Attitudes to Immigrants and KKK

Question 1

What was the American Dream?

Answer 1

Idea that anyone, regardless of class or where they were born, can attain success and upward mobility. Appealed to many immigrants who came to America seeking refuge or jobs.

Question 2

How many Jews came to the US from Russia and Poland 1880-1914?

Answer 2

Over 2.3 million

Question 3

How many Catholic Poles came to the US 1880-1914?

Answer 3

2 million

Question 4

How many Catholic Italians arrived 1880-1920?

Answer 4

4 million

Question 5

How many new immigrants were there in 1919 as opposed to 1921?

Answer 5

1919: 141,000 new immigrants
1921: 805,000 new immigrants

Question 6

Where did older migrants to the US come from before ?

Answer 6

Mainly from Britain, Germany and Scandinavia- mostly Protestant in religion and culture= disliked new Catholics

Question 7

What was the impact of this new immigration?

Answer 7

The growing diversity of languages, customs, religions triggered racial animosity amongst Native Born Americans

Question 8

What was Nativism?

Answer 8

Prized white Americans with older family trees over recent immigrants and rejected outside influences in favour of their own local customs.

Question 9

Who were WASPS?

Answer 9

White Anglo-Saxon Protestants: “original” Americans, consider themselves “The Great Race”, superior to all other ethnicities and non-WASPS, eugenics sees rise in popularity

Question 10

What was the impact of the Bolshevik Revolution 1917?

Answer 10

Stoked a sense of fear in the US that immigrants were a foreign threat to America and to democracy. Resulted in the Red Scare.

Question 11

What was the Red Scare?

Answer 11

• Fear of communism, stoked by the Bolshevik Revolution
• Communism and revolution were associated with Eastern European and Russian immigrants, labelled anarchists
• Seen as a big threat as communism is the antithesis of capitalist laissez-faire ideology

Question 12

Impact of the Strike in 1919?

Answer 12

• 4 million workers went on strike (1/5 of the labour force) after industrial unrest following WW1 and inflation
• Increased fears that they were inspired by communist revolution

Question 13

Who were Sacco and Vanzetti?

Answer 13

• Catholic, Italian immigrants that were accused of robbery and murder in 1920
• Claimed they were innocent but admitted to being anarchists (wanted destruction of capitalism through violence)- radical views were emphasized in the trial
• Despite no direct evidence linking them to the crime, they were found guilty
• Despite ex-convict’s confession and recanted testimony, both were executed in 1927
• Supported by nativists and rural Americans

Question 14

Opposition to the Sacco and Vanzetti trial?

Answer 14

• Protests from Italian and other immigrant groups
• Condemnation amongst Liberals living in cities. including notable intellectuals e.g. Dorothy Parker, Albert Einstein, Felix Frankfurter
• Considered it a gross miscarriage of justice

Question 15

1917 Immigration Act

Answer 15

Introduced a literacy test and required a basic grasp of English to be allowed into the US

Question 16

1921 Emergency Quota Act

Answer 16

Immigration limited to 3% of the number of each nationality residing in the US as of the 1910 census

Question 17

1924 Johnson-Reed Act (National Origins Act)

Answer 17

Limited immigration to 2% of the 1890 census, reducing the quota from 357,000 to 150,000. Significantly halted immigration.

Question 18

Where was the KKK influential?

Answer 18

Support from small towns and rural areas in the South and some parts of the mid-west. Very little influence in big cities, Pacific Coast largely untouched by KKK influence.

Question 19

What percentage of members were from what 3 States?

Answer 19

40% of members in 1925 were from Indiana, Ohio or Illinois. Another 25% of members in the South.

Question 20

Who were KKK members and what did they do?

Answer 20

• WASPs who thought themselves the superior race, were opposed to Jews, Catholics, immigrants, African-Americans (non-WASPs)
• Saw themselves leading a religious and moral crusade- defending America from the influx of immigrants
• Policies involved white supremacy, intimidation (burning of the cross), threats of violence + actual violence to prevent non-WASPs from attaining wealth, social status, political power.
• Would destroy black businesses, murder, rape, lynch black people to ensure they remain second class citizens

Question 21

What influenced the revival of the KKK?

Answer 21

• The book “The Clansmen” about the KKK and its activities
• The film “Birth of a Nation” (1915) which glorified the KKK as patriotic heroes of the white race (first full-length feature film produced by Hollywood)

Question 22

How many KKK members were there by 1921?

Answer 22

100,000

Question 23

How many KKK members nationally by 1924? By 1925?

Answer 23

• 4 million by 1924

- 5 million by 1925

Question 24

What happened to Indiana in 1924?

Answer 24

• Virtually the entire state fell under the control of senior Klansmen Davis Curtis (the Grand Dragon).
• His nominee became governor= KKK dominated state legislature in Indiana

Question 25

How did the KKK gain money?

Answer 25

• Were funded by subscription: members charged $10 to join
• Own manufacturing company for the robes
• Own publishing company
  = were able to fund their political campaigns

Question 26

What was their influence in politics?

Answer 26

Destroyed political campaign of Al Smith- he was Catholic and a Democrat

Question 27

What was membership in 1929?

Answer 27

200,000

Question 28

Why did membership fall?

Answer 28

• Scandals amongst leaders e.g. Grand Dragon David Curtis convicted of the murder and rape of a 28 year old white woman= damaged their reputation as “defenders of America”
• Other KKK members found guilty of bribery and corruption
• To many it was simply a social club and KKK actions proved too extreme