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Immigration and Middle Class

This article explores the relationship between immigration and eugenics during the early 1900s in the United States. It highlights the influx of over 17 million immigrants primarily from Europe, Japan, China, and Mexico, who fled economic hardships and persecution. The burgeoning urban middle class sought to assert its influence amid rapid demographic changes. Concurrently, eugenics emerged, advocating for genetic control to improve society, leading to controversial policies like the sterilization of supposed "undesirables". This period marked a profound misuse of science, intertwined with racial biases and significant societal implications.

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Immigration and Middle Class

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  1. Immigration and Middle Class By: Gabriella Siefert, Alisa Mathes, Bethany Bonocorsi

  2. Introduction to Eugenics • Biggest misuse of science during the progressive era. • Eugenics- The control of reproduction to alter the characteristics of a plant or animal species • Eugenicists in 1900’s believed that society would be improved through genetic control

  3. Immigrants • More than 17 million immigrants from 1900-1917 • Influx mainly from Europe, but also from Japan, China, and Mexico • Fled because of economy, persecution and revolutions. • City life was harsh. They stayed in crowded slums, row houses, and triple deckers

  4. Urban Middle Class • Vast expansion of native born middle class. • Many jobs were taken over by the middle class which grew with the population. • Population went from 5 million to 10 million. • New professional groups emerged • Wanted their influence known- many formed organizations.

  5. Eugenics in 1900’s • In 1904 a genetics research plant was put on Long Island. • Director- Charles B. Davenport • Charles was a racist anti- semite • Due to Charles, many states were ordered to “sterilize” criminals like sex offenders, along with the mentally ill. • These laws were even upheld in Supreme Court cases.

  6. Eugenics in the 1900’s • Madison Grant- was another supporter of the study of Eugenics. • He wrote a book called “The Passing of the Great Race” • Grant was a very active progressive, but his book spewed a lot of evil against Jews, African Americans,

  7. Immigration Restrictions • Citizens tried to fight immigration a number of ways— • Prominent Bostonians formed the Immigration Restriction League. • They enacted the Literacy test under Woodrow Wilson. • Powerful Progressives spoke against immigrants. • Scientists tried to prove racial inferiority using science.

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