Unit 6- Immigration and Urbanization
YES/NO Questions 1. Immigration is a major problem in the U.S. 2. The U.S. government should ban people from
certain countries and/or religions because of terrorism 3. You should have to be able to speak English to
emigrate to the US 4. The U.S. should build a wall on its southern border
with Mexico 5. All immigrants who have come to the U.S. illegally
should be sent back to the country where they came from
6. The United States is populated enough and should stop all immigration
I. Immigration
A. Immigrant- Person who enters a foreign country after leaving their homeland
- Most came to US for a chance at a better life (“Land of Opportunity”)
- More have come to US than any other country in the world
- Most knew the keys to success were determination and hard work
B. Alien- Immigrant who has not yet become a citizen
C. Naturalization- Process by which an alien becomes a citizen
II. European Immigrants A. Pre 1890- Early
Immigration
Northern and Western Europe
B. 1870-1930- trend changed to Eastern and Southern Europe
Steady source of cheap labor
Most settled in port of entry
C. The potato famine caused thousands of Irish to move to U.S. between 1845 and 1847.
D. Irish and Germans that immigrated to the U.S. prior to 1885 are known as Old Immigration
III. Chinese Immigrants Most came to US to
work on the railroads, also the Gold Rush
Chinese Exclusion Act- banned Chinese immigrants in 1882
IV. Japanese Immigration
A. Began moving to Hawaii to work as planters, then many moved to West Coast (higher wages)
B. Gentlemen’s Agreement- US would end Japanese segregation; in exchange Japan would limit the amount of unskilled workers emigrating to the U.S.
V. Mexico and the West Indies
A. Caribbean immigration (Jamaica, Cuba, Puerto Rico) came because of a lack of jobs
B. Mexicans came to find work and flee political turmoil
VI. Melting Pot- a mixture of different cultures and races, who blend together into one common “American” culture, by abandoning their native culture and customs
Many historians now see America as a “Salad Bowl”
VII. Nativism- favoritism toward native-born Americans; believed certain ethnic groups were superior to others
Nativists saw immigrants taking jobs, living together, keeping wages down, and not assimilating
VIII. Journey to America
Immigration centers to “process” immigrants (vet)
A. Ellis Island- NYC harbor, where European immigrants went
Denied entrance if you had a contagious disease
Had to pass a literacy test by 1917
B. Angel Island- San Francisco Bay, Asian immigrants from across pacific Ocean
Could be detained for months
IX. Immigrants in America
A. Helped build US canals and railroads
B. Worked in mills, mines, and factories
X. Immigrants and Public Education
Many viewed education as:
1. An aid to assimilation
2. A path to advancement
3. As a threat to their cultural heritage
1. What do you see?
2. What do you think this cartoon is about?
3. What do you think the cartoonist is trying to say?
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