(no subject)
During the period of 1860 through 1920 America as we knew it went through a transformation that changed it from the “old” English immigrants that shaped America to a land filled with “new” immigration from southern and eastern Europe. In this time period there was also a mass migration from the rural farmland to the urban industrial centers. Between the two groups of population shifts they moved into the major cities such as New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. These cities were the big melting pots of the late ninetieth century. Both the migrants and immigrants moving into these cities had expected certain opportunities for a better quality of life. Although there were many opportunities offered to the “new” immigrants they were not always received by the “new” immigrants.
Unlike the old immigrants the new immigrants were not English they were from different and far less accepted countries. At this point in time the immigrants from Germany, Italy, Russia, and china were not openly welcome to the American society. Even though new immigrants from old countries like England and Ireland were able to slip in undetected. The emigrants from southern and eastern Europe had good reason to leave. Between the disturbances in the economy due to the radical improvements in transportation and the massive immigration into their countries because of cheep wheat from the united states and Russia. Another reason for them to leave was because of the rapid growth of industrialization and its ability to but the common farm worker out of business in a heartbeat. Still this only says why the left but the question remains as to why come to America and the only reason is because the “new” immigrants saw it as the land of opportunity.
Many of the wonderful opportunities for economic success that the immigrants had expected upon arrival to America were not quite as readily available as they had hoped because with the flood of “new” immigration came a revival of old nativism. The epitome of nativism during this time was embodied by the American Protective Association. The members of this society promised to “wage a continuous warfare against ignorance and fanaticism” (Doc I). They even went as far to promise not to employ a Roman Catholic, unless they had no other choice, with this in mind it is easy to see the problems that the immigrants had to face especially with the fact that migration was on the rise so employers would much rather an English descended protestant. The government even went as far as to ban the contracting of foreign labor with the exclusion act of 1882. This was nearly a joke because the majority of workers on the trans continental railroad were Chinese, in fact, “12,000 of the 13,500 workers on the railroad’s payroll were Chinese.”(Doc L).
The rate of immigration and migration both hit their peaks in the time period between 1905 and 1910. In this peak of movement in the United States the majority of migrants settled in an urban area. The massive population shift in the big cities caused a strain on the health conditions, to a point in which “the city stank with the emanations of putrefying organic matter” (Doc B). The immigrants came to America for a better quality of life but living in a cesspool is what the huddled masses received. Some immigrants were considered nothing more than birds of passage that came to America to raise money to buy land back home, but the more common situation was when one family member would come over to raise money to bring 5the rest of the family over. The family would have the intentions of assimilating into the American culture, but they would end up in a portion of the city largely inhabited by their own race of people. By self-segregating themselves they ruined the whole melting pot effect.
Immigrants sought out a life of opportunity in America. Technically the opportunities that they sought were out there but the majority of them were simply out of reach. The opportunities that they had expected had been wealth, happiness, and freedom. They did receive these opportunities but to a limited extent. The opportunity for wealth was out there but the majority would only get work if they accepted lower wages. As far as freedom there was no one holding them back except for themselves. They were free to move about the county but ended up living in tenement housing in the slums of the big city. The opportunity was out there but if it was received depended on the immigrant more than that of the country.
Unlike the old immigrants the new immigrants were not English they were from different and far less accepted countries. At this point in time the immigrants from Germany, Italy, Russia, and china were not openly welcome to the American society. Even though new immigrants from old countries like England and Ireland were able to slip in undetected. The emigrants from southern and eastern Europe had good reason to leave. Between the disturbances in the economy due to the radical improvements in transportation and the massive immigration into their countries because of cheep wheat from the united states and Russia. Another reason for them to leave was because of the rapid growth of industrialization and its ability to but the common farm worker out of business in a heartbeat. Still this only says why the left but the question remains as to why come to America and the only reason is because the “new” immigrants saw it as the land of opportunity.
Many of the wonderful opportunities for economic success that the immigrants had expected upon arrival to America were not quite as readily available as they had hoped because with the flood of “new” immigration came a revival of old nativism. The epitome of nativism during this time was embodied by the American Protective Association. The members of this society promised to “wage a continuous warfare against ignorance and fanaticism” (Doc I). They even went as far to promise not to employ a Roman Catholic, unless they had no other choice, with this in mind it is easy to see the problems that the immigrants had to face especially with the fact that migration was on the rise so employers would much rather an English descended protestant. The government even went as far as to ban the contracting of foreign labor with the exclusion act of 1882. This was nearly a joke because the majority of workers on the trans continental railroad were Chinese, in fact, “12,000 of the 13,500 workers on the railroad’s payroll were Chinese.”(Doc L).
The rate of immigration and migration both hit their peaks in the time period between 1905 and 1910. In this peak of movement in the United States the majority of migrants settled in an urban area. The massive population shift in the big cities caused a strain on the health conditions, to a point in which “the city stank with the emanations of putrefying organic matter” (Doc B). The immigrants came to America for a better quality of life but living in a cesspool is what the huddled masses received. Some immigrants were considered nothing more than birds of passage that came to America to raise money to buy land back home, but the more common situation was when one family member would come over to raise money to bring 5the rest of the family over. The family would have the intentions of assimilating into the American culture, but they would end up in a portion of the city largely inhabited by their own race of people. By self-segregating themselves they ruined the whole melting pot effect.
Immigrants sought out a life of opportunity in America. Technically the opportunities that they sought were out there but the majority of them were simply out of reach. The opportunities that they had expected had been wealth, happiness, and freedom. They did receive these opportunities but to a limited extent. The opportunity for wealth was out there but the majority would only get work if they accepted lower wages. As far as freedom there was no one holding them back except for themselves. They were free to move about the county but ended up living in tenement housing in the slums of the big city. The opportunity was out there but if it was received depended on the immigrant more than that of the country.