The History of Immigration To America:

The Past to the Presentby: Jeff Bernadt

The Causes of Immigration

• America was built by Immigrants! * Colonial Immigration, Ellis Island, Today

Why Immigrants come to United States1. Religious persecution

2. Economic Reasons3. Political Turmoil

1880s: Americans needed immigrants to fill a growing number of factory jobs.

Change in European society also affects immigration:1. Population Increase2. Spread of commercial agriculture 3. Factory System

Immigrants and Urban Settlements

• Although many immigrants settled in rural America, a great majority settled in cities.

• Largest Immigrant Cities of the Time:

** New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Chicago

• Five out of every six Irish and Russian Immigrants lived in cities

• Three out of four Italian and Hungarian Immigrants lived in cities

• Seven out of 10 English Immigrants came to cities

Why did European Immigrants Settle in Cities?• Many European Immigrants came with little money to buy farms or expensive farming equipment

• Farming was far different than in Europe

• Living in Cities gave Italians and Jewish people a chance to worship with others without persecution.

• Irish Immigrants lived In cities because farming reminded them of working the land at home ( English landlords kept Irish in oppression)

• Cities gave immigrants a chance to create their own mini-communities (Education, religion, community, and Education)

Reactions of European Immigration

• Natives: In this context refers not to Indian tribes, but rather to Americans who, although their ancestors had been immigrants just generations before

• Initially Big Business was pro-immigration because it gave them a larger pool of workers.

• Eventually the workers would organize into unions and there would be instability in the workforce.

Eugenics• Claimed that cultural and social patterns were a result of heredity, and hence controllable through selective breeding.

• Americans seized upon eugenics as a means of rationalizing their racism “scientifically”

• Eugenics could claim using science as evidence that some humans had inferior traits, thus causing our social problems

• At the time many believed that Eastern Europeans, African-Americans, Jews, Asians, Middle Eastern, and Indians were inferior and Eugenics gave them the proof.

Ellis Island1. Countries of Origin:

* England, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Hungary, Armenia, Poland, Turkey, Romania, Russia, Greece, Caribbean

2. We were competing with other countries for Immigrants- Canadians, Australians, Brazilians, Argentineans, South Africans

3. American Businesses literally advertised for Immigrants

* Everybody is rich, streets of gold, and even the maids have maids

* America would win the battle for immigrants due to higher wages and a desirable political system

Towards the end of the 1890s there would be a need to slow immigration

* Steam Boat companies now had to screen people they brought over

Why Ellis Island? • Prior to the Ellis Island years immigration was controlled by individual states.

• 1840-1860s: First large wave of immigration to U.S

* New York Population from 400,000 to 1 million in 20 years

* Castle Garden: New York’s idea for an immigration station to control strong influx of immigration.

* 1882: U.S. government took control of Immigration

• They were worried we would become the world’s hospital or poor house. There needed to be immigration control.

•Ellis Island opens January 1, 1892

Ellis Island

1. Ellis Island has been called the “Isle of hope and tears.”

2. It was the place that many “dreamers, seekers, and escapees” started a new life.

3. 1892-1954: Ellis Island was the United States main principle immigration station.

** During this 62 year period 12 million passed through the doors of Ellis Island (75% of total immigration)

** 4 out of every 10 Americans can trace ancestry through Ellis Island

Images of Ellis Island

Images of Ellis Island

• US Inspectors examining eyes of Immigrants

•Air View From Ellis Island

History of U.S. Immigration Policy

Statue of Liberty Inscription

“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddledMasses yearning to breather free. TheWretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, the tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Emma Lazarus 1886

A Historical Look at Immigration

• 1820-Today: 65 Million immigrants have entered the country.• 1820-1880: Most from Great Britain, Ireland, and Germany. • 1880-1890: 40% or 26 million. (Italy, Russia, A.H., Poland) • 1980s: 9.5 Million• 1990s: 13 Million • 2001: More than 1 million immigrants entered the country• Today the U.S population is reaching 290 Million People.

– Many argue that we should no longer accept immigrants– Others point out that we need the energy and skills of

newcomers. – What about the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01

** Immigrants have always been met with apprehension, but we have always had jobs to fill.

** People are seeking jobs and a better life.

Why has the U.S been attractive to newcomers?

• There has always been land to settle and jobs to fill.

- Europe during the Industrial Revolution* Shift from agriculture* Rising Population * Diseases

- U.S.* Needed people to fill factory jobs* Expanding West * Railroad Workers

• Today: Hispanic Immigrants are the largest immigrant group - Poor economy in many of these countries of origin- Immigrants seek employment and a better life.

