Immigration and Migration

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 634.

Before 1880, most immigrants to the United States came from either the United Kingdom (including Ireland) or Germany. They were usually middle-class Protestants (except for the Irish), looking for land on which to settle, and could speak some English. During this period, there were no laws limiting the number of immigrants who could enter the country.

After 1880, things changed. Railroads began to crisscross the country. New railroad construction brought new job opportunities and new immigrant groups seeking better jobs, a higher standard of living, or political and religious freedom.. This second wave of immigrants came mostly from Poland, Italy, or Russia, and were more likely to be Catholic or Jewish than Protestants. They were poor, and spoke little English.

Initially, the greatest hardshipto immigrants arriving after 1880 was becoming Americanized. They had to learn how to speak English, and try to fit into the rest of American culture. Most of these new immigrants were unable to assimilate as well as did their children.

Later, laws restricting immigration were passed to limit the number of non-Protestant, non-English speaking people hoping to find a new home in the United States. As early as the 1840s, nativists, people who believed that other races, nationalities or religions were inferior, argued for restricted immigration. Nativists feared the new immigrants would pollute the predominate Protestant culture of the U.S., as well as take jobs from native-born Americans.

In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act banned all future Chinese immigration to the U.S. In 1907, the Japanese agreed to limit immigration. Restriction against European immigrants did not begin until after World War One.

According to Census 2000, the majority of modern immigrants were from Latin America, Asia and/or Europe. The fewest immigrants came from Oceania, Africa, and other areas of North America. Today, there are still legal limitations on immigration into the United States.