Immigration in the 19th Century

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Immigration in the 19th Century
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Why it matters?

• Immigrants came in great numbers from Europe and
  Asia between 1870 and 1910,
• Provided cheap labor and made rapid
  industrialization possible
• Led to growth of cities, contributed to urban
  politics, and labor unions
• Reactions to, and support for immigrants led to
  changes in American culture and institutions.

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The Impact Today

• US continues to be a magnet for immigrants
  seeking a better way of life
• The cities of the US continue to draw new
  residents in search of opportunity

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Personal Question

• Do you have any ancestors that you know of that
  were immigrants???
• Where were they from?
• Why did they come?

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Ch 10, Section 1

• The shift in the demographics of immigrants
• Before 1870, immigrants were mostly from Western
  and Northern Europe
• What countries would this include?
• After 1870, immigrants came from Southern and
  Eastern Europe
• What nations might this include?

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Why did they come?

• Push Factors
• What factors pushed immigrants away from their
  homelands?
• Pull Factors
• What factors pulled immigrants to a new life in
  the United States?

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The Journey Over and Arrival

• Many immigrants had little money everything was
  spent on the trip
• Many traveled in steerage (with the ships
  machinery) very poor conditions
• Most European immigrants arrived at Ellis Island,
  where they were given health inspections and
  documented.
• What would happen if your health was bad?

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Lives of Immigrants

• The rise of Ethnic neighborhoods
• Why would immigrants settle in ethnic
  neighborhoods?
• Conditions in the neighborhoods
• What was it like to live here?
• Jacob Riis was a famous journalist who documented
  life in these neighborhoods He wrote How the
  Other Half Lives

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Asian Immigration

• By mid-1800s, Chinese immigrants began to arrive
• What section of the country would see the
  greatest growth of Asian population?
• Why did so many Chinese immigrants begin to come
  when they did?
• Push or Pull? Both?

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Asian Continued

• Also included Japanese immigration
• Why?
• Push or pull? Both?
• Asian immigrants arrived at Angel Island
• Who was the typical immigrant?
• What was conditions like for them?

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Resurgence of Nativism

• Nativism Defined
• What is nativism?
• Why did many unions oppose immigrants
• American Protective Association
• Who did they specifically dislike?
• Who led them?
• Workingmans Party of California
• Who did they specifically dislike?
• What immigrant group made up this organization?

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Immigration Reform

• New Federal Laws began to restrict immigration
• Before it was unrestricted
• Chinese Exclusion Act
• What did this law do? Two things!
• How did Chinese immigrants already here react?
• What effect did this have on the American Chinese
  population by 1900?