Immigration was nothing new to America. Except for Native Americans, all United States citizens can claim some immigrant experience, whether during prosperity or despair, brought by force or by choice. However, immigration to the United States reached its peak from 1880-1920. The so-called "old immigration" brought thousands of Irish and German people to the New World. Show
This time, although those groups would continue to come, even greater ethnic diversity would grace America's populace. Many would come from Southern and Eastern Europe, and some would come from as far away as Asia. New complexions, new languages, and new religions confronted the already diverse American mosaic. The New Immigrants Almost every city in America is home to a Chinatown. This street scene is from New York City's Chinatown — one of the biggest and best-known. Most immigrant groups that had formerly come to America by choice seemed distinct, but in fact had many similarities. Most had come from Northern and Western Europe. Most had some experience with representative democracy. With the exception of the Irish, most were Protestant. Many were literate, and some possessed a fair degree of wealth. The new groups arriving by the boatload in the Gilded Age were characterized by few of these traits. Their nationalities included Greek, Italian, Polish, Slovak, Serb, Russian, Croat, and others. Until cut off by federal decree, Japanese and Chinese settlers relocated to the American West Coast. None of these groups were predominantly Protestant. The vast majority were Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox. However, due to increased persecution of Jews in Eastern Europe, many Jewish immigrants sought freedom from torment. Very few newcomers spoke any English, and large numbers were illiterate in their native tongues. None of these groups hailed from democratic regimes. The American form of government was as foreign as its culture. The new American cities became the destination of many of the most destitute. Once the trend was established, letters from America from friends and family beckoned new immigrants to ethnic enclaves such as Chinatown, Greektown, or Little Italy. This led to an urban ethnic patchwork, with little integration. The dumbbell tenement and all of its woes became the reality for most newcomers until enough could be saved for an upward move. Despite the horrors of tenement housing and factory work, many agreed that the wages they could earn and the food they could eat surpassed their former realities. Still, as many as 25% of the European immigrants of this time never intended to become American citizens. These so-called "birds of passage" simply earned enough income to send to their families and returned to their former lives. Resistance to Immigration
Not all Americans welcomed the new immigrants with open arms. While factory owners greeted the rush of cheap labor with zeal, laborers often treated their new competition with hostility. Many religious leaders were awestruck at the increase of non-Protestant believers. Racial purists feared the genetic outcome of the eventual pooling of these new bloods. Gradually, these "nativists" lobbied successfully to restrict the flow of immigration. In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, barring this ethnic group in its entirety. Twenty-five years later, Japanese immigration was restricted by executive agreement. These two Asian groups were the only ethnicities to be completely excluded from America. Criminals, contract workers, the mentally ill, anarchists, and alcoholics were among groups to be gradually barred from entry by Congress. In 1917, Congress required the passing of a literacy test to gain admission. Finally, in 1924, the door was shut to millions by placing an absolute cap on new immigrants based on ethnicity. That cap was based on the United States population of 1890 and was therefore designed to favor the previous immigrant groups. But millions had already come. During the age when the Statue of Liberty beckoned the world's "huddled masses yearning to breathe free," American diversity mushroomed. Each brought pieces of an old culture and made contributions to a new one. Although many former Europeans swore to their deaths to maintain their old ways of life, their children did not agree. Most enjoyed a higher standard of living than their parents, learned English easily, and sought American lifestyles. At least to that extent, America was a melting pot. European immigration to America began with British settlers in the 17th century. Later generations of these colonists would become the first American citizens following the American Revolution. From there on, any Europeans who crossed the Atlantic to America were considered immigrants, rather than native-born Americans. In American history, there were two waves of European immigration. Immigrants from Northern and Western Europe, part of the first wave of immigration, came in hoards during the 19th century. As the 19th century carried on into the twentieth century, a second wave of immigrants, known as the new immigrants, began to flood into American cities. In contrast to the old immigrants, these new immigrants were from Southern and Eastern Europe. They didn’t speak English and their customs were less familiar. Additionally, many of them were Catholic and Jewish, at odds with the primarily Protestant native-born population. As a result of this and the perception that they were stealing jobs, these immigrants faced particular xenophobia. xenophobia a fear and dislike of immigrants European Immigration to America: MapThis map shows the nationality of European immigrants coming to America during the Gilded Age: European Immigration