Immigration and urbanization

You are there… The year is 1880. New York City’s swelling population has created a housing crises. Immigrant families crowd into apartments that lack light, ventilation, and sanitary facilities. Children have no where to play except the streets and are often kept out of school to work and help support their families. You are a reformer who wishes to help immigrants improve their lives….

Discussion: Turn and Talk 1. What would you do to improve conditions? 2. What skills do newcomers need to make it? 3. How might immigrants respond to help from an outsider? 4. How do you think you’d react?

Why Did The Immigrants Come Here? Between 1870 & 1920, about 20 million Europeans immigrated to the U.S. 1. 2 3. 4.

New Immigrants New Immigrants= Old Immigrants- After 1900, New Immigrants made up 70% of all immigrants. American natives felt threatened by the new immigrants

Old v. New RELIGION BIRTHPLACE REASONS DESTINATION OCCUPATION

A Difficult Journey: Turn and Talk: What main issues do you think the immigrants faced when coming into the USA? Which of these do you think would be most difficult for you if you were an immigrant? How do you think they were treated? What do you think was the overall American view on immigration at this time? (similar or different from today?)

Push Factors Push Factors= Things that force/“push” people out of a place or land.

Push Factors 1880s- Farmers had a difficult time in Mexico, Poland, and China. 1840s- many wars and political revolutions in China and Eastern Europe which caused economic troubles. Russian and Eastern European Jews faced religious persecution and fled to the U.S. for safety.

Pull Factors Pull Factors= Things that attract people to a place or land.

Pull Factors 1862 Homestead Act and aid from railroad companies made western farmland inexpensive. Workers were recruited from homelands to … . Many wanted to find . Chain immigrants=

Journey to America Many immigrants could barely afford a ticket to come to the U.S. They could only pack what they could carry. (Clothes, photograph, tools for their trade) Many would wait in line for hours to try to get on a ship and in many cases it was very dangerous to do this.

Journey to America Steerage= Where most immigrants traveled on the ship. Steerage was located on the lowest decks of the ship with no private cabins, and was dirty and crowded. Seasickness was an issue in rough weather and illnesses spread quickly in the lower decks.

Immigrants Arrive in America 2 ports of entry into the U.S. - New York City - San Francisco Bay To enter the ports immigrants had to…. They had to go through a series of health tests and evaluations and could possibly be sent back to their homeland if they did not meet proper guidelines..

Ellis Island was built in 1892 as the 1st “Immigration Center” Later, closed in the 1940s Today it is a museum. The goal was to “screen” immigrants coming from Europe. Immigrants took physical examinations and were held at Ellis Island before they were released to the US mainland.

Ellis Island

Here Are The Exact Questions Used: 1.What is your name? 2. Have you ever been to the America before? 3. Do you have any relatives here? If the answer was yes, then asked where they lived. 4. Is there anyone who came to meet you at Ellis Island? 5. Who paid for your passage? 6. Do you have any money? ( If the answer was yes then immigrant was told: Let me see it.) 7. Do you have a job waiting for you in America? 8. Do you have a criminal record?

Angel Island

Immigrants Assimilate Into Society

Immigration Restrictions: America started to be called a - Many cultures & races had blended But, many immigrants refused to give up their culture.

Assimilation Americanization = helping newcomers learn American ways. (Language, customs, dress, and diet) In many cities Americanization institutions arose to help immigrants fit in.

Immigrants Face Hostility Nativism = belief that native born white Americans were superior to immigrants. Competition for jobs and homes often fueled resentment and religious and cultural differences caused tensions as well. Chinese Exclusion Act = A later ruling said the Chinese who were already in America were considered U.S. citizens.

The Rise of Nativism: Some Americans didn’t like so many immigrants living in the U.S. NATIVISM- preference for native- born Americans. Nativism 1. Gave rise to anti- immigrant groups 2. Led to a demand for immigration restrictions.

Chinese Exclusion Act Resentment and discrimination against the Chinese. First law to restrict immigration. Taking away jobs from Nativists

Congress also passed another act that prohibited the entry of anyone who was a criminal, immoral, or someone who handicapped. These were the beginnings of immigration restriction in America. A quota act is later going to be placed on how many immigrants can come to the U.S. from a given country.

Immigrants Change America Immigrants changed America in many ways. Mexican Americans developed.... ….workers built railroads. Immigrants worked in coal mines, steel and textile mills, and factories. Women immigrants worked in factories, seamstresses, laundresses, made piecework, and worked as servants. Immigrants helped the U.S. become a world power.