Warm Up: ISN pg. 35

Create a T-Chart: Immigration: Advantage/Disadvantages

List as many advantages you can think of for immigrating to another country

List the disadvantages

The Rising Tide of Immigration

1865 – 1915

European Immigration

A. The Great Migration: 1880- 1921

The largest mass movement of people in human history: 23 million immigrants arrived in AmericaImmigrants were mostly from southern and eastern Europe: Southern Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, Greece, PortugalMost were young male, Catholic or Jew, spoke little EnglishBefore 1880: Immigrants were from northwestern Europe: England, France, Germany

B. Push Factors: Why immigrants left Europe

1800’s Europe had less agriculture business because of the Industrial Revolution

Political and religious persecution: Eastern European Jews in Russia not allowed to own land or move; experienced pogroms (violent mob attacks)

B. Pull Factors: Why did people want to

come to America?

U.S. the land of opportunities

Pamphlets gave exaggerated stories how great America was

People brought hope for a better life

C. The Journey Across the Atlantic

Steamships carried 1,200 - 2,000 people

Trip took about 2 weeks

Immigrants were in steerage, below deck

No windows, no vents, small rooms

1 toilet for 47 people (sometimes 1,000 people)

Everything was dirty; only boiled water was served

D. Arrival in America

75% of immigrants went through Ellis Island (The Island of Tears)The Statue of Liberty greeted each steamship“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

E. Medical InspectionsFirst and second class passengers: brief inspection and got off the shipSteerage class: long lines, inspections at Ellis IslandMedical Inspections: looked for mentally ill and sick to refuse them entry into the U.S.Medical exam looked for problems: Doctors wrote a letter on people’s shoulder: K: hernia, H: heart; B: back problems

F. Legal Inspection

Registry Hall: huge hall for 5,000 people

Immigration officer asked 32 questions: Name, married?, have money?, more than $30?, condition of your mind, your health?

2% were sent back to their home country

G. Ethnic Enclaves

70% of immigrants lived in urban centers: New York City, Chicago, Pittsburgh

Enclaves are poor neighborhoods of immigrants from the same country

Familiar food, language, traditions, culture

H. Living Conditions

City tenement buildings: crowded, rundown apartments; little light, air, heat

Tenement buildings easily caught fire

Rent: $10 - $20/month

Typical numbers: 14 people in 3 room apt.

Streets: filled with waste, garbage

Some immigrants moved to rural areas

I. Working Conditions

80% of immigrant workers were unskilledPay: Textile workers: $4 a week; families needed about $14 a weekAverage salary 10 cents an hour (children got half that)12 to 14 hour daysFactories were dangerous and dirty

Americans’ Treatment of Immigrants

Cartoon from magazine, Jan. 11, 1893

Shadows of immigrant origins over wealthy Americans who are “greeting” new immigrants

American Nativism: Belief held by native-born Americans and long-time immigrants that new immigrants threatened their way of life.

Nativists held strong prejudiced ideas against new immigrants