2. Learning Targets
● I can EXPLAIN the different types of
immigrants that came to the U.S.
● I can DESCRIBE the living and working
conditions for immigrants that lived in the
U.S.
● I can EXPLAIN the hardships and
discrimination felt by immigrants.
● I can RELATE immigration to urbanization.
● I can EVALUATE the transformations of
American life.
3. Instructions
● In this activity you will use a variety of slides
that will introduce you to European
immigration into the United States between
1865 and 1915. You will be expected to view
and write down information. You will assume
the roles of European immigrants and record
journal entries from the immigrant's
perspectives on your on-line blogs.
4. The Great Migration
● This chart shows the
percent of immigrants that
came to the U.S.
● From 1860-1921, a record-setting
23 million
immigrants arrived in the
U.S.
● Early on the U.S. had no
quotas, or limits on
immigration
● Before 1880-”old”
● After 1880-”new”
● Little education, poor,
young, laborers
● All had high hopes
5. Push and Pull Factors
● What is this a picture of?
● Many immigrants came for
economic reasons
● In the late 1800's, the
agriculturally based
economies of many
European towns declined
as a result of the Industrial
Revolution
● Disasters and diseases
caused migration
● Political and Religious
persecution in Eastern
Europe
● The lure of life in America
Double-click to add graphics
6. Blogging 101
● Before leaving for the U.S., immigrants
typically had emotional farewells with the
people they were leaving behind. While
some people hoped to return or to eventually
bring other family members to the U.S.,
many were uncertain that they would ever
see their loved ones again.
● Give yourself an immigrant name!
● What European nation are you leaving?
● IDEA!: Record your reasons for leaving your
homeland on your blog!
7. The Journey Across the Atlantic
● Steamships
● Most traveled in steerage
compartments
● Crowded, smelly, and dirty
● Living conditions were
uncomfortable, close to
inhumane
● Scarce supplies of food
● Disease
● Later on....a third class
8. Arrival in America
● Ellis Island became the
main processing place for
immigrants
● Excitement when landed
● Statue of Liberty
9. Legal Inspections
● Registration
● Immigrants went through
Iron rails before being
questioned
● Determine whether they
would be permitted into the
U.S.
● Many names spelled
incorrectly
● By 1921, many were
denied access to the U.S.
10. Blogging 101
● IDEA!: Describe your thoughts and feelings
upon arriving at Ellis Island. What was it like
to be processed through Ellis Island? What
was your journey like?
11. Ethnic Enclaves
● 2/3 of immigrants settled in
urban areas
● Lived in ethnic communities
● Many stayed with friends
and family that had already
arrived in the U.S.
● Native languages, food,
customs, etc.
12. Living Conditions
● Cities were ill-equipped to
handle the material needs
of their increasing
populations
● Streets filled with waste
● Decent housing was scarce
● Tenement housing
● Common to share a 3
bedroom apartment with
14-20 people
● Fire, disease, and death
were common
● Rural conditions-somewhat
better than urban
13. Blogging 101
IDEA!: Tell where you settled and describe your
living conditions there.
14. Working Conditions
● Many worked in factories
● Cheap source of labor
● About 80% of immigrants
were either semi-skilled or
unskilled laborers
● Worker exploitation
● Long hours and low pay
● 108 hour week was
common
15. Americans Treatment of
Immigrants
● Native born Americans and
assimilated immigrants
viewed new immigrants
with a combination of fear,
hostility, and suspicion.
● Nativism-belief that
immigrants posed a threat
to native-born Americans
● Prejudices
● “taking away jobs”
● Southern and Eastern seen
as “inferior”
● Wanted laws restricting
immigration
16. Blogging 101
IDEA!: Describe native-born Americans' reactions
to you. What are your working conditions like
here?
