Yenisleivys Pena

Period 8

Reasons for Immigration

Seeking opportunities

Escape religious/political

persecution

Escape

Famine

Cramped Conditions Unsanitary Conditions

Little/No Privacy

The first sight immigrants had of the USA was the Statue of

Liberty.

Ellis Island was the most common port of

arrival.

1892

Poor people lived in small houses in cramped streets.

These homes would share toilet facilities, have open sewers

(initially at least) and would be susceptible to damp. Conditions

did improve during the 19th century as a number of public health acts were introduced

covering things such as sewage, sanitation and

imposing some restrictions upon the construction of

homes.

By the early 1900’s, 60% of the people living in the 123 largest cities in this country were the

children of foreign-born parents or were foreign born themselves.

70% of theseimmigrants came from the

south and eastern parts of Europe.

Many women worked in textiles and factories along

with children.

Most men worked in mines.

Hours were long and pay was extremely low.

Women : $ 2

weeklyChildren : $

1 weekly

Men : $ 5 weekly

Q: why was there so much rivalry between the Americans and the

incoming immigrants?

A: the immigrants were cheap workers, which

represented a threat to the Americans which

refused to work for less. The Americans also disliked the fact that

these immigrants spoke another language,

practiced a different religion and had different

customs.