immigration

What was the Open Door Policy?

During the 19th century, mass migration was encouraged by the US government, which was keen to populate the continent. Designed to make entry into the country as easy as possible.

Why was there opposition to immigration by 1910?

- thought that new immigrants would take jobs and work for low wages —> growth of intolerance

- It was also thought that new immigrants were responsible for increased rates of crime, drunkenness and prostitution

- hostility to German immigrants as the USA became more involved in WW1 (teaching of German in schools was banned in several states), wanted America to isolate itself from European affairs, and restricting immigration was a way to do this.

- by 1900, not as much land available

- industry became more mechanised, need for workers declining

- Americans believe new immigrants were of poor quality ( poor labourers and little formal education)

- Fear of spread of COMMUNISM--Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 ( opposite to America's ideology of Capitalism)

how many immigrants crossed the Atlantic to start a new life between 1900-1917?

8 million

Describe the Closed Door Policy

1917 Immigration Act: Literacy test - discriminating against poorly educated people from Eastern Europe in particular ( people couldn't afford to take English lessons)

1921 Emergency Quota Act: Restricted annual immigration from a country to 3% of people already in US from that country

1924 National Orgins Act:Reduced quota down to 2%, discriminating even more on SE Europeans

1929 Immigration Act: Restricted immigration to 150,000 immigrants per year.

What was the Red Scare?

- Reaction from American public to political developments of European countries (1917-1919)

- Bolshevik Revolution Russia, communist government

- Americans feared spread of these ideas from E Europe (xenophobia)

- communist party established in US 1919 supporting ideas that there would be a communist rev in US

-

Strikers in 1919

3,600 strikes in 1919

- poor working conditions and low pay ( even police striked)

- looked like the beginning for a Communist Revolution

- General strike held by IWW ( Industrial Workers of the World) - name strongly suggestive of Communist ideals

- steel company owners published circulars attacking foreign-born strikers (xenaphobia and prejudices)

- press portrayed strikes as anti-American, threatening US government

bombing:

- in 1919, extreme anarchists organised a series of bombings

- Mitchell Palmer, an attorney general, was bombed

- a bomb was planted in a church in Milwaukee, killing 10 people

- letter bombs posted to 36 well-known Americans

- wal st bombing 1920 - 40 ppl died

Palmer Raids

- Congressional support to raid houses of radicals believed to have connections to communism

- coordinated by Mitchell Palmer

- police attacked socialist parades on May Day 1920

- innocent people arrested based on suspicion:

. trade unionists

. black people

. Jews

. Catholics

- 6000 suspected suspected communists arrested

- many Russian immigrants sent back in ship nicknamed, 'Soviet Ark'

Sacco and Vanzetti

Italian radicals who became symbols of the Red Scare of the 1920s; arrested (1920), tried and executed (1927) for a robbery/murder, they were believed by many to have been innocent but convicted because of their immigrant status and radical political beliefs (anarchism)

- showed intolerance and unfairness of American soc

- Italian immigrants, denied rights entitled to (discrimination)

- convicted on flimsy evidence

- 1970s, pardoned by Governor of Massachusetts (agreeing mistrial had taken place).

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