GreatWaveofImmigration

GreatWaveofImmigration

1.  Analyzethefollowingimages.2.  Answerthecorrespondingquestionsonyourhandout.

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GreatWaveofImmigration

Duringthegreatwaveofimmigrationbetween1880and1920,over23millionimmigrants

arrivedintheUnitedStates.ImmigrantsarrivinginNewYorkCityfirstlandedatEllis

Island,wheretheywentthroughanexaminationprocesstoenterthecountry.Thefirst

imageisa1915photographshowingimmigrantsarrivingbyshiptoNewYorkCitygazingat

theStatueofLiberty.Thesecondimageisa1920photographshowingahealthinspection

fornewimmigrantsatEllisIsland.Inspectorscheckedfortrachoma,ahighlycontagious

anddifficulttocureeyedisease.Eyelidswereinvertedorpulledoutwardtoseeif

immigrantsdisplayedsymptomsofthisdreadeddisease.

GreatWaveofImmigration

1.  Moveintoassignedgroupsof8.•  (2partnersforeachImmigrantgroup–Italian,Jewish,Chinese,Mexican)

2.  ReadyourassignedimmigrantgroupinHistoryAlive!

3.  Answerthecorrespondingquestionsonyourhandout.4.  Createascrapbookpageforyourassignedgroupusingwhitebutcherpaper.5.  RefertotheScrapbookDirectionshandout.6.  Carouselsharescrapbookpageswithothergroupmembers.

ItalianImmigrants

1.   DescribethreeimportantdetailsaboutItalianimmigrants’journeytotheUnitedStates.IncludeinformationaboutwhytheyleftItaly,theirvoyage,andtheirexperiencesatEllisIsland.•  Toescapepoverty.•  Usuallytraveledinsteerage,wheresleepingquartersweretight,foodwasspoiled,andtherewasnowhereto

bathe.•  AtEllisIsland,theyhadtopassmedicalexamsandanswerquestionsabouthowtheyplannedtosupport

themselves.•  Ifyoudidnotpassinspectioncouldbesenthome,evenifthismeantseparatingthefamily.

2.   DescribethreeimportantdetailsaboutItalianimmigrants’lifeintheUnitedStates.Includeinformationabouttheirlivingconditions,theworktheydid,andhowpeoplealreadylivinginthecountrytreatedthem.•  Unskilledjobslikebuildingsewers,layingbricks,orcleaningstreets.•  Poor,crowdedneighborhoodswithotherItalians.•  Manychildrendidnotattendschoolbecausetheirfamiliesneededthemtoearnmoneyorfearedthat

learningEnglishwoulddistancethemfromthefamily.•  OtherAmericanslookedonItaliansaspeoplewhowouldalwaysremainpoorandilliterate.

JewishImmigrantsfromEasternEurope

1.   DescribethreeimportantdetailsaboutJewishimmigrants’journeytotheUnitedStates.IncludeinformationaboutwhytheylefteasternEurope,theirvoyage,andtheirexperiencesatEllisIsland.•  LeftRussiatoescapepersecution.•  Traveledinovercrowdedtrainswithlongdelaysandthenbyshipincrowdedcompartments.•  LandedatNewYorkHarbor,butonlywealthypassengerswereadmittedquickly.•  OthersweretakentoEllisIsland,wheretheywerequestionedbydoctorsandinspectorsbeforetheycouldproceedtoshore.

2.   DescribethreeimportantdetailsaboutJewishimmigrants’lifeintheUnitedStates.Includeinformationabouttheirlivingconditions,theworktheydid,andhowpeoplealreadylivinginthecountrytreatedthem.•  NewYorkCity’sLowerEastSide,wheretheystartedsynagogues,shops,newspapers,andreligiousschools.•  Werepoorbuthadmanyskills.•  Valuededucationandinsistedtheirchildrenattendschool.•  OtherAmericansdiscriminatedagainstJewsandexcludedthemfromprivateclubs,schools,andplacesofemployment.

ChineseImmigrants

1.   DescribethreeimportantdetailsaboutChineseimmigrants’journeytotheUnitedStates.IncludeinformationaboutwhytheyleftChina,theirvoyage,andtheirexperiencesatAngelIsland.•  Toescapepovertyandmakemoney.•  ChineseExclusionActof1882bannedChineselaborersfromimmigratingtotheUnitedStatesanddeniedChineseimmigrantstherighttobecomecitizens.

•  AfteranearthquakeinSanFranciscodestroyedmostbirthrecords,manyChinesemenclaimedtobenative-borncitizensandarrangedforpeopleinChinatoimmigrateasrelatives.

•  NewimmigrantsweredetainedforseveralweeksorlongeratAngelIsland,questionedabouttheirclaimstoberelatedtonativeU.S.citizens.

2.   DescribethreeimportantdetailsaboutChineseimmigrants’lifeintheUnitedStates.Includeinformationabouttheirlivingconditions,theworktheydid,andhowpeoplealreadylivinginthecountrytreatedthem.•  IncityneighborhoodstofindworkatChineselaundries,restaurants,andstores.•  MostChineseimmigrantsweremale.•  HousingwasclosedtoChineseinmostareasofSanFrancisco,sowhenwomenandchildrenbegantoarrive,manyChinatownsbecamecrowded.

MexicanImmigrants

1.   DescribethreeimportantdetailsaboutMexicanimmigrants’journeytotheUnitedStates.IncludeinformationaboutwhytheyleftMexico,theirvoyage,andtheirexperiencescrossingtheborder.•  ToescapetheMexicanRevolution.•  Traveledbyfoot,onburros,intwo-wheelcarts,andbyrailroad.•  ImmigrantscouldentertheUnitedStatesfreely,withoutpassportsormoney.

2.   DescribethreeimportantdetailsaboutMexicanimmigrants’lifeintheUnitedStates.Includeinformationabouttheirlivingconditions,theworktheydid,andhowpeoplealreadylivinginthecountrytreatedthem.•  AmericanemployerswelcomedMexicanworkersbecausetheywerewillingtoworkhardforlittlepay.

•  Workedinagricultureandmovedfromareatoarea,harvestingcrops.•  Farmworkersoftenlivedintemporarysheltersthathadnorunningwater.Afterharvestseason,somemovedintobarriosinnearbytowns.

•  Facedstrongprejudice,earnedlowwages,andhadlittlesayintheirworkingconditions.