This document discusses how immigration to America expressed the ideas of exploration, encounter, and exchange throughout history. It explores the various waves and methods of early immigration, including European settlers, indentured servants, and slaves. Immigration occurred for exploratory reasons like economic opportunity and gold rushes. However, it also led to encounters like the spread of diseases and racism, as well as cultural and political exchanges that changed America over time. While immigration brought economic growth, it also resulted in social issues and unrest. Modern America reflects the diverse impacts of all the various immigrants who have settled there over centuries.

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Explanation of how immigration of America express the idea of exploration,
encounter and exchange in history
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Table of Contents
EXPLANATION OF HOW IMMIGRATION OF AMERICA EXPRESS THE IDEA OF
EXPLORATION, ENCOUNTER AND EXCHANGE IN HISTORY.........................................1
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................3
EARLY IMMIGRATION MODES AND METHODS....................................................................3
REASONS FOR IMMIGRATION: EXPLORATORY REASONS.............................................5
ENCOUNTERS AND EXCHANGE DUE TO IMMIGRATION .................................................6
REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS ....................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION ..........................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCE.......................................................................................................................................... 11

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Introduction
12000 years ago, indigenous people found America and settled in the nation. They were
the original Native American settlers who established their culture and social practices in
America (Donald and Johansen). It was only towards the end of 15th
Century, America
was known to the European settlers. Towards the end of 18th
century, America had an
eclectic mix of different cultures and settlements. Modern America also is considered to
be a nation build from immigrated people and settlers. There has been an interesting
dynamics between encounter, investigation and interchange that had occurred in the
nation due to immigration (Donald and Johansen). These are analyzed in the investigative
analysis done. There has been specific focus about early immigration up till the end of the
third wave of immigration in 1965. Exploration, encounter and exchange during these
times have been analyzed in the following. From this reflective analysis and conclusions
are drawn.
Early Immigration modes and methods
Early settlements were from European settlers, which started from late 15th
onwards.
Initially there were settlements made by the European origin people of France and
Spanish origin people. They had initially established themselves in the nation. British
settlers settled in Jamestown and started colonizing in United States. Settling in America
allowed a new form of economic freedom. Owing to which there was initially a large
influx of people from Europe into the nation (Sowell, 4). There was a growing popularity
to immigrate into America owing to this reason. Some European settlers even came as
indentured servants into America.

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Indentured servant is a concept where the people from Europe moved to the new world
by the working for a slave owner for a fixed number of years. After the fixed number of
years the individuals were allowed to work on their own. By 1775 there were 500000
people who were brought in to the nation by indentured nations. United States
Out of this 55000 there were involuntary prisoners. Indentured servants were not allowed
to marry or live in freedom (Johnson 142). They had to live under the rules set by the
employers. A large percentage of the indentured servants did not come into the nation
voluntarily. Employee volition was not considered in the notions of indentured servants.
Naturalization Law of March 26, 1790 was passed which allowed white servants with
two-year residence and good character to gain United States citizenship (Johnson 142).
This law did not cover other ethnicities.
In 18th
and 19th
Century in America slave trade existed in the nation. Slaves were sold
from different parts of the world esp. Africa into United States. They were indentured
servants who were forced into the country (Holliday, 28). They were to serve the
European origin masters. In 1850 there was rumor and growing popularity to the nation
that Gold existed in California. A number of Chinese settlers settled in the nation owing
to rumors that gold existed in California. These settlers then adjusted to the nation and
chose to work as laborers. Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in 1882 owing to the high
influx of Chinese people in the nation. This was also the first rule in order to curb
immigration into the country ((Holliday, 30). Subsequent to this Ellis Island immigration
was set up by the nation to control the influx of Chinese immigration into the country.
Mass Immigration occurred in the nation from 1892 to 1954 from Ellis Island. 12 million

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US immigrants were allowed into the nation (Waldinger 1079). Ellis Island documented
the people who wanted to settle in America.
There were the actual events that had happened in the nation. There has been
multicultural influx in the nation owing to which the country has always an eclectic mix
of ethnicities and heritage.
Reasons for immigration: exploratory reasons
One of the primary reasons for immigration into the nation was economic growth and
prosperity in the nation. The European settlers considered this new land to be a source of
productivity and industrialization. It was enigmas were the possibilities were
interminable. This was one of the major reasons for embarking into the nation. In the
middle half of the 19th
century there was famine in Ireland and in Germany. The crops
failed consecutively in the nation (Sowell, 10). Owing to which many settlers wished to
travel to a new destination that had a lot of potential for growth and prosperity. Gold rush
was another reason for Chinese settlers to enter into the nation. California Gold rush was
the reason many people voluntarily entered America. Latin American descendants also
entered into the nation for the Gold in California. Latino Immigrants also from the crux
of American Immigration history (Sowell, 21). There is an intricate twisted history
between Latin American origin people and United States. Mexican Americans become
laborers in the Northwest Pacific region. They were primarily employed in the
agricultural sectors. The influx of Mexican American descendants reduced during Great
depression and increased subsequent to World War II (Sowell, 43). Apart from this
African origin people were forced into the nation.

