Immigration

Who were the new Immigrants in the late 1800s? (where coming from)

New Immigrants Where were people migrating from in the late 1800s? Southern and Eastern Europe China

Where did they enter into the US? Ellis Island – East Coast Angel Island – West Coast

Give me your tired, your poor….. Emma Lazarus Physical, Legal, and Mental Exams Processed 70% of immigrants

What hardships did immigrants experience?

Life as an Immigrant What hardships did these new immigrants face? Low wage, unskilled jobs Crowded tenements Restrictions on where they could live and the jobs they could have Created own ethnic neighborhoods ‘Little Italy’ ‘Lower East Side’ Discrimination Chinese Exclusion Act – barred Chinese immigrants for 10 years and those already in US were denied citizenship

Urban Politics Political machines provided necessities in exchange for party votes Party bosses led political machines and controlled city’s finances Many bosses grew rich due to fraud Tammany Hall – Democratic political machine of NYC - led by Boss Tweed who was arrested for corruption

Why did Immigrants come to US?

Push Factors Reasons to Leave Famine War Religious persecution Poverty Political oppression Corrupt gov’t

Pull Factors Reasons to come to a particular country Economic opportunity Jobs Land Education Healthcare Freedoms – religion, politics, speech, etc.

Push or Pull? In 1846 the Potato Famine leaves many people in Ireland without food All across Europe there were huge crop failures in 1846 and 1847. Many farmers in Europe couldn’t pay for their land The US Congress passed the Homestead Act in 1862. It granted citizens of the US 160 acres of land in western areas of the country

Push or Pull? Between 1880 and 1900 thousands of factory jobs become available in the United States because of westward expansion and development of new industries Many Jewish people leave Russia in 1882 because of hatred toward them. This kind of racism is called anti-Semitism