The New Immigrants Section 5.1

Key Terms Objectives “new” immigrant “melting pot” Steerage Nativism Ellis Island Chinese Exclusion Act Angel Island Americanization Objectives Compare the “new immigration” of the late 1800’s to earlier immigration. Explain the push & pull factors leading immigrants to America. Describe the challenges that immigrants faces in traveling to America. Analyze how immigrants adapted to American life while trying to maintain familiar cultural practices.

New Immigrants Come to America 2 reasons for immigrating: economic opportunity &/or religious persecution. Colonial period – 1870s – northern & western European immigrants 1840’s – 1850’s – German & Irish immigrants 1870’s = “new immigrant” Southern & Eastern European immigrants Unskilled Poor City Dwellers Greece, Italy, Poland, Hungary & Russia By 1900, 70% of all immigrants were new immigrants.

Immigrants Decide to leave Home Push Factors Pull Factors Economic Land issues with farmers Repeated European wars Political Revolutions in Europe Religious Persecution Russian & Eastern Europeans Largest group 1880’s 1862 Homestead Act Railroads Inexpensive farmland Jobs “Chain Immigrants Joining family & friends already in America. Thought that families lured people to America with the promise of religious and political freedom.

The Immigrant Experience 3 common themes: Decision of leaving family & friends at home Hard & costly journey with uncertain end Difficulties of adjusting to a foreign country. The Immigrant Experience The Journey Choose items to take/only what you can carry Get a ticket Go to the port of departure and wait for a ship 1870’s – Steamships – made trip safer & faster Awful voyage Traveled in Steerage Lower decks No private cabins Crowded & dirty Illness & possibly death

American Immigration Ports Ellis Island – New York Harbor Began processing in 1892 Entry requirements: Healthy Show money, skill or sponsor 1st & 2nd class passengers were inspected on ship and released with no additional inspections. Shipowners did preliminary screening on board so only approx. 2% were denied entry from each ship. Process took approx. a few hours. Angel Island – San Francisco Harbor Chinese & other Asian Immigrants Opened in 1910 Designed to filter out Chinese immigrants. After 1882 – proof of relatives was required for entry. Held immigrants for weeks to months in poor conditions.

Opportunities & Challenges in America What problems did they face once they got here? Where to live Work Learn a new language Learn new customs

Assimilation into American Society Agents assisted immigrants with settling into America. Took $$ advantage of immigrants. Most stayed in cities for factory work Lived in ghettoes – neighborhoods with similar cultures. 1890 – 40% of San Francisco population is immigrants. -- 4 out of 5 New Yorkers were foreign born or had foreign born parents. Americanization programs helped newcomers learn English language & culture. Polish National Alliance & Ancient Order of Hibernians were created. Provided social & financial assistance to immigrants. “Melting Pot” – American belief that white people of all different nationalities blended to create a single culture. Term came from a play that opened in 1908 that excluded Asians.

Hostility Against Immigrants Nativism – belief that native-born Americans were superior to newcomers. Economic Recessions Competition for jobs & housing Religious differences Cultural differences Restrictive contracts agreeing not to rent or sell to “non- native” Chinese Exclusion Act 1882 Prohibited immigration by Chinese Limited the civil rights of Chinese in America Forbade the naturalization of Chinese residents. Chinese feared if they left America they wouldn’t be able to return. Marked the beginning of immigration restrictions into the US!

Immigrants Change America Fueled industrial growth Acquired Citizenship Elected politicians Made their traditions part of American culture. IMMIGRANT LABOR HELPED THE US BECOME A WORLD POWER! Immigrants expanded the definition of AMERICA!