The Closing Door Lesson starter Countries should be
The Closing Door Lesson starter: Countries should be able to choose the countries they allow immigrants from. Do you agree with the above statement? Provide reasons for your answer.
Today we will… • Understand why America closed their open door • Identify the groups WASPs were keen to exclude from the USA
• America had been proud of its ‘open door’ policy which welcomed everyone into the country • People started to change their minds about immigrants for several reasons
WASPS • WASPs were the nickname given to earlier white immigrants who had come to America hundreds of years ago. • Sometimes known as the ‘founding fathers ’most Americans would prefer only this type of immigrant to live in the USA. WASP = WHITE, ANGLO-SAXON, PROTESTANT
WASP = WHITE, ANGLO-SAXON, PROTESTANT • Who are Wasps?
Chinese Immigration… • Chinese Exclusion Act 1882 restricted Chinese immigration • 1902 Chinese Immigration made illegal • Japanese immigration also restricted
Views of WASPs ‘Good’ immigrants • Germany • Britain • Ireland • France/ Scandinavia ‘Bad’ immigrants • Eastern Europe – Poland, Russia, Czechoslovakia • Southern Europe – Italy, Greece, Turkey • Chinese/Japanese
• An investigation called the Dillingham Commission was run in 1907 • It decided literacy tests would weed out ‘undesirable’ immigrants • Some managed to get in regardless of the test
Americans feared Communism – in 1917 Russia had become Communist ‘The Red Scare’ Many immigrants went on strike over pay & conditions – business owners unhappy Why did Americans dislike certain immigrants? Americans feared immigrants were taking all the jobs and houses – huge unemployment in 1930 s Racism – many Americans felt immigrants were poorer, illiterate and looked different
Issue: We should cut immigration to the UK. Agree Disagree Try and think up all the points you can to support/ dismiss this argument. Many of the points you come up with will be similar to the thoughts of many Americans during the twentieth century.
Sacco and Vanzetti • Radical Italian immigrants • Accused of double murder in Massachusetts • Both had alibis (inc a work time card) • Many defence witnesses spoke in broken English and were manipulated by the prosecution • Hat apparently belonging to Sacco found at the scene did not fit him • Executed 1927 – many believed it was due to their nationality and politics rather than hard evidence I am suffering because I am a radical. Indeed I am. I have suffered because I am Italian. Indeed, I am. Bartolomeo Vanzetti
Finally… • By the 1920 s a quota system was introduced • This meant only a certain amount of immigrants from each country could enter America
- Slides: 12