1. USA 1919 - 1941: An introduction: What was it like in America by the end of World War I ?

2. A (very) brief history of the USA up to the late 19 th Century: WatchWatch !

3. Coming to America! Between 1850-1914, 40 million people emigrated to the USA For most the journey was hard and consisted of two weeks in the cheapest class of travel with little or no privacy There was also no guarantee that they would be allowed in!

4. Why America? Overcrowding in Europe Lack of Opportunity Unemployment Persecution America offered escape from these

5. Who were the Americans? Immigration had made the USA a very mixed society America was like ‘a melting pot’ The idea was that the immigrants lost their old identity and became AMERICANS! Old Immigrants. These were the first European settlers from Britain, Germany and Scandinavia. Their descendants tended to hold the best jobs, the most money and political power- WASPs

6. Who were the Americans ? Native American Indians. These people originally lived across the whole of the continent. Between 1850-90 they were forced off their land By 1917 many Indians lived in reservations across America Black Americans. In the C18th and C19th millions of Africans were brought to America to work as slaves. By 1920 there were 11 million Black people living in America

7. Who were the Americans? Southern and Eastern Europeans. In the late C19th most new immigrants came from Russia, Poland and Italy. Many were Jews and Catholics. Hispanics Asians

8. Coming to America! Between 1850-1914, 40 million people emigrated to the USA For most the journey was hard and consisted of two weeks in the cheapest class of travel with little or no privacy There was also no guarantee that they would be allowed in!

10. “ Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free The wretched refuse of your teaming shore Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me; I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” From poem ‘The New Colossus” Emma Lazarus 1883 Inscribed on the Statue of Liberty 1903

12. Immigrants on a ship heading towards New York circa. 1892

13. 1911 – Immigrants coming off the boat in New York

14. Immigrants arriving with baggage at Ellis Island

15. Immigrants with their belongings outside the main building

17. Immigrants taking a mental ability test

18. Waiting anxiously to see if you were cleared for onward travel

19. A view of Immigrants inside the dining hall

20. A photograph of the Great Hall taken between 1907-1912

21. The inside of the main hall as it is today.

22. Irish Family at Ellis Island anticipating their new life in America c. 1905

23. Approved for entry and waiting to leave Ellis Island

24. Questions to Consider Why do you think the Americans ‘processed’ the immigrants before letting them in? What were the push and pull factors that encouraged people to go to America? Do you think that the hopes of the immigrants would be easily achievable?

26. Immigration Control  Before the first world war, America had an ‘open doors policy’ that allowed almost anybody to move to the USA.  America was seen as a ‘melting pot’.  It was seen as a ‘land of opportunity’ because it was rich, had lots of jobs and was self-sufficient. The result was that many people emigrated there and it was a mixed society.  But by the start of the 20 th Century some Americans started demanding this ‘door’ be closed.

27. Then after World War I ……

28. Political Isolation after WW1 Why did America want to leave Europe to its own arguments? What did the American President, Woodrow Wilson come up with that the US people rejected? Why had so many Europeans left to go to the US?

29. The League of Nations Woodrow Wilson's great idea

30. The USA’s Reaction to WW1. The League of Nations was the idea of American President, Woodrow Wilson. But America never joined the League. Wilson wanted USA to join the League, but he needed the approval of the US Congress. The problem was that many Americans didn’t want to join. Many Americans had been against the USA getting involved in WW1 and were scared by the loss of US lives. They worried if America joined the League, they’d be obliged to interfere in foreign conflicts.

31. Isolationism Isolationism was where America wanted to remain cut-off from other countries to avoid any further conflict. It looked to keep the USA out of European affairs. You will recall it weakened the League of Nations. It had links with racism and ‘The Red Scare’ that we will look at in greater detail later. It also helped bring about the introduction of Trade tariffs (also more later).

32. Source Analysis: Write down FIVE questions you want to ask about this source?

33. BACKGROUND USA did not join WW1 straight away (1917) President Woodrow Wilson was opposed to war. Entered because of unrestricted U-boat attacks on American shipping. Factors affecting peoples views - IMAGE: Isolationism: New world vs. Old world Money: Tax burden American soldiers: WWI deaths German immigrants: links to Europe causing hatred Empires: opposition to British Empire

34. PLENARY: What does this source tell you about WHY America wanted to be ISOLATIONIST? Is this accurate? HINT: Use the source and your own knowledge. Progression Plenary: How much do you know about isolationism? 5=High 0=Low 0.1.2. 3. 4.5. Literary Digest 2 nd August 1919