Essay Plan 1 Flashcards
Introduction
In the mid c19th century, there was a melting pot of cultures in the USA as a result of Americans being very open to welcoming immigrants into their lifestyles. Yet by the 1920s, attitudes towards immigration had changed with immigration acts being passed to limit the number of foreign people. While isolationism was important in changing attitudes towards immigration in 1920s, it was not the most important factor. This essay will argue that instead prejudice and racism was, by examining it and other factors such as fear of revolution and social fears.
Fear of revolution
Fear of revolution was quite important as, after the Russian revolution in 1917, the USSR became the worlds first communist state, and many Russians immigrated to America after WW1.
America’s fear is summed up well by historian Murray B Levin with ‘the red scare was a nation-wide anti radical hysteria provoked by a mounting fear.’
Arguably, this shows that the American people were afraid that a revolution would also occur in America as it did in Russia due to the problematic increase of Russian immigrants. Many Americans were also fearful of the negative impact that communism would have on their nation. As a whole, this created a negative belief that changed the US attitude to immigration.
However, Attorney General Palmer’s predicted day of revolution, was quickly debunked, as nothing happened. One journalist said “the lot were about as dangerous as a flea on an elephant” suggesting Palmer’s claims were overblown. Ultimately, this anticlimax will have lessened people’s fear of revolution, making it a less compelling factor in changing attitudes to immigration.
In evaluation, fear of revolution was important, as many Americans were worried that a communist revolt from immigrants was imminent ;however fear of revolution was not as important as prejudice and racism, as even Henry Ford bought a local newspaper and used it as a vehicle for attacking Jews, who were commonly blamed for everything. This suggests people in society used their influence and power upon people to promote their discriminatory views. Overall prejudice and racism is more important than fear of revolution as it could be said that American people’s fears about Eastern Europeans potentially starting an anarchist revolt is all down to prejudice against them for being different.
Social fears
Social fears was a very important reason for changing attitudes to immigration in the 1920s. After moving to America, the majority of immigrants had very little money leading to them only being able to afford slum housing in the worst areas in cities such as New York and Pittsburgh.
These immigrants were also commonly and often wrongly associated with incidents of violent crime. In 1920, two Italian immigrants, Sacco and Vanzetti, were charged with the murder of 2 men and later executed, despite there being little concrete evidence tying them to the crime.
Arguably, this shows that many Americans, especially those living in cities with a high population of immigrants, were angry and frightened about the perceived high crime rates in their area. This led them to associate immigrants with the problem, which created increasingly negative perceptions towards immigration in the 1920s.
Furthermore, historian Foner said: “The Sacco-Vanzetti case laid bare some of the fault lines beneath the surface of American society during the 1920s…” this shows that this case clearly demonstrates how immigrants were treated differently due to their nationality and that they were automatically assumed to be associated with crime, thus highlighting social fears as an important reason behind anti-immigration attitudes.
In evaluation, social fears were quite important in changing attitudes to immigration in the 1920s as they caused many Americans to be afraid of immigrants and their lifestyle choices; however, social fears were not as important as prejudice and racism because due to the creation of ‘towns within cities’ such as ‘Little Italy’, many people felt immigrants were challenging ‘the American way of life’. Overall, prejudice and racism was more important than social fears in changing attitudes to immigration in the 1920s as it could be argued that blame over crime rates and poor housing was often was a result of the underlying discrimination towards immigrants for being different.
Racism and prejudice
Racism and prejudice was the most important factor in changing attitudes to immigration as, in 1924, the Klu Klux Klan members were openly parading in areas of Washington D.C. in opposition to immigrants, without fear of arrest.
The 1924 New Origins Act only allowed 2% the amount of nationals, that were living in the USA at the time of the 1890 census, to enter into the country. This would work in favour of old immigrant regions, rather than new.
Arguably, this suggests racism and prejudice were important in explaining changing US attitudes to immigration as it was prevalent and normalised within the US at this time, leading people to discriminate against specific groups of immigrants, by regarding them as less desirable and seeking to limit their numbers.
Furthermore, M.A. Jones said “the peoples [of the USA]…clung to each other for reassurance and cemented their union with hatred, fear and contempt of foreigners”, this suggests that racism and prejudice were deeply rooted within American society leading to some US-born people engaging in hateful acts.
