*I break key idea 8.2 into three units. Everything in bold italics is taught in the Immigration Unit*
1) Immigrants flooded into the United States for various political (civil war, revolution), economic (poverty, famine), and social (religious persecution) reasons. Immigrant groups that came to the United States during this time period included Italians, Russians, Poles, Chinese, Irish, and Mexicans.
2) Most immigrants lived in city neighborhoods with immigrants from the same homeland. They could only afford housing in tenements and found jobs as unskilled laborers (factory workers, construction, peddlers, miners).
3) All immigrant groups faced discrimination from Americans. Nativist believed immigrants were ruining the country and immigration needed to be restricted. Laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act and National Origins Act did that.
4) Immigrant faced hardships assimilating into American culture, which included learning the language, dressing like Americans, making American friends, and learning American customs.
5) Immigrants brought their cultural traditions to the United States and enriched American culture with their food, language, holidays, and artisan skills.