Us3 Rising Fear Of Immigrants Flashcards
Why were some people afraid of immigrants?
Some saw immigrants as an enemy who brought un American ideas in the country
What was Americans biggest fear around immigration?
Communism was especially feared - Americans were concerned that a communist revolution like the one in Russia in 1917 could happen in America
How many Russian immigrants did America let in around 1920s?
nearly 1,500,000 Russians
When was the American communist party set up?
1919
What is an anarchist?
Believe that countries should not be ruled by organised governments but by system where everyone rules themselves through voluntary corporation
Why did many Americans feel they had good reason to fear anarchists?
In 1901 an anarchist called Leon Franz Czolgosz has shot dead US president William McKinley
Who was Alexander Mitchell Palmer?
- In charge of America’s law and police
- Palmer vowed to get rid of America’s communist or reds
What were the Palmer raids?
- around 6000 suspected communists were arrested across 33 cities
- Little evidence of any communist plans were found
What happened to Alexander Mitchell Palmer?
- in July 1919 bomb destroyed his house
- a communist newspaper was found next to the body of the suicide bomber
What is the period when the Palmer raids occurred called?
The red scare
What happened in Russia in 1917?
A political group called the communists had overthrown and later killed their rulers
What was another name for the communists?
The ‘Reds’
What did the communist believe?
- That all workers should join together rebel against the countries ruling classes and share all the wealth equally amongst the citizens
- They were committed to the improvement of workers rights and working conditions
Who were Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti?
- Italian born immigrant anarchist who are charged with robbing a shoe factory and murdering two staff in April 1920
- 45 day trial began in May 1920
What happened in the trial of Sacco and Vanetti?
- there were doubts about the evidence against them
- even the judge said Vanzetti may not have actually committed to crime but he is morally to blame because he is our enemy
- The parents said they were innocent, but it was argued they didn’t understand what was going on because they spoke such poor English.
- There was no conclusive evidence, but the jury found them guilty and sentenced them to death