IMMIGRATION AND URBANIZATION

Push Factors● Push Factors= Things that force/“push” people out

of a place or land.

◼ Drought or famine◼ Political revolutions or wars◼ Religious persecution◼ Economic struggles

Pull Factors● Pull Factors= Things that attract people to a place

or land.

◼ Plentiful Land◼ Employment◼ Religious Freedom◼ Political Freedom◼ New Life

New Immigrants● New Immigrants= are Southern and Eastern Europeans

during 1870s until 1914 and the start of WWI.◼ Came from Ireland, Germany, Italy, Greece, Poland, Hungary and

Russia.◼ Often unskilled, poor, Catholic or Jewish, and planning to save

some money to take back home.

● Old Immigrants- Came before the Civil War, usually Irish and German immigrants; from Northern/Western Europe

● After 1900, New Immigrants made up 70% of all immigrants.

● American natives felt threatened by the new immigrants

New ImmigrantsWhere did they come from?How many Came to the US?When did they arrive?Where did they settle?

Immigrants from Europe

Old New New New

Which US region had the lowest percentage of immigrants in 1910?

RELIGION

BIRTHPLACE

REASONS

DESTINATION

OCCUPATION

Protestant Catholic and Jewish

North/Western Southern/Eastern Europe Europe

Both escaping poverty, religious and political persecution

Moved to farms Moved to cities in the in the Midwest Northeast

Became farmers Unskilled/factory workers

Old v. New

Push Factors● 1880s- Farmers had a difficult time in Mexico,

Poland, and China.

● 1840s- many wars and political revolutions in China and Eastern Europe which caused economic problems/poverty.

● Russian and Eastern European Jews faced religious persecution and fled to the U.S. for safety.

Pull Factors● 1862 Homestead Act and aid from railroad

companies made western farmland inexpensive.

● Immigrant workers were recruited to build the Transcontinental railroads, dig mines, or work in factories.

● Many wanted to find gold.

● Chain immigrants= come to be with family or friends who had gone before to start new lives.

● The Union Pacific and the Pacific Central sold land alongside the tracks to profit from their building.

● The US Federal Government offered 160 acres of land for free in the West to settlers who would farm or develop it within 5 years.

Journey to America● Many immigrants could barely afford a ticket to

come to the U.S.

● They could only pack what they could carry. (Clothes, photographs, tools for their trade)

● Many would wait in line for hours to try to get on a ship and in many cases it was very dangerous to do this.

Journey to America● Steerage= Where most immigrants traveled on the

ship.

● Steerage was located on the lowest decks of the ship with no private cabins, and was dirty,unsanitary, and crowded.

● Seasickness was an issue in rough weather and illnesses spread quickly in the lower decks.

Immigrants Arrive in America● 2 ports of entry into the U.S.

◼ Ellis Island- New York City◼ Angel Island- San Francisco Bay

● To enter the ports immigrants had to be healthy and show they had money, a skill, or a sponsor to provide for them.

● They had to go through a series of health tests and evaluations and could possibly be sent back to their homeland if they did not meet proper guidelines.

● Fewer than 1% of immigrants were barred from entering the US

Ellis Island was built in

1892 as the 1st “Immigration

Center”Later, closed in the 1940sToday it is a

museum.

•The goal was to “screen” immigrants coming from Europe.•Immigrants took physical examinations and were held at Ellis Island before they

were released to the US mainland.

Ellis Island● Most European immigrants came through here. (NYC)

● 1st and 2nd class passengers were inspected on the ship then released.

● 3rd class had to go in to be inspected.

● A series of medical and legal inspections would take place before you were allowed to take a ferry in to the city.

● Ellis Island was the more welcoming of the two ports.

Angel Island in San Francisco Bay● Most Chinese and Asian immigrants came through here (San

Francisco Bay)● Opened in 1910. ● Made it very hard for Chinese immigrants to come into the U.S.● Most had to prove they were American citizens to be let in. ● Immigrants were sometimes left here for days or weeks in poor

conditions.

Immigrants Assimilate Into Society● Assimilate = to fit in.

● Most immigrants stayed in cities and lived in ethnic neighborhoods called ghettos.

● These neighborhoods would share the same language, religion, and culture.

● By 1890 many cities had a huge immigrant population. 4/5 people in NYC were immigrants.

Assimilation● Americanization = helping newcomers learn

American ways. (Language, customs, dress, and diet)

● In many cities Americanization institutions arose to help immigrants fit in.

● America became known as the “Melting Pot” or blending of cultures. Others have called the a “tossed salad” with many distinct groups assimilating in their own ways.

● Immigrants usually stuck with their native cultures but children of immigrants were more likely to adopt American ways.

Immigrants Face Hostility● Nativism = belief that native born white Americans were

superior to immigrants.

● Competition for jobs and homes often fueled resentment and religious and cultural differences caused tensions as well.

● Chinese Exclusion Act = 1882 Prohibited immigration by Chinese laborers, limited civil rights of immigrants in America, and forbade naturalization of Chinese residents.

● A later court ruling said the Chinese who were already in America were considered U.S. citizens.

Chinese Exclusion Act● Resentment and

discrimination against the

Chinese.

● First law to restrict immigration.

● Taking away jobs from Nativists

Restrictions on Immigration● Congress also passed another act that prohibited

the entry of anyone who was a criminal, immoral, or someone who handicapped.

● These were the beginnings of immigration restriction in America.

● A quota act is later going to be placed on how many immigrants can come to the U.S. from a given country.

● 1921 & 1924 Congress passed laws that lowered the number of Europeans & Asians

● All immigrants faced prejudice upon arrival

Immigrants Change America● Immigrants changed America in many ways.

▪ Fueled industrial growth▪ Acquired citizenship▪ Elected politicians▪ Made their traditions a part of American culture.

◼ Mexican Americans developed ranching techniques.◼ Chinese, Irish, and Mexican workers built railroads.◼ Immigrants worked in coal mines, steel and textile mills,

and factories.◼ Women immigrants worked in factories, seamstresses,

laundresses, made piecework, and worked as servants.

◼ Immigrants helped the U.S. become a world power.