Transforming America: How Waves of Immigration Shaped the Nation

Abstract

How Did Immigration Change the United States? Immigration was a challenge for those seeking work and a new life in United States. They left behind what was familiar, risked a dangerous trip, and settled where they did not speak the language or know anyone. The earliest wave of immigrants to the United States arrived in the 1830s and 1840s, as factory jobs became available. The hope for a better life pulled still more immigrants during the late 1800s and early 1900s. This second wave of immigration changed the nation socially, culturally, and economically. In 1880, the U.S. population was about 50 million. Just 20 years later, the population had grown to about 76 million. Some Americans worried that the U.S. economy could not support the newcomers. Others were concerned that the traditional American culture would change dramatically. In this lesson, you will learn about immigration to the United States and the experiences of immigrants between the late 1800s and early 1900s. You will demonstrate that you have learned this information through a written assessment. You may write a newspaper article or a guide for immigrants coming to the United States. What Groups Immigrated to the United States? The earliest waves of immigrants to the United States came in the 1830s and 1840s. Most industry at that time was located in the Northeast. As a result, most immigrants settled in that region. From about 1820 to 1880, more than nine million immigrants came to the United States. Most arrived from northern and western European countries, including Great Britain, Ireland, and Germany. Immigration during this period is often referred to as the "old immigration wave" to the United States. In addition to Europeans, immigrants from Asia arrived on the West Coast in the early 1850s. During the California Gold Rush, about 25,000 Chinese immigrants came to the United States. The Second Industrial Revolution, which began after the Civil War, expanded manufacturing to other regions of the United States. Mines and factories needed more workers. Expanding railroads also needed workers. The need for laborers pulled more immigrants from different areas of Europe. Many immigrants came from southern and eastern European countries such as Greece, Italy, and Russia. They differed in their cultural and religious backgrounds from the previous immigrants. In general, the religious heritage of the first wave of immigrants was similar to the original settlers of America, in that most were Protestant Christians. The new immigrants were mainly Catholics, Jews, or Orthodox Christians. During the 1880s alone, more than five million people left their home countries to start new lives in the United States. Why Did Immigrants Come to the United States? Whether they came in the early or late 1800s, similar factors pushed immigrants from their home countries and pulled them toward the United States. These are known as push-pull factors. Immigrants left their homelands to escape war, poverty, or starvation. Some came for greater political or religious freedom. In Germany, for example, a failed revolution in 1848 forced many Germans to flee. In Ireland, potato blight—a disease that rots potatoes—caused a famine in the 1840s. Famine in China during that same time pushed Chinese people from their homeland. What made people take the long, dangerous journey to the United States? The pull was mainly economic. Immigrants were drawn to the United States in hopes of securing jobs or land. The Midwest, with its abundant open spaces available for farming, drew waves of immigrants, including many Germans. Jobs created by industrialization pulled immigrants to the cities. Eastern European Immigrants: Irish immigrants were drawn to the big eastern cities because of the need for unskilled labor. The cities were also already home to many Irish communities. Many Irish immigrants found work building railroads after the Civil War. After 1865, that same dream of economic success pulled immigrants from Italy to New York and other cities in the Northeast. Many immigrants from eastern Europe found work in coal mines and steel mills in central and western Pennsylvania. Jewish immigrants from eastern Europe found jobs in the textile and clothing industries in New York City and along the East Coast. Asian Immigrants: Immigrants from Asia were attracted to the West Coast for the same reason that European immigrants were drawn to the East Coast. Chinese immigrants arrived in California in the 1850s seeking riches, but instead many ended up working as manual laborers. Chinese immigrants did much of the work laying track from west to east on the transcontinental railroad. These workers and other Chinese immigrants faced discrimination in the West. Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which prohibited new immigration from China. It was the first major anti-immigration legislation passed by the U.S. government. The act was supposed to last only 10 years but was not repealed until 1943. What Happened After Immigrants Arrived? The overseas journeys for immigrants were very difficult. Most immigrants traveled in steerage—the below-deck area where the ship's steering mechanisms were housed. Many became ill during the long voyage in cramped and dirty quarters. In 1892, Ellis Island in New York Harbor became the main entry point for European immigrants. Upon arrival at Ellis Island, doctors inspected immigrants for diseases. Officials interviewed them about their backgrounds. Those with diseases or certain political views were refused entry. By 1924, Ellis Island had processed some 17 million...