New Immigrants Create a New America (1870-1920)

I. Basic Questions About New Immigrants

A. Who?

• Southern and Eastern Europeans (Italy, Russia, Poland, etc.)

• Asians (Chinese & Japanese)

When?

~ 1870-1920

How Many? 20 Million +

Why? – Jobs (Chinese, Japanese, Italians, etc.)– Escape Religious Persecution (Eastern European

Jews)

Where? • East Coast Cities – New York, Boston, Philadelphia• West Coast & Hawaii

How Long?

• Birds of Passage v. Permanent Residents

II. The Immigrant Experience in America

A. Entering and

Exiting at Ellis Island

http://www.ellisisland.org/photoalbums/ellis_island_then.asp

http://www.ellisisland.org/photoalbums/ellis_island_then.asp

http://www.ellisisland.org/photoalbums/ellis_island_then.asp

B. Ethnic Neighborhoods, Tenements & Terrible Conditions

C. Rags to Riches for Some – Just Rags for Others

III. Restricting Immigration and the Rise of Nativism

A. Two Reasons for Restrictions• Economic: Job

Competition, Poverty & Lower Wages

• Cultural/Racial: Fear of Foreign Cultures, Language, Ideas & Religion

B. Examples of Restrictions

• Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

•Immigration Act of 1924