Chapter 6 Urban America Section 1 Immigration Pages

Chapter 6: Urban America Section 1: Immigration Pages 214 - 219

Europeans Flood Into America • Between 1865 – 1914: 25 million Europeans immigrated to the United States • More than half were Eastern and Southern European: Italy, Greece, Russia, Austria, and Serbia • Many came to escape religious persecution (Jews in Poland, Catholics in Ireland)

The Atlantic Voyage • Most immigrants booked passage in steerage, the cheapest accommodations on a ship • Europe to New York: 14 day trip • Passengers embarked at Ellis Island, a tiny island controlled by New York and New Jersey in New York Harbor

Ellis Island • 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island between 1892 – 1954 • Immigrants had to visit a doctor first • “H” for heart problems, “K” for hernias, “Sc” for scalp problems (head lice), “X” for mental disorders • Those who failed the medical inspection would be sent back to Europe

Ethnic Cities • By the 1890 s, immigrants made up a large portion of the population in New York, Detroit, Chicago, and Milwaukee • Map of New York City colored in lines of the different cultures would have more stripes than a zebra • Cities separated in ethnic groups: Little Italy, Greektown, Chinatown, etc.

Asian Immigration • Mid-1800 s: China’s population reached 430 million and the country was suffering from a depression • Taiping Rebellion caused civil unrest • Central Pacific Railroad offered work

Nativism Resurges • Feelings of nativism is an example of dislike of immigrants by native-born people • Surfaced during the wave of Irish immigration between 1840 – 1850 • Opposed immigration of Asians, Jews, Poles, Catholics, and other Eastern Europeans

Prejudice Against Catholics • American Protective Association: founded in 1887 by Henry Bowers, was an anti-Catholic organization • Members vowed not hire or vote for a Catholic • Most aggression was directed towards Irish-Catholics • White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) was the dominant culture in America • WASPs considered the Irish to be lazy

Restrictions on Asian Immigration • In 1882 Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act which barred Chinese immigration for 10 years and prevented Chinese already in the country from becoming citizens; law renewed in 1902, repealed in 1943 • Gentleman’s Agreement: Between President Roosevelt and the San Francisco School Board, Roosevelt agreed to curtail Japanese immigration and the San Francisco School Board agreed to revoke its segregation order

The Literacy Debate • 1905: Roosevelt commissioned a study on how immigrants were admitted to the nation • Recommended a literacy English test • Two years later recommended a literacy test in any language • “New immigrants” vs “Old immigrants” • Both Presidents Taft and Wilson rejected the law • Eventually passed in 1917 over Wilson’s second veto • Purpose to reduce immigration from southeastern European nations