Increased waves of immigration resulted in the rise of nativism.
Nativism is a belief that people of other races, religions, and nationalities were inferior. (dislike of immigrants)
Nativists encouraged a homogenous (ethically same) society. *
Nativism created tension and division between racial and ethnic groups as they competed for opportunities and resources. *
Some minority groups faced exclusion from employment or housing.
The Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the United States.
Immigrants were encouraged to assimilate into American culture. Americanization often led to conflict.
Public schools played a large role in the assimilation of immigrants.
Often in search of a free and democratic society immigrants entered the United States via ports of entry such as Ellis Island in New York, Angel Island in San Francisco, and Galveston Island in Texas.
Upon arrival they often experienced physical examinations, interrogation, as well as language and intelligence testing.
They often encountered language and cultural barriers, and sometimes were separated from family members, detained for health or legal reasons, or deported upon entering the United States.
Immigrants faced several other challenges including poverty and competition for jobs and living space.
Skilled immigrants used their trade skills to establish businesses of their own while others moved westward in search of opportunity.
Many young women worked in textile factories
Often wages were lower than men’s wages
Industrialization led to children being exploited. They performed dangerous jobs in the factories often resulting in injury and even death.
Children worked long hours in horrible working conditions while being paid lower wages than adult workers.
Overcrowding of cities
immigrants slow to assimilate
Creation of ‘ghettos’ and tenement districts
Increase in crime, disease, drugs, pollution
Increased need for city services
Increased taxes
Increased political corruption (political machines exchanged infrastructure improvements with poor immigrants)
Need for social services
Immigration & Nativism!
Urbanization, Immigrants, & the Americanization Movement.