Immigration and Cultural Change in the US

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary related to immigration and cultural change in the United States, based on lecture notes.

Immigration

The movement of people from one country to another with the intention of living there permanently.

Ethnic Group

A community or population made up of people who share a common cultural background or descent.

Ellis Island

Immigration station in the US from 1892 to 1954, located in New York Harbor, serving as a gateway for millions of immigrants.

Push Factors

Conditions that drive people to leave their home country.

Nativist

A person who favors those born in his country and is opposed to immigrants.

Pull Factors

Conditions that attract people to move to a new country.

Angel Island

An island in San Francisco Bay that served as an entry point for many Asian immigrants starting in 1910.

Chinese Exclusion Act

1882 law that barred Chinese people from entering the United States.

New Immigrants

Immigrants who arrived in America during the Gilded Age from Southern or Eastern Europe.

Old Immigrants

Immigrants who came to America before the Civil War, primarily from Northern and Western European countries.

Quota System

A limited or fixed number or amount of people or things.

Gentleman's Agreement

An informal agreement between the US and Japan in 1907 regarding immigration.

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

A tragic factory fire in New York City that killed 145 workers and highlighted unsafe working conditions.

Melting Pot

A place where a variety of people and cultures assimilate into a cohesive whole.

US Census

An official count of every resident in the United States conducted every 10 years.