Chapter 15 Urban America Section 1 Immigration

Europeans Flood Into the U.S. By the 1890s, eastern and southern Europeans made up more than half of all immigrants. Of the 14 million, many were European Jews. America offered immigrants: Employment Few immigrant restrictions Avoidance of military service Religious freedom Chance to move up the social ladder

The Atlantic Voyage Most immigrants took the difficult trip to the U.S. in steerage, the least expensive accommodations on a steamship. Normally took 14 days and ended at Ellis Island, the processing center on the East coast after 1892.

Ellis Island

The Atlantic Voyage Most passed through Ellis Island in a day. Some faced possible separation from family and deportation due to health problems.

Ethnic Cities Most immigrants settled in cities. Neighborhoods were separated into ethnic groups. They duplicated many of the comforts of their homelands, including language and religion.

Asian Immigration to America Factors in the increase in Asian immigration: Severe unemployment, poverty, and famine in China. Discovery of gold in California The Taiping Rebellion in China Demand for RR workers in the U.S.

Asian Immigration to America In Western cities, Chinese immigrants worked as: Laborers Servants Skilled tradesmen Merchants Some opened their own laundries

Asian Immigration to America B/w 1900 & 1919, Japanese immigration to the U.S. drastically increased as Japan began to build an industrial economy and empire.

Angel Island

Asian Immigration to the U.S – barracks opened on Angel Island in California. Asian immigrants, mostly young men and boys, waited sometimes for months for the results of immigration hearings.

The Resurgence of Nativism The increase in immigration led to nativism, an extreme dislike for foreigners by native- born people and the desire to limit immigration. 1840s & 1850s nativism was directed toward the Irish. Early 1900s, it was the Asian, Jews, and eastern Europeans.

The Resurgence of Nativism Nativism led to the formation of 2 anti- immigration groups: The American Protective Association Workingman’s Party of California

American Protective Association 500,000 members by Henry Bowers – founder Disliked Catholics and foreigners. Wanted to stop immigration.

Workingman’s Party of California Denis Kearny, an Irish immigrant, organized the party. They wanted to stop Chinese immigration. Racial violence resulted Party won seats in CA legislature and made Chinese immigration a national issue.

Impact of the Anti-Immigration Movement 1882 – Congress passed Chinese Exclusion Act. Barred Chinese immigrants for 10 years & prevented Chinese already in America from becoming citizens. Act renewed in 1892, made permanent in Repealed in 1943.

End of Section 1 Next: Section 2 Urbanization