People on the Move

In 1860, the population of the USA was around 31.5 million people.

Between 1865 and 1920, an additional 30 million came from

overseas…

• Look for the answers to these questions in the short introductory video on immigration…

1. What were some push factors for immigration that the clip mentions? Pull factors?

2. Where did immigrants come from at different points during immigration?

3. What challenges did they face when they came to the United States?

Immigration Intro-Video Clip

Why immigrate?

• Some common push and pull factors…– Political Reasons

• Pograms– Violent massacres of

Jews in Russia, Ukraine.– Czar limited where Jews

could live, how they could earn a living.

• High taxes.– Especially in Italy

– Social Reasons• “Self-make” ideal.• Family members had already

immigrated.– Economic Reasons

• Poor land– Italy, Ireland

• High unemployment and limited opportunity.

– Italy, Greece, Poland

Who Immigrated?

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1880 1890 1900 1910

Northwest Europe

Central Europe

Eastern Europe

Southern Europe

In Thousands of Immigrants

The Immigrant Experience• Trip usually started with

“Immigration Agency.”– Companies that sold

packages including rail fair, hotel stay in port city, and passage.

• Trip length: (Atlantic)– Until 1900 = 2 or 3

weeks– After 1900 = 1 week with

steam powered ship

“Steerage”

Hundreds of immigrants crammed into one small area with little more space than a twin bunk-bed!

•Steerage

•Large open area below deck.

•Usually a converted cargo area.

Immigration Out of Asia

• Why are we talking about Europe and not Asia?

• Chinese Exclusion Act– Passed in 1882 in

response to discrimination against the Chinese.

– No Chinese were allowed to immigrate between 1882 and 1943.

• “Gentlemen’s Agreement”– Teddy Roosevelt in 1907

asks Japan to stop issuing Japanese workers passports to the USA.

Immigrants at Port

• Famous Ports– Ellis Island (NY)– Angel Island (SF)

• Conditions at port…– Health Exams– Quarantines– Name changing

• Places of Settlement– Ghettos

• Areas in which one ethnic or racial group dominated (typically in very poor conditions)

• Chicago’s “Polonia”• Restrictive Covenants