Historical Waves of Immigration to the US

In 2023, how many people in the United States were foreign-born?

47.8 million

In 2023, what percentage of the US population was foreign-born?

14.3%

What was the historical high percentage of foreign-born people of the US population?

14.8% in 1890

What was the total US population in 1890?

64 million

How many European immigrants came to the United States in the 19th century?

50 million

How many European immigrants arrived to the US through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954?

12 million

Where is Ellis Island?

New York

How many immigrants went through Ellis Island in 1907?

1.25 million

What percentage of Americans can trace their ancestry through an ancestor who went through Ellis Island?

40%

When did the immigration processing station on Ellis Island close?

1954

What are the quintessential symbols of immigration to the US?

Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty

How many arrival records does the American Family Immigration History Center have from Ellis Island and the Port of New York?

65 million

How many European immigrants came to the US between 1783 and 1815?

250,000

How did Congress try to control immigration after 1819?

Limiting carrying capacity on ships based on their tonnage

What countries were part of the wave of immigrants from 1830 to 1930?

Germany, Ireland, UK, France, Canada

When was the Irish Potato Famine?

1845 to 1852

How many Irish people emigrated because of the Potato Famine?

2 million

When did Irish Independence occur?

1921

How many Irish people left Ireland by 1921?

5.4 million

How many deaths did the Irish Potato Famine cause?

1 million

What was the population of Ireland in 1841?

8.2 million

What was the population of Ireland in 1921?

4.2 million

What is the “Spring of Nations”?

Political and social uprisings against monarchs in 1848

How many immigrants entered the US during the 1830s?

600,000

How many immigrants entered the US during the 1840s?

1.7 million

How many immigrants entered the US during the 1850s?

3 million

What was the percentage of foreign born people in the US population by 1860?

13.2%

What percentage of NYC’s population was foreign-born by 1860?

51%

What percentage of California’s population was foreign-born by 1860?

63%

What is the Know-Nothing Party also known as?

American Party

What were the major political stances that the Know-Nothing Party had?

Liked immigration restrictions especially Catholic ones

What decade did the Know-Nothing Party have the most political successes?

1850s

Who founded the Immigration Restriction League?

Prescott F. Hall, Charles Warren, Robert DeCourcy Ward

What university did the founders of the Immigration Restriction League graduate from?

Harvard

What was the goal of the IRL when it was founded?

To push for a literacy test on immigrants

Why did the period of 1930-1965 have a sharp decline in immigration?

1924 Immigration Act, Great Depression, WW2

What was the annual immigration numbers to the US during the 1950s?

250,000

How many immigrants were there in the US in 1990?

7.9%

What percentage of the US population did immigrants account for in 1990?

7.9%

In 1960, what percentage of the foreign-born US population traced their ancestors to EU/Canada?

84%

In 1990, what percentage of the foreign-born US population traced their ancestors to EU/Canada?

24-25%

In 1990, what percentage of green cards were given to immigrants from Latin America?

59%

In 1990, what percentage of green cards were given to immigrants from Asia?

22%

In 1990, what percentage of green cards were given to immigrants from Europe and Canada?

7%