1 Imm 1600s-Early 1900s

Immigration Waves

large scale entry of an immigrant group at specific point/s in time

Port of entry for first wave of immigrants

—early immigrants arrived in the U.S. at a variety of ports up and down the east coast.

Why did first wave immigrants come to the US?

• Economic Opportunity

• Slavery—African slaves replaced The indentured servants as their contracts were completed. They entered into a contract to work for 4-7 years in exchange for passage+ poor, debtors, and petty criminals.

• indentured servants declined due to improved economic conditions in England.

• Political Freedom

• Religious Freedom

How were these immigrants received by American society?

They had an easier time than other subsequent immigrant groups.

1. Due to homogeneity in religion (Protestant) and race (white) America was a British colony. Given that both the majority of the American population and the incoming immigrants were British, conflict was minimal.

2. Immigrants who spoke another language (French, German) had to learn English and conform to Anglo-American

3. Labor need expansion—immigrants not seen as a threat to American workers

4. Small rate of immigration—not more than 10,000 per year and dispersed throughout the US

Political and legal resistance to Immigration

• 1755—Pennsylvania Assembly criticized German arrivals (Pennsylvania Dutch)

• Benjamin Franklin criticized immigrants

• Religious and racial prejudice

• Legal resistance

• 1798- First Anti-immigrant Laws by Federalist Party

• Naturalization Act of 1798: Amended/Increased the residency requirement for alients to become naturalized US citizens from 5 to 14 years. ALSO extended the notice period for filing a Declaration of Intent from 3-5 years.

• 1798: Alien Enemies Act -Allowed the dissertation of any alien who hailed from a country at war with the US

• These laws were permitted to expire under Thomas Jeffersons Democratic Republic.

• Large scale immigration did not occur until 1830.

  • Prior, the average was 6k / 1.5% of American society.

  • In 1832, the # of immigrants rose to 50k and peaked in 1854 to 428k.

Second Wave Immigrant (Timeline and Who)

• 1830-1880

• Irish Catholics and German

How were second wave immigrants received by American society?

They experienced widespread hostility, discrimination, and organized opposition.

Why were 2nd wave immigrants treated differently from 1st wave immigrants?

• Arrived in large numbers and more concentrated

• difference in religion and culture

2nd Waves reasoning for increase in immigration?

• Transportation improvements

• Turmoil in Europe

• The American Dream

2nd Wave : Irish Catholics reasons for emigration:

• Ireland under British rule was denied self-governance and persecuted for religion.

• Economic: Potato Famine: (1847) Reduced Ireland’s population by ½ due to starvation and emigration.

2nd Wave: Where did the Irish Catholics Settle?

Eastern cities: NY, Boston and Philly

2nd Wave Irish Catholics Occupations:

• Men built the Eria Canal and railroads

• Women worked as domestics

2nd Wave Germans Reasons for Emigration:

• Economic opportunity after the failure of the Democratic Revolution of 1848.

2nd Wave Germans: Where did they Settle?

Farms and Cities in the Midwest and Northeast

Who dominated the American brewing industry?

Germans

2nd Wave Immigrants (besides German and Irish):

• Scandinavians

• Chinese

2nd Wave Immigrants (Scandinavians) Countries:

Sweden, Norway and Denmark

2nd Wave Scandinavian immigrants: Where did they settle?

Upper Midwest (After Civil War)

2nd Wave Scandinavian immigrants: Occupations?

Farmers

2nd Wave Chinese Immigrants: Reasons for Emigration?

Poverty and War

2nd Wave Chinese Immigrants: Where did they settle?

West Coast

2nd Wave Chinese Immigrants: Occupations?

• Construction of the Transcontinental Railroads

• Cooks

• Launderers

• Miners

2nd Wave Chinese Immigrants: What misfortunes occured? Why?

Riot and mob violence occurred in the West by the 1880s due to Anti-Chinese prejudice.

• Prejudice because of…

  • ‘foreign ways’

  • racial difference

  • ‘scabs’ during labor strikes

2nd Wave: What produced a temporary slow-down in immigration?

The. Civil War

2nd Wave: Whed did immigration surge again?

• Late 19th century

Reasons for Anti-Immigrant Backlash Regarding Second and Third-Wave Immigrants

What factors influenced anti-immigrant sentiments?

• religion

• racialism

• radicalism

• rural resentment

• economic resentment

What was the first anti-immigrant political party?

The American Party (Know Nothing Party)

Actions and Laws Reflecting Anti-Immigrant Resentment: 1875

• After the Civil War, some states passed their own immigration laws.

• SC declares that the federal government has the responsibility to make and enforce immigration laws.

Chinese Exclusion Act (year and definition)

• 1882: bars Chinese immigrants from entering the U.S.

1182 Act

• First in American history to place broad restrictions on certain immigrant groups

Immigration Act of 1891:

• Excluded those who could enter the U.S—Restricted immigrants who were polygamists, convicted of certain crimes, sick/diseased; also established a federal office of immigration.

Immigration Act of 1924:

Limited the number of immigrants allowed in the US annually through nationality quotas.

First US. immigration station opens in… (time and place)

1892: NY Harbor—Ellis Island

Immigration Act of 1917:

Established a literacy requirement for immigrants entering the U.S., stopping immigration from most Asian countries