Mass immigration in the years 1890-1912 Flashcards
Effects of mass immigration
• Facts
Between 1860 and 1900, at least 14 million immigration arrived in the USA.
Effects of mass immigration
• General
The number of immigrants reached an all-time high in the years 1901 to 1910
What did the immigrants do?
The immigrants from Europe headed for the cities where they provided the cheap labour needed for industrial growth or the west to farm in the new territories.
The Jewish population by 1914
By 1914, the Jewish population was 1.4 million out of a city population of 4.7 million.
Benefits of immigration
A major reason why the USA was able to progress as quickly with industrialisation.
They formed the unskilled workforce in the rapidly growing industries.
How did the immigrants feel?
Settling in a new country was hard.
Low wages meant that wives and children had to work
Did the immigrants fit in?
By large the immigrants assimilated well into US society.
Reactions towards mass immigration
They were an easy target for Americans who were fearful and resentful about the rapid changes brought about by industrialisation.
Cost of mass immigrations
They contributed to overcrowding in towns and cities and increased racial and ethnic conflict.
Criticism on mass immigrations
Immigrants from southern and eastern Europe did not assimilate into US culture as easily as their northern counterparts, and brought with them dangerous political ideas such as socialism and anarchism.
