Slavery (“forced immigration”)

Forced immigration is an offensive term - DON’T USE IT.

• Taken from Africa against their will and shipped to European colonies in the New World.

• Captured in wars between African tribes and traded to European slave traders.

• West African Slave Trade

  • Begun by Portuguese and Spanish for Latin American Colonies.

  • By 1776, African slaves = 20% of US population (nearly 850,000).

  • 1808 - US Constitution allowed Congress to ban importation of slaves, which they did in 1809.

Early US Immigration

1. Germans

• Fled to US after failed democratic revolution in 1848.

  • Wanted to live under religious/political freedom.

• Looking for economic opportunity on Western frontier.

• Typically supported public education and abolition of slavery.

• Settled on frontier and midwest: Milwaukee, St. Louis, Chicago, farmers.

• Faced prejudice - couldn’t speak English.

• “Pennsylvania Dutch” not really Dutch - literally German.

• First large number of Jewish immigrants in US.

• 1831: Pennsylvania permits bilingual instruction in English and German in its public schools.

• INTRODUCED:

  • Christmas tree, Hot Dog, Hamburger, etc.

2. IRISH - post 1840

• Many fled Ireland in 1847 due to potato blight (famine).

• Thousands of Irish CATHOLICS flood into US - Boston and NYC.

• First large wave of CATHOLICS in US.

  • Faced prejudice and racism: anti-Catholic and anti-Irish sentiments: Many didn’t speak English.

• Tended to join Democratic Party - became leaders in large cities; NYC, Boston.

• “Irish Need Not Apply” - will find jobs as laborers (Erie Canal).

3. Spanish Speaking Immigrants: Mexicans

• US ABSORBED TEXAS IN 1845.

• US ABSORBED CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHWEST IN 1848- MEXICAN WAR

  • Strong tradition of bilingualism in region. These individuals didn’t move - the borders did.

4. Chinese post 1840s

• Chinese enter California near the time of the gold rush (1848) and are mostly employed building railroads.

  • Key role in Transcontinental Railroad.

• Will face discrimination and anti-Chinese legislation at both state and federal level.

• 1854: Chinese immigrants are prohibited from testifying against whites in California courts.

• 1882 - US Congress bans all Chinese immigration - Chinese Exclusion Act.

Reactions Against Immigration

1. Nativists

• Born in US and believed immigrants posed a threat to the majority culture (white, protestant, English speaking).

• Nativists feared Catholics would multiply and take over nation and put it under the authority of Pope in Rome.

• At different times, NATIVISTS organized to EXCLUDE certain groups - especially CATHOLICS.

• American workers do not support immigration - fear immigrants will take their jobs and work for lower wages.

2. American “KNOW NOTHING” Party

• A political party of the 1854-56 elections.

• ANTI-IMMIGRANT.

• Attempted to elect government officials on the platform of restricting/limiting immigration.

• Felt immigrants were “taking over the nation” - especially the Irish Catholics.

Nativist Response to Irish Immigration

• The influx of large numbers of Irish Catholics during the 19th century disturbed many conservative Americans who viewed the ethnic and religious shift in American society as a potentially damaging phenomenon.

• Many publications argued that the Irish would place their loyalty to the Catholic Church above their loyalty to the US.

• Also, the 1856 platform of the briefly influential “Know-Nothings” stressed the need for native-born Americans to take charge.

Change in American Culture in the 1800s

US Culture has always been a blend of two groups:

• A) NATIVE BORN AMERICANS:

  • Native born outnumber immigrants.

  • Native born dominate politics (can vote), economics, and culture.

  • Have also been abusive to new immigrant groups and feared a loss of “American” culture.

• B) Foreign born - IMMIGRANTS:

  • Must wait a period of years to become citizens - can’t vote.

  • Little economic/political power often work the worst jobs and live in the worst neighborhoods.

VALUES:

• Individualism

  • Each person responsible for their own actions: MERITOCRACY.

  • Emphasized strength of CHARACTER.

• Puritanism/Protestantism

  • Values HARD WORK/FAITH IN GOD.

  • Believed immigrant Catholics were sinners.

• Social Equality

  • Only existed between Native born whites.