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Social change in America in 1920
Immigrants in America and the challenges they face
Immigrants in America and the challenges they face
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Recommended: Social change in America in 1920
The 1880s in the United States was a time where immigration patterns drastically changed. More foreigners were pouring into the nation at a more rapid rate than ever before. These immigrants were met with mixed bag of responses, from militant anti-immigrant groups to welfare groups that met immigrants with relatively open arms. The response of the American public and government to new immigrants is exemplified in the minimal government checking, the exploitation of new immigrants, and the social reform characteristic of the time period. To commence, the United States government approached the influx of new immigrants by essentially ignoring the issues they faced. In The Census and Immigration, it was stated, “the law is evidently utterly helpless as it now stands in shutting out paupers, who are coming here in greatly increased numbers” (Source F). Although the American government was involved with checking new immigrant criminals, it got involved in little else. Overwhelmed city and state governments were able to do even less. Since the official government was not providing sufficient aid to new immigrants in the 1880s, the new immigrants were forced to seek for help from unofficial governments. …show more content…
Those who immigrated to the United States were primarily lower class Europeans, seeking stable employment and a livelihood for their family. This “scum of Europe” was “content to swarm in shanties like hogs, ... to suffer sore eyes and bodies rather than buy a towel and a washtub, to endure typhoid fever rather than undergo the expense of the most primitive sanitary device” (Source H). Profit-seekers used this influx of desperate immigrants for cheap labor and political favors. New immigrants faced a frosty greeting, with the majority of the country against them before they even stepped foot on American
After the Civil War, business and corporations have expanded significantly throughout the United States. During this time period, known as the Gilded Age, many aspects of the United States were influenced by these large corporations. The Gilded Age was given that name after Mark Twain referenced it in one of his works. In the post Civil War period, big businesses governed by corrupt acts and held power of both the political system and the economy.
During the 1900’s, it was common for people to immigrate to America. They saw it as a land of freedom and opportunity. Some thought that this was a great way for the US’ economy to boom, but some thought otherwise. With the shortage of jobs, many believed that the immigrants were stealing their precious jobs. Because of the competition over jobs, immigrants became the new public enemy to many.
In the late nineteenth century known as the Gilded Age (or the Reconstruction period) and the early twentieth century known as the Progressive era, the nation went through great economic growth and social change. Beginning from the 1870s, there was rapid growth in innovations and big businesses. This could be because there was population growth and when there is population growth, there is a high demand of products and other necessities in order to strive in society. Many immigrants from Europe, mostly from the eastern and southern Europe, and Asia moved to American cities. Additionally, farmers from rural America desired to increase economically in society and since corporations ruled and political problems occurred, they decided to move into the cities. Afterwards, the 1900s started with the dominance of progressivism which many Americans tried to improve and solve the problems that were caused or had arisen because of the industrialization of the Gilded Age. It was basically the time when progressives fought for legislations like regulation of big businesses, end of the political corruption, and protection of the rights of the people: the poor, immigrants, workers, and consumers. Thus, between the periods 1870 to 1920, big businesses had arisen and taken control of the political and economic systems through corruption and innovations. In response, American citizens reacted negatively and formed labor unions and political systems to diminish the power that large corporations had in America.
“Columbia’s Unwelcome Guests”, by Frank Beard (February 7, 1885), displays how the unrestricted US policies that were implemented were causing more immigrants to emigrate from Europe. The new aliens are depicted as anarchist, socialist, and the Mafia arriving from the sewers of Italy, Russia, and Germany. In the late nineteenth century, the U.S. government was not only concerned with the racialization of the immigrants entering the country, but also
Between the years of 1840 and 1914, about forty million people immigrated to the United States from foreign countries. Many of them came to find work and earn money to have a better life for their families. Others immigrated because they wanted to escape the corrupt political power of their homelands, such as the revolution in Mexico after 1911. Whatever the case, many found it difficult to begin again in a new country. Most immigrants lived in slums with very poor living conditions. They had a hard time finding work that paid enough to support a family. Not only was it difficult for immigrant men, but for women as well. Immigrant women faced many challenges including lack of education and social life as well as low wages and poor working conditions.
Immigration has existed around the world for centuries, decades, and included hundreds of cultures. Tired of poverty, a lack of opportunities, unequal treatment, political corruption, and lacking any choice, many decided to emigrate from their country of birth to seek new opportunities and a new and better life in another country, to settle a future for their families, to work hard and earn a place in life. As the nation of the opportunities, land of the dreams, and because of its foundation of a better, more equal world for all, the United States of America has been a point of hope for many of those people. A lot of nationals around the world have ended their research for a place to call home in the United States of America. By analyzing primary sources and the secondary sources to back up the information, one could find out about what Chinese, Italians, Swedish, and Vietnamese immigrants have experienced in the United States in different time periods from 1865 to 1990.
