Immigration Flashcards
Explain the difference between OLD and NEW Immigrants.
OLD immigrants came from Northern and Western Europe (places like Ireland, England and Germany). NEW immigrants came from Southern and Eastern Europe (places like Italy, Poland and Russia). Therefore, these groups had many differences in terms of religion, language, foods eaten, customs, historical circumstances, and so on.
Which group faced more resentment from people already living here - OLD or NEW immigrants?
NEW immigrants faced more resentment.
What is nativism?
Nativism is the belief that Native-born White Americans are superior to other groups. Some believed only those born in America should be allowed to live and work here.
What is the most common reason why New Immigrants came to America?
Economic Opportunity. New Immigrants came to America thinking the “streets were paved in Gold.” Upon arrival, they often took low-skilled jobs for little pay in the urban areas (cities) of the Northeast.
What are tenements?
Tenements are buildings, usually several stories (floors) high, that were divided into apartments. The apartments were small and crowded, often housing multiple families. The buildings were horrible places to live.
This law severely limited Chinese immigration to the US. Created in an atmosphere of “yellow peril”, this law discriminated against Chinese immigrants out of fear.
Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)
This 1907 deal was struck between Teddy Roosevelt and Japan, basically slowing or limiting Japanese immigration into the US.
The Gentlemen’s Agreement
________ _________ were created to deny (prohibit) admission to any immigrant who could not pass a basic reading and writing test.
Literacy Tests
This law, passed in 1921, severely restricted migration of NEW immigrants into the US by saying that only a number that equaled 3% of the 1910 number of immigrants from any country could migrate to the US each year.
Emergency Quota Act of 1921.
This law, passed in 1924, went further than the Emergency Quota Act of 1921, and limited the number of immigrants allowed into America each year to 2% of the number of citizens in America from each country in 1890. This targeted NEW immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe.
National Origins Act of 1924.
A term used to describe the large number of Asian, especially Chinese, immigrants to the US.
Yellow Peril or Yellow Terror
The Process of blending into the dominant society - in the case of America, the process of becoming “Americanized.”
Assimilation
What is meant by Cultural Pluralism or Multi-culturalism?
A term that relates to the “Salad Bowl” metaphor for immigration. The idea that various cultural groups can exist within one larger cultural identity.
In the workplace, which group of people FAVORED and which group of people OPPOSED unlimited immigration to America?
Unlimited immigration (that is immigration WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTION) was favored by management and business owners. They wanted cheap labor. It was opposed by labor unions and workers. All of these immigrants meant more competition for jobs.
Where did most NEW IMMIGRANTS tend to settle down and live once they arrived in America?
Cities (Urban Areas) like New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and so on. Often, immigrants settled in the city they first landed in…New York City, for example.
