Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

Objectives

• Identify the reasons immigration to the United States increased in the late 1800s.

• Describe the difficulties immigrants faced adjusting to their new lives.

• Discuss how immigrants assimilated and contributed to American life.

• Describe efforts to limit immigration.

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

Terms and People

• steerage – large ship compartment that usually held cattle

• assimilation – process of becoming part of another culture

• anarchist – person who opposes all forms of government

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

How were the experiences of immigrants both positive and negative?

As the nation changed during the late 1800s and early 1900s, so, too, did its population.

Immigrants faced many challenges in their new home, but they also contributed greatly to the economy and culture of America.

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

Twenty-five million immigrants entered the United States between 1865 and 1915.

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

Some factors pushed immigrants from their homelands.

Immigrants• Shrinking farmland• Religious persecution• Political revolution

Homeland

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

Other factors pulled immigrants toward the United States.

Immigrants• New jobs• Cheap land• Democracy and liberty

United States

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

For many different reasons, immigrants from around the world poured into the country.

Most came from Europe, especially southern and eastern Europe.

Few spoke English and many had never known democracy.

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

For most immigrants, the long ocean crossing was difficult and dangerous.

Ships were overcrowded, and people were jammed into cramped steerage compartments below deck.

Disease and rough seas made many sick.

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

Europeans entered through Ellis Island, near New York City.

Immigrants arriving from Asia entered through Angel Island near San Francisco.

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

Once admitted to the United States, most immigrants settled in cities.

Ethnic neighborhoods flourished, helping immigrants assimilate.

Immigrants also shared their culture. Foods like bagels and spaghetti became mainstream.

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

Many immigrants valued education, hoping that the next generation would be better off.

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

Immigrants came to America looking for jobs—and they found them.

Garmentworkers

Miners

Steelworkers

Meatpackers

Railroadworkers

Constructionworkers

Jobs

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

Immigrants soon became essential to the growing economy.

Andrew Carnegie Scottish Steel industry

Alexander Graham Bell Scottish Telephone industry

Samuel Goldwyn Jewish Motion picture industry

Louis Mayer Jewish Motion picture industry

Arturo Toscanini Italian Orchestra conductor

Leo Baekeland Belgian Plastics industry

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

Despite such success stories, however, increased immigration led to a wave of nativism.

Nativist arguments

• Immigrants can’t assimilate.

• Immigrants take away jobs.

• Immigrants promote violence and anarchy.

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

Such feelings led to new laws limiting immigration.

1882

Chinese Exclusion Act

1917

Act excluding those who cannot read

their own language

This Act excluded Chinese people solely based on their race.

This act kept most of the world’s poor from immigrating.

Chapter 18 Section 4

The New Immigrants

Section Review

Know It, Show It QuizQuickTake Quiz