Immigration and Americanization1. Look at the images and answer the questions that

follow on your graphic organizer. 2. Read the information and summarize the topic on your

graphic organizer. Be sure to use the vocabulary.

A: ImmigrationQuestions:

1. What is happening in this image?

2. Why might the people be getting on a boat to

leave their homeland?

3. How do you think they feel and why?

Information:

· Between 1890 and 1920, millions of people

immigrated to the United States from eastern and

southern Europe. Wars, famine (hunger), religious

persecution, and overpopulation were four major

reasons why people left Europe and came to the

United States

· Many native-born Americans viewed the new

immigrants as a threat to the American way of life.

They wanted the new immigrants to assimilate, or

adopt the language and customs of the dominant

culture in American society.

B: Ports of DestinationQuestions:

1. Who are the men with their shirts off?

2. Who is the man with the stethoscope?

3. What is happening in this image?

4. Why do you think the immigrants are being inspected

5. How do you think the immigrants feel?

Information:

· Most immigrants to the United States arrived at 1 of 2 places – Ellis

Island (East coast, New York) or Angel Island (West coast, San Francisco).

· Immigrants to the east coast arrived from Western, Central, and

Eastern Europe. Immigrants to the west coast arrived from Central and

South-East Asia (mostly China).

· The processing of immigrants was a humiliating and dehumanizing

experience for many.

· With a huge number of immigrants arriving every day, the inspectors

had just two minutes to complete each medical inspection and ask each

immigrant 32 background questions.

· Newcomers found to have contagious diseases could be shipped back

home, and many immigrants had their last names changed by inspectors

who did not have the time or patience to struggle with foreign spellings!

C: How immigrants were Americanized

Questions:

1. What do you see in this image?2. Why are the adults in the room?3. What do you notice about the diversity of the people in the room?4. Why do you think this an example of Americanization?

Information:

· The Americanization movement was an effort by the government and

private citizens. Its purpose was to teach new immigrants the skills and

customs that would allow them to become part of the mainstream culture.

· Immigrants and their children were encouraged to attend public

schools and other classes to learn English. They would also learn about

American history and government.

· Thousands of adult immigrants attended night school. Some employers,

such as Henry Ford, offered daytime programs to their immigrant workers.

· Organizations also offered classes in cooking and social etiquette

(behavior). These classes were designed to help immigrants learn the

customs of the dominant culture, with the expectation that they would

abandon their own culture.

D: Effects of the Americanization Movement

Questions:

1. What is happening in this image?2. Who are the men on the left and right?3. What is the author of the cartoon trying to say about the state of immigration in the United States?

Information:

· Many immigrants, especially children in the public schools, learned English

and assimilated quickly.

· Many others resented the idea that they should give up their own culture and

language. Some combined American language and customs with those from their

native countries. Many chose to live in neighborhoods with other immigrants who

shared their language, customs, and religion (Chinatown is an excellent example

of this voluntary separation). It was these immigrant groups that led to a “great

fear” of the United States becoming less American.

· Labor activists accused Ford of teaching immigrants not to question company

management. They believed he was using Americanization programs to weaken

the labor movement.

· Catholics were concerned about the Protestant teachings and readings in the

public schools. They started their own schools to give their children a Catholic

education.