The United States had an open door policy on immigration from the nations beginning until 1921. During that time, between 1790 and 1920, the population grew by 102 million. That’s about one million new immigrants each year for 130 years. Most of these immigrants were from European countries. In 1921 Congress passed the Quota Act which put a cap of 360,000 new immigrants per year. Congress did this because the public was concerned about the number of new immigrants and how it would affect the country. This act also favored immigrants from England, Germany, France, and Scandinavia over those from Asia, Africa, and southern Europe.
In the eyes of the early American colonists and the founders of the Constitution, the United States was to represent the ideals of acceptance and tolerance to those of all walks of life. When the immigration rush began in the mid-1800's, America proved to be everything but that. The millions of immigrants would soon realize the meaning of hardship and rejection as newcomers, as they attempted to assimilate into American culture. For countless immigrants, the struggle to arrive in America was rivaled only by the struggle to gain acceptance among the existing American population.
John Higham explains in "Racism Immigration Restriction" that in Americans at the turn of the century already had a dislike for the new immigrants and now with more entering America after World War I, the personal dislike intensified. He writes: "...the transformation of relative cultural differences into an absolute line of cleavage, which would redeem the northwestern Europeans from the charges once leveled at them and explain the present danger of immigration in terms of the change in its sources." (Doc 1) People believed these immigrants could not adapt to the "standardized" way of American living, as the Northwestern or Nordic immigrants did. These new immigrants' presence in America stirred up religious racist organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan.
In the years of 1860-1877 the United States brought forth many social and constitutional developments and changes. Along with these numerous changes, continuities stayed. The start of the Civil War in 1860 would trigger the dividing of the American people from each other. The times from the end of the Civil War to the end of reconstruction would change America up to this day.
America was booming throughout the eastern hemisphere and many people were packing to begin their new lives. America soon became known a place of hope for those that needed it. Since new colonies were beginning citizens dreamed to start and be apart of a city upon a hill. 16th century writers wrote several stories about works on perfect societies such as Richard Hakluyt and even Shakespeare. 14th century there was one legal Catholic Church in England because Henry VIII broke England's ties with the Catholic Church. This caused people to leave the Catholic Church all over Northern Europe which is the Protestant Reformation. Henry's actions actions caused religious dissent and sectarianism and soon after he died his catholic daughter Mary
During the late 19th century and early 20th century the U.S continued it past expansion from Manifesto Destiny and the progressive era by the debates of racial superiority and constitutional rights but, it also was a departure from the previous expansion era by the U.S expanded our foreign relationships, not using the idea of isolationism, and the use of different foreign policies.
Immigration has always been a major part of America. In fact, without immigration the creation of America would not have been possible. The majority of immigrants came to America for religious freedom and economic opportunities. However, for the most part before the 1870’s most immigrants were Protestants from northern and western Europe. These immigrants often migrated to the United States as families and usually lived on farms with family or friends who had already migrated beforehand. A lot of immigrants came to America with a plan or goal in mind. They often had saved up money for the long immigration overseas, were skilled in a certain trade, or had already been educated at a high level. Sadly, this would not last. Immigration became so prominent in America between 1870 and 1900 that the foreign-born population of the United States had almost doubled. A lot of German and Irish Catholics had immigrated in the 1840’s and 1850’s, and more decided to immigrate after the Civil War. A portion of Americans were biased against Catholics. Thankfully, the Irish spoke English and the German Catholics reputation was improved because of their Protestant countrymen’s good reputation. However, their children often lacked any skill or education, but they were able to blend in quite well with the American society. More and more immigrants would migrate to the United States without any skill or education and on top of that they were usually poor. These immigrants were called “new” immigrants and they came from all over the world including Italy, Greece, Poland, Hungary, and Russia. However, you cannot blame immigrants for migrating to America. Many immigrants faced religious persecution in their home countries which pushed them away, otherwi...
An outburst in growth of America’s big city population, places of 100,000 people or more jumped from about 6 million to 14 million between 1880 and 1900, cities had become a world of newcomers (551). America evolved into a land of factories, corporate enterprise, and industrial worker and, the surge in immigration supplied their workers. In the latter half of the 19th century, continued industrialization and urbanization sparked an increasing demand for a larger and cheaper labor force. The country's transformation from a rural agricultural society into an urban industrial nation attracted immigrants worldwide. As free land and free labor disappeared and as capitalists dominated the economy, dramatic social, political, and economic tensions were created. Religion, labor, and race relations were questioned; populist and progressive thoughts were developed; social Darwinism and nativism movements were launched.
From 1880 to 1914 a huge amount of immigrants came to the United states looking for money,education,food and they tried to get away from religious oppression,and from paying expensive taxes. Some got rejected though when the government passed the immigration act of 1882 so that we could have less overcrowding in areas. This act denied people who had caused crimes,were not smart,and couldn’t take care of themselves. The “new immigrants” had come from European countries like Italy,Greece,Poland,and Russia. They also came from Asian nations. These immigrants entered from the East and West coast facilities but over 70% of them came to are county from Ellis island in New york city New York city. A Lot of people from Asian countries though Entered from Angel island,California. From their, often the “new”