What types of Work?• Historically immigrants have competed for jobs with lower

wages and more difficult working conditions. - Many labor unions agree that new immigrant groups lower wages and prevent working conditions from improving. - This sentiment is reflected in the attitudes of blue-collar workers throughout history.

* 1860s: Railroad workers (1882 Chinese Exclusion Act)* Present Day: Labor intensive and some trade

positions- Meat Packing Plants- Factory Positions- Construction (Could include specific trades)

* Who favors immigration: - Big Business- Large Farmers

What types of Work?• Historically immigrants have competed for jobs with lower

wages and more difficult working conditions. - Many labor unions agree that new immigrant groups lower wages and prevent working conditions from improving. - This sentiment is reflected in the attitudes of blue-collar workers throughout history.

* 1860s: Railroad workers (1882 Chinese Exclusion Act)* Present Day: Labor intensive and some trade

positions- Meat Packing Plants- Factory Positions- Construction (Could include specific trades)

* Who favors immigration: - Big Business- Large Farmers

The Resistance to Immigration

• The Demand for Immigrants determined by: - Economy- War

• 14th Amendment: Established citizenship based on birth in the United States (Including African Americans)

• Since we have had several requirements: - Literacy Tests

- Eugenics- Exclusion Acts (Chinese) - Removal (1930s: Mexican Americans)

- Quotes: The number of immigrants per year- Today: If new immigrants want to become citizens they must fulfill the requirements of naturalization.

What types of Work?• Historically immigrants have competed for jobs with lower

wages and more difficult working conditions. - Many labor unions agree that new immigrant groups lower wages and prevent working conditions from improving. - This sentiment is reflected in the attitudes of blue-collar workers throughout history.

* 1860s: Railroad workers (1882 Chinese Exclusion Act)* Present Day: Labor intensive and some trade

positions- Meat Packing Plants- Factory Positions- Construction (Could include specific trades)

* Who favors immigration: - Big Business- Large Farmers

Steps to Naturalization • Step 1: File a Declaration of Intention

- Can be done anytime after entering the U.S - States that the immigrant intends to become a U.S citizen- Most will wait 5 years to take the next step. - During this time they may take classes to prepare

• Step 2: File an application for Naturalization - Must be at least 18 years old- INS will review this application, this process takes several months

• Step 3: If application is approved, there is an appointment to meet with an immigration examiner - Examiner decides if immigrant is qualified- Asks the immigrant questions, in English

• Step 4: Brief Court Appearance -Take oath of loyalty to U.S - Now they are a citizen - If the immigrant has children under 18, those children are automatically citizens

Immigration Today• Today: Most immigration from the South

- -11% of the U.S population of is foreign born- Poor Mexican Economy - Political Oppression - Sub-standard living conditions

** U.S. is assisting Mexico with economy by trading goods and services • Issues with Immigration:

- Health Care- Welfare (Illegal Immigrants are 40% of California’s public assistance budget) - Crime- Education: 1982 Supreme Court ruled that U.S must educated illegal aliens

* 350,000 illegal immigrants per year (40% in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois) ** Not all illegal immigrants sneak into the country, many are students, business people, and workers who stay longer than expected.

Both Sides of the Argument

Pro Immigration:+ Business Leaders+ Big Farmers+ 12% of immigrants

earn graduate degrees v. 8% of native born population

+ Bring new energy and vigor to cities and business

Con Immigration:- 1/3 do not have a high

school diploma. This is more than twice as much as native born.

- Unskilled workers bring down wages (Unions)

- U.S. is robbing other countries of their talented people.

Recent Immigration Laws

• 1986: Immigration Reform and Control Act- Penalties on employers for knowingly hiring illegal workers (Not Effective) - Granted citizenship to those illegals currently in the country- Ronald Reagan thought this would curb illegal immigration, but it only would increase.- New immigrants flooded the country hoping to be granted citizenship

Recent Immigration LawsImmigrant Act of 1990:

- Raised quote from 290,000 (1965) to 675,000 immigrants.

What type of people were allowed into the country?1. Family Members of legal residents or citizens (71%) 2. Well trained workers (21%)

3. Immigrants from under represented countries (8%) 1996: Illegal Immigration Reform:

- Reduction in the number of immigrants into the country.- This law would also crack down on the number of illegal immigrants into the country. - Gave INS more power for deportation (Deportation doubled)