to America: The NumbersBelow, we can get a better idea of the numbers: European Immigration to America: ReasonsThere were two main reasons for the second wave of European immigration to America: the promise of economic opportunity and religious persecution. Generally, the reason went hand-in-hand with where in Europe the immigrants were coming from. Immigrants from Southern Europe, such as Italy and Greece, often fled economic turmoil in their own countries. Many of the immigrants from Eastern Europe, such as Russia and Poland, were Jewish and seeking religious freedom. European Immigration to America: The Journey to AmericaThe advent of the railroad and the creation of better ships made immigration a more realistic feat for the average European. Immigrants from the center of Europe could simply take a train ride to a port city, where they could purchase a ticket for much less money than in the past. The Padrone System In the padrone system, financiers, called padrones, offered Europeans passage to America through contract labor agreements. The padrones would have a job ready for the immigrants, and in exchange, the immigrants would give a portion of their wages to the padrones. This system was common among Greeks and Italians and often exploitative. Upon their arrival, immigrants went to processing centers, where federal agents detained them before granting them access to America. Many immigrants went through the infamous Ellis Island in New York. Federal agents subjected them to probing question before they had to undergo dehumanizing doctor’s examinations. Agents could turn immigrants away for a host of reasons, including suspected criminal activity or disease. European Immigration to America: Life in AmericaAmerica was not the utopia that many European immigrants imagined. The streets were not paved with gold, but they were filled with garbage and human waste. Many immigrants settled in cities, contributing to overpopulation and overcrowded conditions. Oftentimes, immigrant families found themselves living in tenement houses in the slums. Ethnic neighborhoods developed where immigrants could preserve and practice their customs, as well as join ethnic organizations, such as mutual benefit associations. These associations would collect a membership fee so that if a member or family fell on hard times, there would be funding to support them. Chinatown and Little Italy in New York City are examples of ethnic neighborhoods. When it came to employment, European immigrants took the jobs that native-born Americans did not wish to take, ranging from work in the coal mines to steel mills. They worked long hours for little pay, and often under dangerous conditions. A memoir of a Russian-Jewish immigrant reads: ‘Father, does everybody in America live like this? Go to work early, come home late, eat and go to sleep? And the next day again work, eat, and sleep? Will I have to do that too? Always?’ Father looked thoughtful and ate two or three mouthfuls before he answered. ‘No,’ he said smiling. ‘You will get married.’” - Rose Cohen, Out of the Shadow, 19181 European Immigration to America: Anti-Immigration PoliciesIn 1907, immigration hit an all-time high with 1.3 million immigrants entering the country. But, as we discussed earlier, not all Americans welcomed them with open arms. During World War I, the flow of immigration from Europe declined, and the federal government wanted to ensure that immigration rates remained low after the war was over. This prompted an era of anti-immigration policies. The Immigration Act of 1917 instituted literacy tests for all immigrants over the age of 16, purposely targeting the low literacy rates in Southern and Eastern Europe. The Immigration Act of 1924 took it a step further with a quota that reduced the number of immigrants allowed to 2% of the given nationality’s population in America. If a certain nationality had 100 individuals living in America, the federal government’s quota would be two immigrants. Similar to the Immigration Act of 1917, this Immigration Act of 1924 specifically targeted the so-called new immigrants. The government used data from the 1890 census rather than the more recent 1910 census, meaning immigrants from Northern and Western Europe (the more favorable immigrants) had higher quotas. How did the arrival of East European immigrants change American culture?Analyzing How did the arrival of East European immigrants change American culture? The arrival of East Europeans made the religious culture more diverse—the number of Catholics greatly increased, and large numbers of Jews and Orthodox Christians arrived as well.
What was the impact of immigration on American society?In many central cities, immigration helped deteriorating neighborhoods make a comeback by lifting population and spurring economic growth; and immigration was a factor behind the decline in violent crime in urban America from the late 1990s and into the early 2000s.
How did immigrants change American culture?Immigrants, and especially the children and grandchildren of immigrants, have played a disproportionate role in the development of the American performing arts. They have also made fundamental contributions in many other realms of artistic, cultural, culinary, athletic, and scientific endeavor.
What were the causes and effects of European immigration to the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s?In the late 1800s, people in many parts of the world decided to leave their homes and immigrate to the United States. Fleeing crop failure, land and job shortages, rising taxes, and famine, many came to the U. S. because it was perceived as the land of economic opportunity.
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