People on the Move

Angela Brown (Chapter 5 Section 1)

1

Learning Targets:

• Describe the experiences of immigrants in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

• Compare immigration from Europe, Asia, and Mexico.

2

Bellringer:

• What do you think immigrants entering the U.S. in 1900 might have thought as they saw the Statue of Liberty?

• Explain why the Statue of liberty remains a potent symbol today, despite the fact that few immigrants now arrive by sailing into New York harbor.

3

The Immigrant Experience

• 1860 U.S. Population 31.5 million people.

• 1865-1920 30 million more moved to U.S. most from Northern European Countries.

• Most sought wealth and freedom.

• September of 2006 the U.S. population will top 300,000,000.http://www.holyhead.com/SHIP%20BY%20JETTY.jpg

4

Crossing the Ocean

• Late 1800s took 2 to 3 weeks to cross Atlantic.

• 1900 one week to cross

• Most immigrants traveled in steerage – a large open area beneath the ships deck

http://fhh1.hamburg.de/fhh/internetausstellungen/emigration/englisch/E/bilder/quer-ausw.gif

5

• Pacific took longer but had similar accommodations.

• Your country of origin often determined your treatment.

• (Japanese better than Chinese)

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://http://fhh1.hamburg.de/fhh/internetausstellungen/emigration/englisch/E/37.htm

6

Arriving in America

• “Birds of passage” young men worked a few months or years and returned home.

• Until 1880s who was allowed into the country depended on the states.

http://www.interracialvoice.com/immigrant.jpg

7

• 1882 federal government began to exclude certain categories.

• 1891 Office of Superintendent of Immigration was formed to make determinations.

http://www.ailf.org/exhibit/ex_irishim_files/Irish1_files/immigrant.jpg

8

• 70% came through New York City the “Golden Door”

• Other ports included Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, San Francisco, or Seattle.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/7589/momkids.jpg

http://www.sk-szeged.hu/szolgaltatas/vasvary/newsletter/04jun/ellis2.jpg

9

• 1892 opened Ellis Island

• 1886 Statue of Liberty Erected

http://k43.pbase.com/v3/07/12907/1/45934182.ellis_island.jpg

http://www.princeleopold.com/statueliberty.jpg

10

Immigration from Europe

• 1892 federal government required physical exams for all immigrants.

• Quarantine- a time of isolation to prevent spread of disease or deported

• Criminals hung around ports to steal from immigrants.

http://www.onefineart.com/en/artists/farid_aouad/aou02.jpg 11

• Immigrants sought to live in established communities with previous settlers from their homeland.

• Jobs were scarce and employers often took advantage of immigrants.

http://www.lkwdpl.org/schools/elempath/immigration/immig3.jpg

12

Immigration from Asia

• Mid 1800s- a quarter million Chinese workers helped build the transcontinental railroad finished in 1869.

• Anti-Asian movement claimed Asians were physically and mentally inferior to white Americans.

• Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882- prohibited Chinese workers from entering the country.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/legacy/images/ph-225ht.jpg

13

• It was renewed in 1892, 1902 and then made permanent.

• It was not repealed until 1943.

• Japanese immigrated to U.S. from Hawaii when the U.S. obtained Hawaii in 1898.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/9703/hawaii_sts26_big.jpg

14

• “Picture Bride” – women whose marriages had been arranged through the exchange of photographs across the Pacific.

• 1906 San Francisco School Board passed segregation laws for Asian students.

http://www.askasia.org/images/teachers/display/147.jpg

15

• Segregation – forced separation

• Japanese government condemned – Violation of 1894 Treaty allowing Japanese to enter U.S. freely.

http://dsc.gc.cuny.edu/part/part9/identities/articles/woosa/woosa_5.jpg

16

• 1907 Compromise was a Gentleman’s Agreement ( not an official government document) to stop segregation/ Japanese stop issuing passports to laborers.

• 1913 Webb Alien Land Law banned Alien Asians from owing farmland.

• Alien – non-citizens

http://www.piketberg.com/accom/excel/april04/excelsior-farm.jpg

17

Immigration from Mexico

• 1902 Newlands National Reclamation Act to promote the irrigation of southwestern lands.

• Turned Millions of acres of desert into fertile farmland.

• Employers hired 50,000 Mexican laborers to work on farms.

http://www.bradhinkel.com/Desert%20Visions/IR%20Desert.jpg18

• WWI brought 10% of Mexican population (1 Million) to the U.S.

• Immigration Restriction Act of 1921 limited immigration from Europe and Asia drew Mexican Workers.

• By 1925, LA had largest Spanish speaking population of any North American City outside of Mexico.

http://bajainsider.com/baja-business/images/mx-farm-worker-1932.jpg19