Unit 3 American History

Main message of Emma Lazarus poem, “The New Colossus”

America welcomes the people other nations don’t want

Immigration

People coming into a country

Emigration

People leaving a country

New wave of immigration

• Came to U.S. between 1880-1920

• Over 70% came from Southern Europe(Italy,Greece)& Eastern Europe(Russia, Bulgaria etc…) Europe

Tenement

Multi-family urban dwelling,usually overcrowded and unsanitary

Angel Island

Main immigration processing station on west coast(San Francisco)

Mainly those from Asia(primarily Chinese) came through this station

Ellis Island

Main immigration processing station on the East coast(NYC)

75% of all immigrants entered the U.S. here

Mainly Europeans came through this station

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Jobs performed by most new immigrants

Low skilled factory jobs

Where did most immigrants move when they first arrived in America

Big cities

Ethnic enclaves

An enclosed territory that is culturally distinct from the area surrounding it

What were medical issues that might prevent citizenship?

• Public assistance(mentally ill etc…)

• Those who might have contagious diseases(ie-trachoma)

Legal/Political issues that might prevent citizenship

• Prevent criminals and political revolutionaries(ie-anarchists) who might want to overthrow the government

Cultural diffusion

• Spread of beliefs and social activities of one culture to a different culture(ie.nationality)

• As immigrants came to the U.S. they spread new cultural traits(food, religious practices, languages, etc…) to the country

Nativism Definition

• Favoring native-born people over immigrants

How did increased immigration impact Americans attitudes towards immigrants?

• Often expressed with laws that stop or slow immigration

• Increased immigration to America between 1880-1920 made nativist sentiment more common

Reasons for restricting immigrants in the 1920s

1. Fear of different faiths( Catholicism and Judaism)

2. Fear of dangerous political ideas(ie.- anarchism)

3. Fear native born workers would lose jobs and/or wagers to immigrants

Immigration Act of 1924

• Instituted a quota system which limited immigration based on a persons country of origin

• Aimed to keep Southern and Eastern Europeans out of the U.S.

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

Prohibited all Chinese except students, teachers, merchants, tourists, and government officials from entering the United States

What was the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act?

Passes during the civil rights movement of 1960s

Repealed national origins quota system of the 1920s that kept certain nations out

Established new immigration policy based on 1. Reuniting immigrant families 2. Attracting skilled labor 3. Political refugees 

What was the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Acts impact?

1. I screamed total number of immigrants allowed into the U.S.

2. Encouraged and increased immigration from Asia, Africa, and Latin America over European countries

3. Hispanics became fastest growing minority in the U.S.

4. led to an increase in Spanish language media and federal funding for bilingual education programs

5. It will alter the balance of power in future elections

What parts of the world did the 1920s quota system favor?

Northern and Western Europe

What 3 new categories did the 1965 Immigration Act open America to?

Family members of American citizens

Political refugees

Skilled laborers and professionals

Qualifications a person must meet to become a U.S. citizen 

Must be at least 18 years old

Green card holder for at least 5 years(or 3 if married to  a U.S. citizen)

Pass us history and civic tests

Maintain good moral character 

Maintain continuous residence

Visa 

Endorsement on a passport indicating the holder is allowed to temporarily be in a particular country for a specified period of time 

Green Card

Authorized a person to live and work in the U.S. on a permanent basis; however that person cannot vote in federal elections

Must renew every 10 years unless you apply for full citizenship

Naturalization

The process through which an immigrant must go in order to officially become a citizen