the territory that today is the u

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The territory that today is the U.S. state ofAlaskawas settled by Russians and controlled by

theRussian Empire. The southernmost such post of the Russian American Companywas Fort Ross,

established in !" by#$an %usko$, some &' miles north of San Francisco, as an a(ricultural

supplybase for Russian America. #t was part of the Russian)America Company, and consisted of

four outposts, includin( *ode(a *ay, the Russian Ri$er, and the Farallon #slands. There was ne$er

an established a(reement made with the (o$ernment of +ew Spainwhich produced (reat tension

between the two countries. Spain claimed the land yet had ne$er established a colony there. *ut due

to the well armed Russian Fort, Spain could not remo$e the Russians li$in( there. ithout the

Russians- hospitality the Spanish colony would ha$e been abandoned due to their supplies bein(

lost when Spanish supply ships sank in a lar(e storm off the South American coast. After

the#ndependence of e/ico, tensions were reduced and trade was established with the new

(o$ernment of e/ican California.

Russian America was not a profitable colony, due to hi(h transportation costs and declinin( animal

population. After it waspurchasedby the United States in !01, the ma2ority of the Russian settlers

went back to Russia, but some resettled in southern Alaska and California. #ncluded in these were

the first miners and merchants of the California (old rush.3citation needed4

First wave3edit4

Russian immi(rant home,+ew 5ork,6'76&

The first massi$e wa$e of immi(ration from all areas of Europe to the United States took place in the

late 6th century, followin( the !0" enactment of the8omestead Act. Althou(h some immi(ration

took place earlier7the most notable e/ample bein( #$an Turchanino$,who immi(rated in !&0 and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaskahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empirehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empirehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_American_Companyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Ross,_Californiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Kuskovhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Kuskovhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Franciscohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_supply_storehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_supply_storehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_supply_storehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Spainhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_of_Mexicohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_of_Mexicohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Californiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Californiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_purchasehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_purchasehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Russian_Americans&action=edit&section=4https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Yorkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Yorkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Yorkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestead_Acthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestead_Acthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Turchaninovhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Turchaninovhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empirehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_American_Companyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Ross,_Californiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Kuskovhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Franciscohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_supply_storehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_supply_storehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Spainhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_of_Mexicohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Californiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_purchasehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Russian_Americans&action=edit&section=4https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Yorkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestead_Acthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Turchaninovhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska


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became a Union armybri(adier (eneral9 millions tra$eled to the new world in the last decade of the

6th century, some for political reasons, some for economic reasons, and some for a combination of

both. *etween !"' and !1' only 1,&&' Russians immi(rated to the USA, but startin( with !!,

immi(ration rate e/ceeded ',''' a year: &6;,1'' in !696'', .0 million in 6'96', !0!,'''

in 696


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inte(rate into (reater Russian society instead of con$ertin( to Christianity. Uni$ersities and schools

opened to =ewish attendance and =ewish (raduates were newly eli(ible for (o$ernment ser$ice.

Russian =ews hoped Ale/ander ##Hs re(ime would be a permanent turnin( point in the national

attitude towards =udaism. =ewish enrollment in uni$ersity drastically increasedJ in !&; only ."&

percent of the student body in Russia was =ewish, while by !1; this fi(ure had 2umped to ;."percent.3"4

These hopes were not fulfilled. A bomb thrown at his carria(e assassinated Ale/ander ## on arch ,

!!. A Re$olutionary terrorist or(aniIation called theeopleHs illcarried out the attack, but

rumors spread that a =ewish conspiracy was responsible. The national attitude towards =ews rapidly

chan(ed. The Russian press implied a lar(e share of =ewish responsibility for the assassination of

Ale/ander the ##.3;4Anti)Semitic riots broke out throu(hout Russia. =ews were attacked and their

property destroyed as police watched indifferently. #n ay !!", Ale/ander ##Hs heir,Ale/ander ###,

ushered in po(romsknown as the ay @ay >aws that suppressed =ews and other underrepresented

minorities, re$ersin( his fatherHs more liberal policies. hile the boundaries of the ale were ne$er

absolute, the ay @ay >aws strictly enforced these boundaries in order to KcleanseL the Russian

country side. =ewish families were forced into the paleHs already o$ercrowded cities and (hettos.

Ale/ander ### re$ersed the openin( of school and uni$ersities, and implemented a Guota system. The

system reduced =ewish attendance to ' percent in the ale, & percent outside of the ale and ;

percent in St. etersbur( and oscow schools. 3"4=ews were forbade from workin( on Sundays and

other Christian holidays, puttin( them at a disad$anta(e to Christian competitors who could work on

Saturdays, the day of the =ewish Sabbath. Dn the first day of asso$er in !6 the o$ernment

e/pelled all =ews from oscow, e/cludin( a small number of aristocrats. 364The (o$ernmentHs (i$en

reason for these laws were easin( the Kconflict between =ews and the nati$e populationL. 3aws were enacted. Dften,

persecution and economic disad$anta(es went hand and hand in Russia. Economic depri$ation

radically worsened after Ale/ander ##Hs assassination. =ews could no lon(er perform certain 2obs

such as inn keeper or ta$ern owner. Shop si(ns were reGuired to bear the shop ownerHs

full8ebrewname, alertin( possible customers that they were buyin( from =ewish sellers. The

o$ercrowded ale could not support enou(h business to pro$ide for the entire =ewish community
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-Lesklov.2C_N.S_1986-12https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%E2%80%99s_Willhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%E2%80%99s_Willhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-13https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_III_of_Russiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_III_of_Russiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogromshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-Lesklov.2C_N.S_1986-12https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-Gitelman.2C_Zvi_1988-9https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-14https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-15https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-15https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrewhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrewhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-Lesklov.2C_N.S_1986-12https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%E2%80%99s_Willhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-13https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_III_of_Russiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogromshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-Lesklov.2C_N.S_1986-12https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-Gitelman.2C_Zvi_1988-9https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-14https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-15https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew


