The New Immigrants The Lure of America
“Old Immigrants” ► The
“Old Immigrants” arrived between 1800 and 1880. ► 10 million in number. ► They came from Northwestern Europe: Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, and the Scandinavian countries. They were primarily Protestants.
The “New Immigrants” ► Between
1891 and 1910 12 million immigrants came to the United States. ► In the early 1900’s 60% of the people in the nation’s 12 largest cities were either foreignborn or the children of foreign born parents.
The “New Immigrants” ► 70%
were from southern or eastern Europe. ► They were Italians, Greeks, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians, and Russians. ► Primarily Catholics, Jewish, or Greek Orthodox.
Other New Immigrants ► French
Canadians ► Armenians ► Arabs ► Chinese ► Japanese
Why They Came ► They
came for economic opportunity that could not be found in their homeland. ► Some planned to make money and return to their homeland. ► Others came to America to stay. ► Still others came to escape persecution such as Armenians and Jews.
The Business of Selling America ► Convincing
foreigners that America was the land of opportunity became a big business. ► The railroads and steamship companies hired large forces of salesmen to canvass Europe to convince people to immigrant. ► Steamship companies charged low prices to encourage immigrants to make the trip.
Life In Their New Nation ► Life
in America was often difficult and not what the railroads and steamship companies promised. ► The “New Immigrants” tended to settle in communities of people who shared the same culture and languages. ► Foreign language newspapers also sprang up as did churches and synagogues.
Benevolent Societies â–ş Founded
to help the new immigrants adjust to their new surroundings. â–ş Also aided families in distress. â–ş Helped with the start of new businesses.
The Rise of the “Boss” ► Political
“Bosses” found a new source of power by giving aid to new immigrants. ► Bosses headed “political machines.” ► These were party organizations that used patronage, or appointments to government jobs, to control elections.
Boss Tweed
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
The Boss ► The
bosses would do anything in their power to help the new immigrants. ► They expected something in return when it was election time. ► Once in power, the bosses would use any means necessary to stay in office, including violence.
The Boss â–ş Once
in power the bosses would rob the city
blind. â–ş They lined their own pockets and that of their friends.
The Nativist Reaction ► Most
New Immigrants performed low skilled, difficult manual labor for low wages. ► This did not stop native born Americans from feeling threatened. ► They viewed the sudden influx of foreigners who had different customs as a threat to the “American way of life.”
Panic of 1873 ► The
Chinese, who had been present in California for a long time, became the object of attack. ► The Workingman’s Party of California, led by Irish immigrant Dennis Kearney, declared “the Chinese must go.” ► Chinese were attacked all over the state.
Unfair Treatment â–ş Chinese
leaders asked for protection and help from the government. They were ignored and had laws preventing them from owning property or working at certain types of jobs. â–ş The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 denied citizenship to people born in China and prohibited the importation of Chinese laborers.
The Immigration Restriction League ► Founded
in 1894 in Boston. ► Sought to impose a literacy test on all immigrants. ► Congress passed the law but President Cleveland vetoed it in 1897.
New York Harbor & Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island – Inspection Room