USA Pre-1920s

Question 1

how many people immigrated to the USA between 1850 and 1914?

Answer 1

over 40 million

Question 2

what were the push factors that ‘pushed’ immigrants away from their country to America?[4]

Answer 2

1.overcrowding
2.lack of opportunity
3.unemployment
4.persecution

Question 3

why did overcrowding ‘push’ immigrants away from their home country?

Answer 3

in certain third world or catholic countries,there were many children and not enough room to house these people which led to people living in unsatisfactory conditions

Question 4

how did lack of opportunity ‘push’ immigrants away from their home country?

Answer 4

Europe was very class dominated at the beginning of the twentieth century so it was difficult for an uneducated poor person to improve their situation

Question 5

howdid unemployment ‘push’ immigrants away from their home country?

Answer 5

towards the end of the nineteenth century,many workers found themselves without work due to many reasons (economic depression and new machinery which replaced people)

Question 6

how did persecution ‘push’ immigrants away from their home country?(example)

Answer 6

in certain countries,people were being killed and arrested for political or religious reasons eg in the late nineteenth century,thousands of Jewish people faced persecution in Russia and other countries

Question 7

what were the pull factors that ‘pulled’ immigrants towards the US?[5]

Answer 7

1.space
2.natural resources
3.economic opportunity
4.wages
5.’the land of the free’

Question 8

how did the space ‘pull’ immigrants towards the USA?

Answer 8

america had lots of land.Space allowed for many opportunities eg.as a farmer there was lots of land for animals and crops(job opportunities(and the land was cheap))

Question 9

how did natural resources ‘pull’ immigrants towards the US?

Answer 9

America had massive natural resources such as oil,timber and minerals.Land was cheap as well. there were adverts for land that could be bought on ‘10 years credit’ meaning that you could ‘borrow’ money to buy the land and pay it back over 10 years

Question 10

how did economic opportunities ‘pull’ people towards the US?

Answer 10

America rapidly industrialised during the late nineteenth century therefore the employers needed a steady supply of labour(job opportunities).The economy was also still growing.

Question 11

how did wages ‘pull’ immigrants towards the US?

Answer 11

wages for skilled workers and factory workers were higher in America that Europe.Farmers also earned more in America than Europe and could buy their own land

Question 12

how did America being called ‘The Land Of The Free’ ‘pull’ immigrants towards the US?

Answer 12

immigrants believed it would mean they could freely practice their religion and live as they wanted as that is what was promised through the Bill of Rights(1791)

Question 13

what was the Bill of Rights(1791)

Answer 13

a bill that guaranteed the freedom of religion,speech and press for many Americans

Question 14

where in particular did most immigrants come from?

Answer 14

Europe

Question 15

E pluribus unum

Answer 15

from the many;one

Question 16

why was America likened to a ‘melting pot’?

Answer 16

it was the idea that immigrants lost their identity and became American

Question 17

how many different nationalities were there in America by the 1920s?

Answer 17

103

Question 18

how were immigrants treated in America

Answer 18

with great suspicion by those who already settled in America and were often given the worst jobs with the least pay

Question 19

who was at the top of the hierarchy system in America?

Answer 19

old immigrants(the first European settlers) or WASPs

Question 20

who are the native americans?

Answer 20

the people who are native to the North American continent

Question 21

what happened to the native Americans during the late seventeenth early eighteenth century?

Answer 21

they were gradually forced off their land and by 1917,many native Americans lived in reservations across America.Some natives tried to live with their traditions while others assimilated into white society

Question 22

how were millions of africans brought to America originally?

Answer 22

through the slave trade

Question 23

what did many black Americans do for work in America?

Answer 23

as farmers or farm labourers in the old Southern slave states,factory workers or labourers in the northern industrial cities

Question 24

what did most hispanic people do for work in America?

Answer 24

they were normally cowboys or cattle ranchers

Question 25

what did most Asians do for work?

Answer 25

worked on the construction of railroads and helped create cities in the west

Question 26

what rights did the black americans have?

Answer 26

they had limited freedom,no right to vote;denied access to good jobs,decent housing and good education.

Question 27

what were the consequences of WW1 on the USA?[4]

Answer 27

1.economic strength
2.immigration problems
3.isolationism
4.social and economic problems

Question 28

how did WW1 lead to economic strength for the USA?[3]

Answer 28

USA became worlds leading economy because
1.of the one way trade with Europe in which the USA received money in exchange for food ,materials,ammunition during the war
2.the US took over European oversea markets during the War and many American industries became more successful than European industries eg.replacing Germany as leading producer of fertiliser,dyes and other chemical products
3. the war led to more advanced technology eg.new materials(plastic) and mechanisation

Question 29

what were the social and economic problems that WW1 caused for the USA?[3]

Answer 29

1.unemployment and strikes
2.fear of radicalism
3.race riots

Question 30

how did WW1 cause unemployment and strikes?

Answer 30

4 million soldiers were demobbed in 1919 at the same time as industries laid off workers.Prices also doubled between 1914-1919 but wages had barely risen so workers demanded higher pay.The bosses were unwilling because they knew because of the high unemployment rate,many others would be needing jobs and wouldn’t complain about pay which led to violent strikes throughout 1919

Question 31

how did WW1 increase fears of radicalism?

Answer 31

The war triggered a communist revolution in Russia. in the USA,two communist parties were established in 1919 and anarchists started bomb attacks.This along with the worker strikes caused fear of the communist revolution spreading to the USA

Question 32

how did WW1 cause race riots?

Answer 32

there were race riots in 23 cities during 1919 because black people who moved up north were looked down upon by white communities.The riots were also a reaction to the discrimination faced by African Americans after the war.

Question 33

How did WW1 lead to further isolationism?

Answer 33

President Wilson wanted to have a leading role in world affairs and wanted the USA to have a major role in the newly created League of Nations however in 1919,the citizens believed that America had done more than enough and didn’t want to be involved in European problems.They wanted to return to Isolationism and so did Congress who refused to support Wilson and the League.Harding was soon elected and called for ‘normalcy’.

Question 34

how did WW1 lead to immigration problems?

Answer 34

some Americans had more extreme feelings on Isolationism and wanted to end the open door policy.Attitudes towards immigrants had been changing and by 1900 there was less land and need for workers.Post-war,immigrant ghettos appeared which were dangerous places with crime and prostitution.Many Americans believed foreigners were to blame for the crime which led to intolerance.