Turning into a Melting Pot: Immigration

1. Turning into a Melting Pot:Immigration Chapter 25

2. Push and Pull Factors • Push Factors: Make people want to leave a country • Examples: Poverty, famine, Political Violence, Religious punishment, Insecurity • Pull Factors: Things that attract you to another country • Examples: Economic Opportunity, Religious/Political freedom, Land, Fresh start

3. A Fresh Start • Many immigrants, especially Jewish people, were refugees feeling from religious persecution in Russia • Ships made it easier for people to come to US • Railroads made it easier to move once in US • New hope for immigrants, US took them all: • “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to be free”

4. ~~~~~~Different Waves~~~~~~ • Before the 1880s: • Germans, Irish, Northern Europe (England, France, Sweden etc) • Chinese on the West Coast • By 1890: • Southern Europe (Greece, Italy) and Eastern Europe (Russia, Poland) • Chinese joined by people from Japan, Korea, India, and Philippines, Canada and Mexico

5. Diversifying • Unlike being a country of mostly White, Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASPs), the US was turning into a nation of all kinds of people • Catholics, Jews, Buddhists bring a different religious body to the US and different cultures • Many were not well educated, and poor coming over, which had not always been the case before

6. Ellis Island • The immigrant welcome center in New York City • Mostly European immigrants since they came across the Atlantic • Had to check in and wait in line after a two week journey by boat • Were medically examined upon arrival • Processed and sometimes given new names so they could be registered immigrants

7. Italianos • There was little land and bad farming in Italy, especially in the southern part of the country • Would come to US for a fresh start, sometimes just the men so they could send money home • The poor usually put on the bottom deck of ships and stuck down there most of the two week journey • Many families forced to separate at Ellis Island • Nearly ½ of Italians returned to Italy because they didn’t find what they were looking for in the US or worked only seasonal jobs

8. Italians continued… • Because family closeness was so valued, many Italians did not send their kids to school because they did not want them to learn English • Children would work instead (were able to bring in more money too) • Looked down upon by most Americans because they came here poor and uneducated • Started, like many other immigrants “Little Italys” in large cities to stick together • The Mob/Mafia was a small group of Italians, but not the majority like the Godfather portrays

9. Jewish Americans: Fleeing from Russia • Mostly came from Eastern Europe (Near Russia) • Russian laws persecuted Jews since the 1800s because of their differences • Jews blamed for many Russian problems, even killing the Czar (king) in 1881 • Russians would attack the Jews for decades with pogroms

10. Jewish Americans Flock New York • Between 1881-1924, 2.4 million Jews came here • Just like Italians, many had to wait in lines at Ellis Island and were often separated • Most moved to Lower East Side of NYC • Came to the US with many skills and did very well, benefited from American school system • Even though times weren’t always easy, they cherished living in a land of opportunity without persecution

11. Chinese Immigrants • Started coming during the Gold Rush of 1849 • Helped build the railroads of the West • In 1882, and exclusion act kept Chinese out of the US and would not let those already here become citizens (Chinese Exclusion Act) • Due to an earthquake that destroyed many public records, tons of Chinese men were able to say that they were citizens • Many tried to get their “families” over to the US • Held on Angel Island in San Francisco

12. Chinese in California • Tough questions asked to the apparent family members of the men already in the US • Deported if they couldn’t answer them • More men than women in the US (20:1 in 1900) • Led to a declining population. WHY??? • Chinatown in SanFran was a tourist attraction for many Americans to see new things Chinatown, SF California

13. Mexican Immigrants • Tough times in Mexico as 14 million people were having their lands taken from them by the gov’t • Civil war ensued as farmers rebelled • 500,000 came to US during the 10 year war (1910-1920) • Many came to work the railroads in the West • Benefitted from Chinese being excluded in 1882 • They were paid better than back home in Mexico • Most found work on farms and would return home after the season was over or started barrios

14. Mexican Life • Barrios were similar to Little Italy's or Chinatown: Mexican communities • Many same ideas by whites towards Mexicans now “They take our jobs, go back to Mexico” • Worked for much less wages and worse conditions than whites at almost every job • Proven to work very hard and be good employees

15. Closing the Floodgates • By 1920, many Americans began to resent the new immigrants • Each new group looked down upon by those that came before them • Thought the new people were “polluting” America • America began a series of policies that were meant to restrict the numbers of new immigrants coming into the country “The only way to handle it”

16. Restriction Policies • Chinese Exlcusion Act of 1882 • 1907- Japanese forbidden to enter US • 1917- Congress passes bill requiring new immigrants to prove they can read and write • 1921- Emergency Immigration Act • Quota system established • For each immigrant group, only 3% were allowed to be new each year • 1924- Immigration Act • Dropped the quota to 2% • Numbers were to be based off 1890 census • During 1927, new people allowed was 150,000 for each country, not just 2% (even less people)

17. Trend of Immigration (Europeans)

18. Dealing with Immigrants at home • Since there were so many new people here, America wanted to keep its identity • Started with the public school system • Free school to help students read, write and become American citizens of the future • Developed a national identity • Why would this be important? • What were the WASPs afraid of?

19. Total Numbers • Between 1890 and 1920, 47 million immigrants came to the United States • ~41 Million of them from Europe • 29 M from North and West Europe and 13 from S, E Europe • US Population by the decades (Census numbers) • 1880: 50.2 Million • 1890- 63 Million • 1900- 76.2 Million • 1910- 92.2 Million • 1920- 106 Million