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and, alon( with fi(htin( intense competition, access to capital, eGuipment and credit was limited in

the ale. To add to the problem, the =ewish population in Russia almost Guadrupled between !0'

and 6'.34Muality of life in the ale Guickly deteriorated. At the turn of the century it is estimated ;'

to ;& percent of the =ewish population depended on relief pro$ided by =ewish welfare institutions B&'

itelman. ortality rates in the =ewish community were twice as hi(h as those in non)=ewishRussian communities.3"4The mi(ration was also likely a reinforcin( cycle. E/tended families followed

each other o$er seas to keep families intact.304

Second wave3edit4

Main article:hite Emigre

Russian)speakin( bankers in Chica(o,60

A lar(e wa$e of Russians immi(rated in the short time period of 6196"", in the wake of Dctober

Re$olutionand Russian Ci$il ar. This (roup is known collecti$ely as thehite emi(res.United

States of Americawas the second lar(est destination for those immi(rants, after France.3citation

needed4This wa$e is often referred to as the first wa$e, when discussin( So$iet era immi(ration. The

head of theRussian ro$isional o$ernment,Ale/ander %erensky,was one of those immi(rants.

Since the immi(rants were of the hi(her classes of the Russian Empire,they contributed si(nificantly

toAmericanscience and culture. #n$entors?ladimir Nworykin,often referred to as Ofather of

tele$isionO,Ale/ander . oniatoff,the founder ofAmpe/, andAle/ander >ody(in, arri$ed with this

wa$e. TheAmerican armybenefited (reatly with the arri$al of such in$entors as #(or SikorskyBwho

in$ented the 8elicopterandAerosan, ?ladimir 5ourke$itch, andAle/ander rocofieff de

Se$ersky.Ser(ei Rachmaninoffand #(or Stra$inskyare by many considered to be amon( the

(reatest composers e$er to li$e in the United States of America. The no$elist ?ladimir +aboko$, the

$iolinist=asha 8eifetI, and the actor 5ul *rynneralso left Russia in this period.

As with first and second wa$e, if the hite Emi(releft Russia to any country, they were still

considered first or second wa$e, e$en if they ended up mo$in( to another country, includin( the US

at a later time. There was no -strict- year boundaries, but a (uideline to ha$e a better understandin(

of the time period. Thus 61)6"" is a (uideline. There are Russians who are considered second

wa$e e$en if they arri$ed after 6"" up to 6
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-Rogger.2C_Hans_1986-11https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-Lesklov.2C_N.S_1986-12https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-16https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Russian_Americans&action=edit&section=6https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Emigrehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Emigrehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicagohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicagohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_Revolutionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_Revolutionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Civil_Warhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_emigrehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_emigrehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_of_Americahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_of_Americahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_of_Americahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_of_Americahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Provisional_Governmenthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Provisional_Governmenthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Provisional_Governmenthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Kerenskyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Kerenskyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empirehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empirehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USAhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Zworykinhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Zworykinhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Zworykinhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_M._Poniatoffhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_M._Poniatoffhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_M._Poniatoffhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampexhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Lodyginhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_armyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igor_Sikorskyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopterhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerosanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Yourkevitchhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Procofieff_de_Severskyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Procofieff_de_Severskyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Procofieff_de_Severskyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Rachmaninoffhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igor_Stravinskyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Nabokovhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasha_Heifetzhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasha_Heifetzhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yul_Brynnerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yul_Brynnerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Emigrehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-Rogger.2C_Hans_1986-11https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-Lesklov.2C_N.S_1986-12https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Americans#cite_note-16https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Russian_Americans&action=edit&section=6https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Emigrehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicagohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_Revolutionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_Revolutionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Civil_Warhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_emigrehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_of_Americahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_of_Americahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Provisional_Governmenthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Kerenskyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empirehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USAhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Zworykinhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_M._Poniatoffhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampexhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Lodyginhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_armyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igor_Sikorskyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopterhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerosanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Yourkevitchhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Procofieff_de_Severskyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Procofieff_de_Severskyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Rachmaninoffhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igor_Stravinskyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Nabokovhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasha_Heifetzhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yul_Brynnerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Emigre


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Soviet era3edit4

Main article:Eastern !loc emigration and de"ection

@urin( theSo$ietera, emi(ration was prohibited, and limited to $ery few defectors

anddissidentswho immi(rated to the United States of Americaand other estern *loccountries for

political reasons. Some fled the Communistre(ime, such as ?ladimir 8orowitIin 6"& orAyn

Randin 6"0, or were deported by it, such as =oseph *rodskyin 61", orAleksandr SolIhenitsynin

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the territory that today is the u

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