Urban America: 1865 – 1896 Immigration Chapter 4 Lesson 1 Urban America: 1865 – 1896 Immigration

Immigrant = person who comes to a new place to live permanently The foreign-born population of the U.S. nearly doubled between 1870 and 1900. Immigrant = person who comes to a new place to live permanently Post-Civil War America 25 Million Immigrants came to America b/w 1865 - 1914 #s would steadily grow until 1920s The New Immigrants Essential Question: How did European Immigrants of the late 1800s change American Society?

Colonial Period (thru Indep.) “Old Immigrants” Colonial Period (thru Indep.) Mostly English Scots-Irish, German, Swedish, Dutch Settled throughout Eastern Seaboard Old Immigration (Independence – Civil War) Northern & Western Europe (Still English) Ireland, Germany, Scandanavia * Old immigrants had profound influence on shaping society * Brought language (English), forms of government (Democracy), religion (Protestantism), Family & cultural traditions (strong family ties), economic patterns The New Immigrants Patterns of Immigration in the United States: OLD vs. NEW

Until 1870, the majority of immigrants were Protestant Christians from Western & Northern Europe (WASPs) “New” Immigrants: Mostly from southern and eastern Europe Italy, Greece, Poland, Austria -Hungary, Russia, Serbia (Many immigrants Arrived until WWI, when the U.S. restricted immigration) Many immigrants on West Coast from Asia – China & Japan Unskilled Poor Catholic, Jewish, Orthodox Radical Politics (Socialism, Anarchy) Settled in cities not farms. *Single males The New Immigrants

Push Factors: Compel people to leave their homes, such as famine, war, or persecution. Jews from Eastern Europe (Russia/Poland) came in large numbers because of persecution Pull Factors: Draw people to a new place, such as economic opportunity or religious freedom. Immigrants were recruited from Europe to work building railroads in western U.S. Chain Immigrants: Joining family or friends that are already settled in America. The New Immigrants Push/Pull factors lead to Immigration

The Immigrant Experience The Atlantic Voyage: Steamships made the trip across the Atlantic safer and faster than ever before. Three months now took 2 weeks Large sacrifices were made to come to the U.S. Steerage: Located on the lower decks with no private cabins, crowded and dirty. Worst Accommodations The Immigrant Experience

The Immigrant Experience Ellis Island: All third-class, or steerage, passengers were sent here. Immigration officers conducted legal and medical inspections. (Only 2% were denied entry.) Immigrants w/ disesases (leprosy, V.D.) were sent back Customs officials often Anglicized names *About 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954! The Immigrant Experience

Ellis Island

Ellis Island

The Immigrant Experience Angel Island: Immigration station in San Francisco Bay. Designed to filter out Chinese immigrants. Very harsh towards Chinese – had to prove U.S. citizenship or had family here The Immigrant Experience

The Immigrant Experience Most poor immigrants stayed in cities close to industrial jobs in factories. Some traveled West to North Central States Lived in ethnic neighborhoods with people who shared their native language, religion, and culture. Often grouped together with folks from same village or region Provided the most help and comfortable surroundings The Immigrant Experience

The Immigrant Experience By 1890, NYC contained: Twice as many Irish as Dublin Same amount of Germans as Hamburg ½ as many Italians as Naples 2.5 x Jews than Warsaw 4/5 New Yorkers had been born abroad or were children of foreign born parents The Immigrant Experience Impact on Urbanization

Mulberry Street – “Little Italy”

Hester Street – Jewish Section

Pell Street – “China Town”

Most Immigrants Settled in Urban Areas (Specifically Industrial Centers)

How were “new” Immigrants absorbed into the larger society? Assimilation Americanization: Programs helping newcomers learn English and adapt American dress, diet, work habits, etc. Settlement houses – ran the Americanization programs Many Americans believed that America was quickly becoming a “melting pot” “Melting Pot”: White people of all different nationalities blended to create a single culture. (Asians/African Americans excluded ?) Resulting culture is made up of various, unidentifiable cultures It usually took 1-2 generations to become more Americanized Salad Bowl (pluralism) Groups do not always lose distinctive characteristics Can and do live side by side Groups, like different vegetables in a salad, remain identifiable but create a new, larger whole How were “new” Immigrants absorbed into the larger society? Another theory

Nativism became a movement As immigration continued into the early 1900s, many Americans rejected the “new” immigrants Nativism became a movement Nativism – belief that Native-born white Americans (descendents of “old” immigrants) were superior to newcomers Nativist resentment stemmed from several factors: Competition for jobs and housing (during a recession) Religious and Cultural Differences (Protestants vs. Catholics and Jews) “New Immigrants” seen as threat – Main targets were Asians, Jews, and eastern Europeans. Nativism Fight for power: WHITE ANGLO- SAXON PROTESTANT

Laws were passed to limit immigration Chinese Exclusion Act – 1882 prohibited immigration by Chinese laborers for 10 years Limited the civil rights of Chinese immigrants in U.S. Forbade the naturalization of Chinese residents *Eventually a quota system was established (Emergency Quota Act) Nativism

“The Gentlemen’s Agreement” 1906 San Fransisco School board required all Japanese and Chinese school children to attend segregated “Oriental” Schools Japan took offense President Teddy Roosevelt made a deal – Place a limit on Japanese immigration if San Fran. School board would revoke segregation order *This was not an official treaty, and required leaders from US and Japan to uphold their end of agreement Nativism