America society (immigrant experience)

• Native Americans


  Indigenous to America
• African Americans


  Enslaved and forcefully taken to America
• Americans first came to America through immigration
• Open-door immigration policy


  Immigration was positively encouraged as it enabled the nation to develop and prosper
• Between 1836 and 1914, around 30 million Europeans migrated to the United States
• American dream


  Filled many immigrants with hope that they could enjoy a better life
• Pull factors that attracted immigrants to America


  • Lots of job opportunities in America's growing industries
  • Land was cheap to buy and very fertile
  • People could practise any religion freely
• Ellis Island


  Where most immigrants arrived near New York
• In 1914, around 878,000 immigrants were processed at Ellis Island
• Immigrant experience at Ellis Island


  1. Medical tests

  2. Questioned about work and financial situation

  3. Quarantine for those with diseases

  4. Return home for those who didn't pass
• Successful immigrants


  • Scottish-born Andrew Carnegie was the wealthiest American industrialist for a number of years
  • Many people thrived in business and American politics
  • Large ethnic communities developed in big cities, e.g. Little Italy in New York
• Difficult life for many new immigrants


  • Living conditions were difficult, with many immigrant communities developing into slums
  • Many immigrant groups found themselves living in ghettoes, leading to further ignorance of their cultures and traditions
  • Many had little option other than to work in low-status and low-skilled jobs for low wages
• In the early 20th century, the mood turned against certain groups of immigrants
• Anti-German feeling during and after World War One


  • Some extreme forms of nationalism gave rise to anti-German feeling
  • The study of the German language was removed from some school curriculums
  • Immigrants of German origin were viewed as potential traitors
• Racial prejudice


  • Distinction being made between old immigrants (WASPs) and new immigrants (Catholics, Southern Europeans, Eastern Europeans, Chinese)
  • New immigrants were portrayed by some as a threat to American society and its values
• Recession from 1920 to 1921


  Created a shortage of jobs, leading to immigrants being blamed by trade unions and workers for 'stealing' jobs from Americans
• Laws restricting immigration


  1. 1917 Immigration Act used literacy tests to exclude immigrants with low reading ability, and banned immigration from the Middle East and Southeast Asia

  2. 1921 Emergency Quota Act set a limit of 357,000 immigrants per year

  3. 1924 National Origins Act further reduced immigration to 150,000 per year, and set a quota based on birthplace
• Xenophobic society


  America was becoming a less tolerant and more xenophobic society