It’s strange how people can be so blinded by their immediate discomfort that they fail to see the illogical nonsense in their actions and words. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, immigrants faced both great new opportunities and hope crushing hardships.From 1870-1920, about 20 million European immigrants entered into America. These people left their homes in search of a new life for a number of reasons. One reason was due to population problems. At that time, the population in Europe had increased to over 400 million people. Farmers were having a rough time keeping up with the demand of feeding so many people, and they had to fight the growing population to keep their farmlands. In America, it was professed that land was plentiful, fertile, and in need of farming.Many of the Europeans were Jews. Whole Jewish villages and communities were being routed out destroyed in Russia. These Jewish displacements were called pogroms. The Jews, and other ethnic races and religions fled to America where they could keep their faith and way of life without fear of death and punishment from the government.And still others left Europe for jobs and to just start over in life. Jobs seemed few and far in between in Europe, and it was reported that work was plentiful in the States. There was also a political revolt going on in Europe which spurred many young men and women to leave.During this time, hundreds of thousands of Chinese and Japanese immigrants were occupying the west coast. Theses people were in great part responsible in the labor of the construction of the transcontinental railroad. After the railroads were built, the oriental immigrants would move on to work in mines during the gold rush, in logging for cities, and agriculture. The Chinese and Japanese were also skilled artisans and merchants.Political turmoil caused over 700,000 Mexicans to flee into the United States for work and a new life from 1900-1920. At the time, that was about 7% of the population. These Mexicans irrigated previously un-farmable land, and created quite a large amount of farmland in the Western states.At this time, immigrants generally traveled to the United States of America in steam boats. Those coming in from Europe usually spent about a week traveling the Atlantic Ocean while those braving the Pacific from Asia spent three weeks at sea. Life on these boats was miserable for all. Most people took the cheapest way over. This meant traveling in the cramped cargo hold with dozens of other people.The bunks and blankets were infested with lice and other vermin, food became rotten quickly, toilets were shared by everybody, and disease spread very quickly within their time at sea. The immigrants were very rarely permitted to go out on deck to receive some fresh air. Some of the passengers died before ever setting foot on America.Everyone who set eyes on America was instantly awed by the potential awaiting them at shore. Most boats passed into Ellis Island with the passengers in silent wonder and joy. The Immigrants had to go through a series of tests to actually be permitted to enter America. They had to be in ok health (no contagious diseases), they had to have no records of felony from where they came from, they had to pass spoken exam, and they had to have at least $25. Many workers at Ellis Island would sympathize with the new immigrants and would often pass people who weren’t quite “qualified” for American life.The Chinese however, had a very tough time in entering the U.S. Immigrants coming to America on the West Coast had to pass through Angel Island. The workers at Angel Island would keep the immigrants in filthy holding cells for a day or more before they began the exams. The workers were very racist and would reject someone at any chance that they were given. During the time it took over 20 million Europeans to get into America, only about 50,000 Chinese got in.Once in the country, immigrants also faced other challenges. Nativists, people who were born and raised in America, often despised immigrants. The natives feared that the immigrants would take all of the work at very low wages which would prevent the natives from making any money and supporting themselves. Natives also generally favored the Anglo-Saxons, or British, German, or Scandinavian immigrants. They believed that these people were of a superior breed, and deserved special treatment.There was a large anti-Catholic and Jew movement at this time as well. Many Natives were Protestants. The Protestants feared that the Catholics and Jews would undermine and disrupt the democratic system that the natives had grown to know and love. Many immigrants would go off and build communities of their own that were based on their ethnic backgrounds. They would build churches and support groups, cemeteries, schools, old-folks homes, and much more.Though these times were of great development and prosperity for many, many others faced difficulties and roadblocks that they had not foreseen. I am glad that my ancestors chose America and that they strived to make a life for their children, and children’s children. I am hear today because of their sacrifice and determination.
Comments