Were Coming to America What factors pushed emigrants out of
their native lands and pulled them to the United States?
Slide 2
What pushed people out of their native countries? Population
growth Better food and sanitation made Europes population increase.
Agricultural changes No more small scale farming. Big commercial
farms to provide for people living in cities. Crop Failures Poor
harvests and crop failures put small farmers out of business and
many went hungry.
Slide 3
What pushed people out of their native countries? Industrial
Revolution Things made in factories were cheaper than handmade
items, so many artisans went out of business. Religious and
Political Persecution Many people came to the USA to practice their
religious freely or to escape war
Slide 4
Why did emigrants choose the United States? Freedom Democracy
and Religious freedom encouraged many to come to the USA Economic
Opportunity Immigrants wanted land where they could support their
families and have a better future. Abundant land USA had more than
enough land for people to live on (Louisiana Purchase and Mexican
Cession gave us millions of acres)
Slide 5
Scandinavians Seek Land Scandinavians are from countries like
Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. Thousands of Scandinavians came to the
USA seeking land. An acre of land sold for $1.25 Scandinavians
settled in states like Minnesota and Wisconsin because they had the
same landscape as their homeland. (Forest, lakes, and cold
winters)
Slide 6
Germans come for Economic Opportunities Germans head to the
Midwest, including Texas! (New Braunfels and Fredericksburg)
Germans settle in cities as well as farms They become bakers,
butchers, carpenters, printers, shoemakers, tailors, etc. Many
German immigrants achieved great success! Germans were the largest
immigrant group of the 1800s
Slide 7
The Irish come to escape hunger and Religious and Political
persecution. The Irish had been persecuted by the British for
centuries. Irish Catholics couldnt not own land, vote, or go to
school. (Protestant British said NO) Most Irish people lived in
poverty Potato famine hit Ireland hard (potatoes were the base of
the Irish diet)
Slide 8
The Irish come to escape hunger and Religious and Political
persecution. Irish people came to the USA uneducated and poor They
stayed in the cities where their ships docked (New York, Boston,
Baltimore, and Philadelphia) Took low paying, back breaking
jobs
Slide 9
U.S. Cities Overcrowded Between 1800-1830 New York Citys
population jumped from 60,489 to 202,589. Greedy landlord built
large apartment buildings on small lots Outdoor toilets overflowed
Disease spread Crime flourished
Slide 10
Some Americans Oppose Immigration Many American feared the
immigrants would one day outnumber natives. Many immigrants faced
anger and prejudice.