Immigration and Urbanization * US History

America is a country of immigrants Everyone came from somewhere else 1900 Immigrant population: 26% Germany 16% Ireland 11% Scandinavia 8% England 5% Italy 4% Russia 3.5% Poland 25% Other

Coming to America Immigrants from Europe and Asia came to the US by one method. Passenger Ship The trip took about a week from Europe and three weeks from Asia. The cheapest passage was in “steerage” Until the 20th Century, America needed cheap labor so we favored an open immigration policy

Processing Immigrants Ellis Island European immigrants passed through Opened in 1890 as a federal immigration processing center By the time it closed in 1954, 12 million immigrants passed through it to new lives in America Angel Island The “Ellis Island” of the west Processed over 1 million Asian immigrants into America

Ellis Island Physical examination by a doctor Those with serious health problems or a contagious disease were sent home for deportation About 20% were detained for a day or more before inspection Only about 2% were denied entry Checked documents and questioned immigrants on whether they met legal requirements: 1. Must be able to prove they had never been convicted of a felony, 2. Able to work 3. Showing they had some money.

De-Facto Segregation Many immigrants stayed in New York Created ethnic enclaves throughout the city Little Italy Jewish and Irish Neighborhoods Why might people group in this way? Do we still group ourselves in this way?

Restrictions on Immigrants This influx of immigrants concerned many in America American immigrants were expected to give up ethnicity and language and assimilate Many new immigrants did not want to or could not give up their old ways. Melting pot vs. Salad Which do you think is better?

Restrictions on Immigrants Americans began to want to restrict immigrants coming into the US. A “nativist” attitude sets in Many in Congress supported imposing literacy tests on immigrants To prevent immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe from coming in. Labor unions began to oppose immigration feared increased immigration would make jobs scarce for Americans

Chinese Exclusion Act Discrimination against Asians (particularly Chinese) was rampant The depression of 1873 made work scarce The Workingmen’s Party spearheaded the effort to reduce Chinese immigration Afraid cheap Chinese labor would take jobs from poor Americans

Gentlemen’s Agreement The Chinese were not the only ones to suffer from nativist sentiment Americans in San Francisco began segregating Japanese students in schools in 1906 Japan protested the treatment of its emigrants President Theodore Roosevelt made a deal with Japan They limit emigration from Japan of unskilled workers and the US would lift the segregation