In evaluation, prejudice and racism is clearly the most important factor as there was legislation which directly prevented immigrants from entering the country. Therefore, seen with the Chinese Exclusion Act which introduced a 10-year ban on Chinese labourers immigrating to the US. Overall, while economic factors were important, prejudice and racism were more important because US citizens seemed less angered by fellow ‘Americans’ taking their job opportunities but rather by specific types of immigrants taking their jobs, suggesting that they had underlying prejudgement(prejudice) based on immigrants’ nationalities.
Isolationism
Isolationism was less important in changing attitudes to immigration in the 1920s as shown by Congress’ unwillingness to be involved in external affairs, i.e. when they refused to join the League of nations in 1920, despite it being President Wilson’s idea.
After the Great War, which had cost the USA approx. $32 billion, President Harding promised of “a return to normalcy”.
Arguably, Harding reflected the mood of Americans who wanted a focus on America, given the high cost of war and best evidenced by the rejection of LoN membership, showing the changing attitudes to immigration as a detachment from other countries, issues and perhaps even ethnicities.
However, America in the 1920s was hardly inactive in the European political arena., shown by the Washington naval conference of 1921-22. This is confirmed by Braumoeller: “America was not isolationist in affairs relating to Europe… in fact, it was perhaps more internationalist than it has ever been.”, this downplays the idea of isolationism being the most important reason when we question whether it truly existed at all.
In evaluation, isolationism was important as Congress’ refused for America to be involved in the League of Nations suggest a shift in attitude towards immigration. However, it was not as important as prejudice and racism, as demonstrated by July, 1923 when roughly 200,000 memebersof the Klan gathered in Kokomo, Indiana, to hold mass rallies. Overall, this shows that prejudice and racism was more important than isolationism because there were US citizens that were against immigration not because they didn’t want foreigners to become involved in US society but rather because they had preconceived discriminatory conceptions about the ‘type’ of immigrants that were entering.
Economic fears
Economic fears were quite important as after the war, unemployment more than doubled from 5.2% to 11.7% by 1921 and so many Americans had lost their jobs and were experiencing financial struggles.
Immigrants coming to the US were much more desperate for employment and so would accept lower wages compared to US citizens, which was shown by the fact that in 1916 US labour unions agreed that the basic survival wage for a worker should be $745 a year but the average pay received by Italian and Hungarian labour was $400 a year.
Arguably, this shows that there was growing resentment from Americans towards immigrants as they were favoured by employers due to the cheap labour which they provided which contributed to the changing anti-immigration attitude.
There is a clear relationship between economic fears and prejudice and racism as shown in this letter to the New York Times in 1922 “Why should I lose my job to a new arrival immigrant who can’t speak the language…”. This highlights how many Americans held unfair stereotypes and made generalisations about immigrants being unable to speak English as a response to losing their jobs, which meant that while economic fears were prevalent, prejudice and racism pervaded most things.
In evaluating, economic fears were quite important as the increasing employment struggles of Americans as a result of the influx of immigrants caused great resentment amongst citizens, however it was not as important as prejudice and racism where in September 1919, a riot-crazed mob stormed the burning Douglas County Courthouse and lynched an African American Will Brown. Overall, prejudice and racism was more important than economic fears in changing attitudes to immigration as the blame that was levelled at immigrants for stealing Americans’ jobs ultimately stemmed from a discriminatory attitude towards immigrants.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many reasons why there were changing attitudes to immigration in the 1920s. While isolationism was important, it was not the most important factor but rather prejudice and racism was.
Isolationism was a factor of lesser importance because it implied America detached itself from European issues out with the US, nonetheless, America was still very much involved in other countries’ matters, therefore showing prejudice and racism was the most important factor.
Economic fears were a factor of more importance because it caused many Americans to blame immigrants for taking their jobs, nonetheless, it is still less important than prejudice and racism as the pre-determined accountability placed on immigrations often stemmed from discrimination due to immigrant’s nationalities.
Prejudice and racism was the most important factor in changing attitudes to immigration in the 1920s because all the other factors that irritated and angered Americans were as a result of the underlying bigotry directed at immigrants simply because they were people to point a finger of blame at.
