1. Immigration in the 19th Century

2. Early Immigration
Prior to 1871, most immigrants to America came from northern and western Europe (Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden)
From 1871 to 1921, most immigrants came from southern and eastern Europe (Italy, Greece, Poland, and Russia) as well as from Asia (China and Japan)
These immigrants came to America seeking better lives and futures for their families

3. Immigrant Workers
In the West, Chinese workers helped build the Transcontinental Railroad
All sorts of immigrants worked in the textile and steel mills
Slavs, Italians, and Poles worked in the coal mines in the East
Immigrants often worked for low pay and in dangerous working
conditions, but were vital
to building the nation’s
industrial strength

4. How Immigrants Entered the U.S.
Immigrants from Europe entered the United States through Ellis Island at New York harbor
Their first view of America was often the Statue of Liberty, which represented a symbol of hope and a new life
“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-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

5. The Melting Pot
Immigrants brought forth a new type of culture known as the “melting pot” – bringing together different cultures and ideas to form a new society
Immigrants worked hard to learn English and assimilate into American culture, while also bringing in new ideas