Immigration in the Gilded Age
I. Waves of Immigration Colonial Immigration: 1600s s “Old” Immigration: “New” Immigration: Gilded Age Immigration ( ) – 11.7 million people
Where did they come from? Shift toward Southern and Eastern Europe (Italy, Poland, Russia), although British, Irish, Germans, and Scandinavians still immigrated East Asia (China, Japan)
Why did they leave? Push Factors Poverty War Persecution (religious and political) Pull Factors Perceived economic and social advantage
How did they get here? Improvements in transportation – steam ships, railroads Ticket agents
Where did they settle? Favored urban industrial centers Irish - New England Italians and Russians – Middle Atlantic Germans and Scandinavians – Midwest and North central states Asians: West coast
What did they do? Industrial jobs – unskilled Hardest, lowest paying, most hazardous Women and children worked Some were drawn to agriculture, but that cost money Many Jews sent their children to colleges to assimilate
How did they live? Ethnic enclaves (ghettos) Chinatowns, Little Italies, etc.
In what ways did their culture change or stay the same? Language rarely persisted past a generation Religion was maintained, but that also evolved Most children desired to be “American”
US Immigration Policy US ends its open and unrestricted immigration policies Nativism: Belief in the superiority of one’s home country; desire to restrict immigration and the rights of immigrants Know Nothing Party: discriminated against Catholics “Irish need not apply” Chinese Exclusion Act – limited Chinese immigration Gentlemen’s Agreement – limited Japanese immigration
Theories of Immigration “Melting Pot” Theory – people from various cultures formed a unique American culture. Individual groups aren’t easily distinguishable. Assimilation – Immigrant cultures disappeared into an already existing American culture Pluralism (Salad Bowl Theory) – Groups do not lose their distinctive characteristics. Each group contributes in different ways to society.