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From analysis it is found that the people from other lands ventured into America for
economic prosperity. Majority of the people came into the nation in volition for their
economic needs and potential of productivity in the nation. However there were
indentured servants and slaves that were brought into the nation forcibly by the European
settlers for their economic needs and to ensure productivity. Consequent to these actions
America consisted of people from many origins, races and ethnicity in the nation.
Encounters and exchange due to Immigration
Affirmative encounters that transpired owing to these large incursions of immigrants was
the overall growth in productivity. This principal caused rapid industrialization in the
country. The setting up of the trans continental railways lead to further growth and
development of business in the nation (Waldinger 1081). Economy developed in the nation
because of the immigrant population.
Indigenous cultural practices followed by the natives was replaced by the European
culture owing to some of the anarchist practices of certain European settlers. Due to these
factors religious practices in the society was largely Christian. There was a large number
of Protestants in the nation when compared to the catholic population.
Racism is one the undesirable exchange and encounters that had taken place in America
owing to immigration of European settlers. There was general European White
superiority found in America. This has however changed in the recent times.
Nevertheless the issue of racism prevailed through many centuries in America.
California Gold rush brought a lot of immigrants into the country. Some immigrant
population such as Chinese people was willing to work for lesser remuneration. They

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helped in the industrial productivity and played a major role in the construction of
transcontinental railways.
Some of the major diseases that had newly spread into the country owing to immigration
were Yellow fever, Typhus and Small Pox. European settlers in the New Nation i.e. in
America brought in diseases like diphtheria, influenza, measles, mumps, scarlet fever etc.
Cholera was concentrated in the Asian countries however spread into United States.
There was a rise in epidemic diseases that caused large-scale mortality and ramifications
to the society. People started to worry about the contagious diseases and this lead to a lot
of feelings of unrest by the people. In (Sowell, 267) some situations like in 1892 New
York proposed a quarantine plan for immigrants in order to contain the diseases. In 1983
Rayner-Harris National Quarantine Act was passed in order to make the immigrants take
medical tests prior to becoming American Residents (Sowell, 290).
Political unrest in nation had occurred in different points in History owing to the impacts
of the immigrant population. Initial European settlers took over the nation from Natives.
This had caused some initial issues in the nation. Political unrest in the nation occurred
when a number of Chinese settlers took the jobs of the European settlers. Anti Coolie Act
Was passed in California and Chinese Exclusion act was signed in 1882 in order to
discourage Chinese settlers from settling in the nation (Holliday, 32). Issues of slavery
and racism have also befallen in the nation owing to Supremacist tendencies by the white
European settlers. Civil war in the nation was essentially to give freedom to the African
origin people in the country. There were also issues with Mexico and its settlers. Gold
rush was one of the reasons for the American Mexico War in 1914 (Holliday, 54).
Immigration Act of 1917 required the people to have basic reading and writing skills to

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enter into the nation. There was a lot of anti immigration rhetoric in the nation during
these times this was primarily because of unemployment existing in the nation.
Emergency Quota Act of 1921 was passed following the recommendations of Dillingham
Commission in order to curb immigration into the nation ( Waldinger, 1083). Subsequent
to passing a number of legislations and reforms to curb immigration into the country
there has been a rise in Illegal Immigrants into the nation. These illegal immigrants come
into the nations not through proper path. Instead they circumvent the law and enter into
the nation illegally. This issue of illegal immigrants has been a problem for America ever
since.
Reflective analysis
From analysis it is quite clear that there is a strong preference for people to settle in
America right from the Europeans discovering the New Nation in 1492. There has been
promise of growth, economic prosperity in the nation. Due to which many races of people
and settlers had entered the nation. Economic promise is the reason for people to venture
into the nation. Apart from this the promise of gold had brought in a large influx of
Chinese and Latino immigrants into the nation. Another large group of immigrants were
forcibly made to enter the nation as indentured servants and slaves. This group of people
did not have any civil rights and liberties up until the civil war. America was a different
country for these slaves (Sowell). They did not have any rights or official forums to vent
their frustrations. The dynamics of immigration are found to vary between the different
social

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Another pattern that is observed in the nation is that for any economic or political issues
the immigrants bear the brunt of the blame.
Economic productivity and development of infrastructure such as transcontinental
railways has brought the nation immense progress and economical development.
Immigrants put in lot of efforts either by volition or slavery into building this
infrastructure for the nation (Sowell).
There were a number of issues that the country had faced due to immigration; Due to
immigration there was a large-scale spread of epidemics in the nations. This was one of
the major impacts on the social constructs of the society.
The dominant race had influenced the religious practices in the American societies.
Culturally it is found that many motifs and themes of the European settlers culture was
reflected in the American societies. This has however changed in the last hundred years.
Modern day America is a reflection of the immigration practices of the nation. Growth
and the issues of the nations are due to immigrants who have settled in the nation. It has
become a eclectic heterogeneous tolerant society due to immigration policies.
Conclusion
Settlers entered into America from many modes. Some were in volition others were not.
Due to Immigration the country has developed and also faced a number of issues.
American immigration policy has found to change over the centuries based on the
tenacious events that the country had faced. There have been numerous positive
exchanges and encounters from immigrants. From this modern day America faces a
number of issues and positive growth. To conclude the nation is a reflection of the

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settlers who have found base in the nation. Most importantly it has emerged as a very
tolerant country by comparative analysis of the world countries.

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Reference
Grinde Jr, Donald A., and Bruce E. Johansen. "Exemplar of Liberty: Native America and
the Evolution of Democracy. Native American Politics Series No. 3." (1991).
Holliday, James S. The world rushed in: The California gold rush experience. University
of Oklahoma Press, 2015.
Johnson, Kevin R. "Racial Restrictions on Naturalization: The Recurring Intersection of
Race and Gender in Immigration and Citizenship Law." (1996): 142.
Sowell, Thomas. Ethnic America: a history. Basic Books, 1981.
Waldinger, Roger. "From Ellis Island to LAX: Immigrant prospects in the American
city." International Migration Review (1996): 1078-1086.