafted into law.

The process of becoming a part of another culture – it may require learning new languages, social norms, customs, holidays, traditions, and common beliefs. Assimilation – (n.) a process…

Ethnic neighborhoods allowed immigrants to have all of the comforts of home – a common language, culture, and even favorite foods – in their adopted nation. It could also prevent assimilation, though, since older family members never ventured out of the neighborhood to learn about American culture. Ethnic Neighborhoods

The public school movement in Northern cities was started by Horace Mann at a time when immigration was increasing rapidly. Usually children in families learned to speak English before their parents or grandparents, and practiced American customs and traditions rather than – or in addition to - the customs of their native countries. The Public Schools were created to help assimilate immigrant children to American culture.

Immigrants were the backbone to America’s workforce, taking jobs in steel mills, meatpacking plants, mines, and garment workshops. Ethnic foods gained great popularity. Immigrants and the children of immigrants were major contributors of inventions and innovations. Immigrant Contributions

Nativists believed that the United States must be preserved for native born Americans – and the immigrants constituted a threat to the American way of life. This despite the fact that EVERY American is a descendent of immigrants and our nation could never have been founded were it not for the contributions of immigrants. Nativism – (n.) Anti-Immigrant bigotry and racism

Foreign Languages Non-Christian, or non-Protestant religious faiths. Unusual customs. Immigrants took jobs from American workers. Violence Crime Poverty Intemperance Anarchy Superstitions and Sabbath Desecration Alleged Negative Characteristics of Immigrants - Nativists ascribed all of the problems in American Society to immigrant groups. Frequently, immigrants were the victims of these conditions, not the cause.

The Immigration Acts of 1917 and 1924 placed restrictive barriers on immigration as well. Literacy requirements and economic tests prevented poor immigrants from coming to America. The Chinese Exclusion Act

“The New Immigrants”