Section 5.1 Immigration

Today’s Agenda Current Events Immigration Slide Show Presentations –George Bellows –Alfred Stieglitz Homework –Start reading 5.2

Why did they come to America?

“The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. “"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!"” cries she With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

What motivated them to come?

“Observe immigrants, you are struck by the fact that from ten to twenty percent are hirsute, low-browed, big-faced persons of obviously low mentality…they clearly belong in skins, in wattled huts at the close of the Ice Age.” Professor Edward A. Ross sociologist

Which description best represents the true picture of immigration into America at the turn of the century? Both

Objectives At the end of this lesson you should be able to: Describe the change in immigration after 1890 (demography, culture, religion) Define assimilation and describe problems associated with it for immigrants List social problems faced by city dwellers

What is your ethnicity? When did your ancestors (grandparents, great-grandparents) come to America? What year (about)? Where did they live? Occupation? What made them come here?

Describe how immigration changed after Greatly increased –25 million Demographic shift –Before 1890 From Northern and Western Europe –Great Britain, Ireland, Germany Protestant –After 1890 to1920 From Southern and Eastern Europe –Italy, Greece, Poland, Russia –New Faiths (Catholic, Jewish) –Poor and uneducated

What problems did they encounter? Assimilation –Polish immigrant quote pg. 154 Eugenics –The Passing of the Great Race (1916) “lesser breeds” will “mongrelize” America Nativism/Xenophobia –Henry Bowers Protective Association Immigration Restriction League Literacy Tests

Who wants the flow of immigration to continue? Factory Owners Why? Cheap Labor

How did people in art react to these new problems? George Bellows Presentation

What about today? How open should our borders be? Click for clip