2.19.08 Chapter 6, Section 2: The New Americans
p. 140 * Most immigrants lived in poverty and oppression in their native lands
* ex: Russian Jews (& Armenians – Ottoman Empire – p. 141)
* for immigrants, America represented future
* most arrived poor, but determined
The New Immigration
· two waves of immigration
o 1st: 1800-1880 (“old immigration”)
§ Protestants mostly from n. & w. Eur.: GB, Ire, Sweden
§ farmers, overcrowded, settled in Midwest and Great Plains
p. 141 * 2nd: 1880s to early 1900s (“new immigration”)
§ mostly Catholic and Jewish from s. & e. Eur.: Italy, Greece, Poland, Russia
§ new immigrants went from 5 to 75% of imm. by early 1900s
· factors for increase in immigration:
o emigration laws relaxed
o regular steamship service made trip quicker and cheaper
o letters from friends and relatives
· ½ of imm. came to U.S. – rest went to Canada, Argentina, and Australia / New Zealand (Brits & Irish)
The Immigrant Experience
· most were excited, but scared and anxious
p. 142 * tough trip – cramped in steerage (lowest deck), seasick, disease, few clothes, no money
o ex: 16 yr. old Serb – hugged smokestack to keep warm
· most landed in New York City (Ellis Island st. 1892)
o medical exams, asked Qs
o convicts, diseased, and some others deported
· new imm. stayed in cities – jobs avail., farmland taken, cities had imm. neighborhoods (helped transition)
p. 143 * sharp generational differences – kids adapted easier to Am.
* parents thought kids disrespecting old ways
* kids thought parents too stuck to old country
* Aid groups existed to help imm.
* Mutual Aid societies (ex: Sons of Italy): helped find jobs, pd. for burials, made loans
* churches and synagogues, esp. parochial schools (run by religious)
Help From the Bosses
· bosses: headed political machines – small groups that controlled the elections and politics of a city (usually pretty corrupt)
· but bosses provided help when nobody else would and got things to work in a city
p. 144 The Nativist Reaction
· Nativism – hostility from native-born Americans
· been around for a while (“Know-Nothing Party”) but came back to life after 1880s
· most of the fear econ.-based: steal jobs, poor conditions
o no clear proof that ever happened
o still same fears today
· also claimed would take money and go back to old country – rarely happened
· other fear based on social issues, esp. religion
p. 145 * felt Catholics and Jews would take away from being “American”
o used ghettos as proof of inability to mix
· groups formed to fight immigration (American Protective Assoc.)
· racial prejudice, too, esp. ag. Chinese
o efforts to restrict imm., esp. by Congress in late 1800s
o most of these bills vetoed by Pres. Cleveland
Building Modern America
· imm. played imp. roles in U.S. industries (mills, garments, coal)
· more imp. – broadened what we call “American” in our culture (actors, restaurants)
o ex: Irving Berlin (Russian Jew) wrote “God Bless America”