Chapter 7 - 1
Ch. 7.1:
Why did immigrants come to the US?
Where did immigrants come from?
What problems/issues did immigrants face on the trip over and once they got here?
Why did some people want to put restriction on immigration? What were those restrictions?
Europeans - Between 1870 and 1920, 20 million europeans came to the united states. before the 1890's most of the immagrants came from western and northern Europe.
They came because they wanted to escape religion problems. To get away from the crown. Criminals were shipped over as their punishments. The first people to move here were called Free Thinkers. They thought they could have independent lives.
The Chinese went to the West Coast in small numbers. They settled along camps The Yuba and Bear camps.
They came here either because they were sent here to work on the railroads or to seek fortune in the Gold Rush.
The Japanese went to the West Coast too. They wanted a better life, education. Escaped from poverty and unemployment.
The West Indies. 1880 - 1920. 260,000 immagrants arrived in the western and southern states. They came from Jamica, Cuba.
They mexicans also came over. They came over for better jobs. To flee from political turmoil, and economic crisis. 1902 National Reclamation Act - encouraged mexicans and some others to come to the United States.
Life in the New Land.
Most immigrants came in steamships. They traveled in steerage - cheapest way. They weren't allowed on decks, they were very crouded. And they weren't treated right. Most died from diseases and most died before they arrived. The stench, the heat didn't help either. Their trip lasted a week. Some had lice. They had to share toilets and bunkbeds.
Ellis Island - Cheif immigration station. It was originally called the Castle Garden.
In 1892-1954 over 12 million people entered through Ellis Island in New York. 2% didn't make it through . Most got through. They had to go through phyisical examination. After that they went to a government inspector. They were asked questions there. The requirements for the government inspections were they had to never of commited a felony, show they had money, and demonstrate they were able to work.
Angel Island - San Fransico California.
Mostly Chinese went here. Harsh questioning. By 1940 a fire destroyed most of it, so the US abandoned it. The US wanted to deny the chinese, so they asked them hard questions so they wouldn't get through. The americans didn't like them because they chinese were taking their jobs.
Immigrants had to find jobs and homes after they got through. They had to understand unfamiliar cultures and languages. They were a veiwed as a threat to the Amercians way of life. They pulled money to build churches.
Immigration Restrictions,
If you were born in the US, you were naturally an American citizen. The native born people thought that the immigrants shouldn't come over because they weren't born here. They thought they should go back to their native homes, where they were born. They weren't liked because of religion, and racism.
1887 Anti Catholic attacks were really big. The Anti Asian Sentiment- Congress passed in 1882.
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