Immigration Facts

Focus Question:How did “New Immigration”

Affect American society?

I. Immigration between 1880 - 1920

A. The Age of the “New” Immigration1. Between 1880 – 1920

a. Almost 24 million immigrants arrived in the U.S. b. They came from Southern and Eastern Europe

i. Italyii. Croatiaiii. Polandiv. Greecev. Czechoslovakiavi. Hungaryvii. Russia

B. 18821. Immigration reaches an all new high2. 788,992 persons arrive in the U.S.

II. Push Factors for “New” immigrationA. Population of Europe doubled during the 1800sB. Challenges of industrialization (rise of urbanization and

manufacturing)1. Upset the fragile lifestyle and stability of the peasant class2. Urbanization refers to a process in which an increasing

proportion of an entire population lives in cities and the suburbs of cities

3. Decline in agriculture4. Low wages5. Unemployment6. Disease7. Forced military conscription8. Religious persecution (pogroms - An organized, often

officially encouraged massacre or persecution of a minority group, especially one conducted against Jews

Quick Review

1. How many immigrants arrived in the U.S. between 1880 – 1920?

2. Categorize the Push Factors for “New” immigration.a. Cultural/Politicalb. Economicc. Environmental

III. “Land of Liberty”

A. Assimilation is the social process of absorbing on cultural group into harmony with another

B. “New Immigrants” faced difficulty assimilating into American culture1. Most could not speak English2. Most were not literate in their own language3. Distrustful of government

C. Crammed into cities in the Northeast1. Created small ethnic communities to protect their culture2. Created newspapers, specialty grocery stores, restaurants,

churches, synagogues, and schools

IV. Life of “New Immigrants”

A. Settled into cities along the eastern seaboardB. Entered low-paying, wage labor jobs

1. Construction2. Factory labor3. Sewing

C. Arrived with little or no moneyD. Forced into substandard housing in the worst sections of

overcrowded cities

V. Problems created by “New immigrants”

A. Sanitation1. Overflowing sewers2. Uncollected garbage

B. Overpopulation1. Overcrowding 2. Crime rate rise

C. Native-born Americans blame “New Immigrants” 1. The unsettling situation in the cities2. Taking over “their” nation

Quick Review

1. What is assimilation?2. Why did “New Immigrants” have problems assimilating into

American culture?3. Where did “New Immigrants” settle?4. Describe the life of “New Immigrants”5. What problems were caused by the wave of “new”

immigration?6. Why did native-born Americans have a problem with the

“New Immigrants”?