Immigration Past and Present A Nation of Immigrants

Immigration Past and Present: A Nation of Immigrants

The Beginnings l Native Americans l European explorers and missionaries (Spanish, French, English) l In the 1500 s: The first settlers from Europe (Spanish, French, Dutch)

The Foundation: The First Colonies l 1607: Jamestown, Virginia (English) l 1619: The first black slaves were imported from Africa l 1620: The Pilgrim Fathers, Boston, Mass. The first Thanksgiving l The English, Spanish, French and Dutch battled each other and Native Americans for territory

The First Wave of Immigration: 1680 – 1776 l In 1680: 80% of the population English l By 1776: The English only 52% of the population due to new immigrants from Ireland, Scotland, Germany and France

American Independence and Revolution l 1776: Independence: The United States of America l 1776 -1783: American War of Independence from Britain (= The American Revolution) The 13 colonies → states Territories → states l 1776 -1820: Few new immigrants to the USA: The Anglo-American culture firmly established. English as the official language

The Second Wave: 1820 – 1880/1890 l “Old” immigration (from northern / western Europe) l Britons, Germans, Scandinavians, Irish, Jews l Pioneering, farming

The Third Wave: 1890 – 1920/30 l “New” immigration (from eastern / southern Europe): Italians, Russians, Hungarians, Austrians, Poles, Jews, Czechs, Greeks, Portuguese ( + Syrians, Mexicans, Japanese)

The Third Wave: 1890 – 1920/30 l East coast, cities, factory workers l 1921 and 1924: Restrictive immigration laws Quotas favouring north-western Europeans l 1929: Oriental Exclusion Act

The Fourth Wave: 1930 s – today l 1930 s: Little immigration due to the Depression l 1940 s: Second World War and Cold War refugees l 1950 s: Mexican contract (farm) workers

The Fourth Wave: 1930 – today l Major change: 1965 and 1990: Expansive immigration laws l Increase in non-European immigration l The 1990 Act: 700, 000 immigrants per year + people with special skills (European “brain drain”)

National and Cultural Identity l Assimilation ("the melting pot ") = Americanization Institutions of assimilation: l Preservation ("the salad bowl") = Integration (? )

Is the U. S. A. still a nation of immigrants? Immigration today: l l 1. Legal immigration Around 900, 000 legal immigrants come to the USA every year, mostly Hispanics and Asians. Most of these go to California, Florida, Texas, Arizona, New Jersey, New York, and Illinois.

2. Illegal immigration l There around 11 million illegal immigrants in the USA today (more than half from Mexico). l Demonstrations - both in favour and against illegal immigrants (cf. the video about illegal immigrants in Georgia). What are the main arguments?

How to reduce illegal immigration? l Suggested measures to reduce illegal immigration: - Increase funding for border security - Build more fences - Improve the policing of the border and use the National Guard as border patrol

Suggested measures to reduce illegal immigration: - Allow state police to check a person’s immigration status while enforcing other laws - Allow a state to arrest and drive out illegal immigrants (= make illegal immigration a serious crime) - Grant “guest worker” status and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in America (amnesty)

Suggested measures to reduce illegal immigration: - Have clear conditions linked to guestworker programme (e. g. learn English, pay taxes for years back) - Make tamper-proof identity cards - Hold employers to account Other possible measures?

Why did/do so many people want to go to the USA? (In the 19 th and 20 th centuries, but also today? ) l Push factors l Pull factors l Factors that discourage immigration l Gains and costs of immigration (for the immigrants themselves)