Apush Dbq Essay On Immigration

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the United States gained many new citizens – immigrants from other countries in search of the American Dream. However, the immigrants’ path to the American Dream was hindered by the prejudice they faced from native-born Americans. This prejudice, also known as nativism, depended on stereotypes that portrayed the immigrants as subservient and justified discriminatory actions. The “otherness” of the immigrants was further confirmed with Social Darwinism, a twisted extension of survival of the fittest that asserted failure as natural selection. Since many immigrants had a difficult time finding success due to cultural barriers and the already prevalent nativism, Social Darwinism allowed prejudice towards

Throughout time diverse regions have considered other societies to be barbaric, causing them to have the desire of “civilizing” them. Likewise, During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the American nativist groups, possessed a similar perspective towards immigration. Nativist’s opposed immigration, as they believed that it would negatively impact the United States socially, morally, politically, and economically. Socially and morally, the nativists feared that foreigners were a threat to the American society, as they were culturally inferior, possessed many ailments, and committed crimes. Politically, the ethnocentric nativists believed that immigrants would corrupt the government and negatively influence American politics.

Immigration into the “land of opportunity” was everything but a smooth, trouble-free journey for those escaping the terror, poverty and political persecution in their crumbling countries. The wave of immigrants was at its peak during the breakouts of economic depressions (Document A). The new flow of immigration doubled the American population, especially in major cities. Chasing after the American Dream, many Europeans were attracted by the employment openings and new chances they could obtain in America. However, despite their life being better than before, these immigrants still faced many obstacles and cultural conflicts trying to fit in and thrive in American culture. Although European immigrants poured into America driven by more political

Americans had rarely accepted outsiders as equals, and that was the case with immigrants coming to the U.S in the 1840s to the 1920s. A time in America where immigrants were not considered inferior to native white Americans did not exist. The hatred of anything non-American, especially with the coming of World War I in 1914, would only cause more Americans to despise immigrants. Part of this was rooted simply in racism, which existed towards groups other than African Americans, but much of it was simply that Americans considered themselves the chosen people while everyone else was below them. Thus, despite immigrants being accepted into America, those immigrants were still treated far worse than white citizens between the 1840s and 1920s, for the prejudice against them was obvious even in the laws created.

This period was described as [one] whose Constitution is so perfect that no man suggests change and whose fundamental laws as they stand are satisfactory to all..” However, while both Native Americans and European immigrants theoretically experienced similar rights to those of citizens and were granted citizenship/naturalization in the early twentieth century, both groups lived in crude and unsatisfactory conditions in the 19th century; it would be inaccurate to describe their situation as “satisfactory” at all.

The United States was a growing, prosperous nation in the 1800’s. They were the shining example of democracy and freedom for citizens. As people watched the US grow, they wanted to be a part of a great country. Immigrants flooded in from everywhere around the world to become American citizens as shown in Document A where the US was compared to Noah’s ark and shows immigrants escaping taxes, kings and opression. The American citizens began to express frustration with the overwhelming amount of immigrants coming to the United States. Although the United States was a prime example of freedom, it was not perfect. The United States still had large amounts of racial tension and minority races were heavily discriminated on and that resulted in eve

During the 19th century, America promised land and opportunities for all. Though some groups of individuals left their homes willingly in order to take advantage of what America had to offer, others were forced to flee due to inhabitable conditions in their homelands. Both Chinese and Irish immigrants, however, were often disappointed with their treatment upon arrival in America. The Anglo-Saxons that first inhabited America viewed immigrants as uncivilized and quickly declared their superiority, forcing immigrants to work for them. They created laws that prevented groups from accessing similar privileges as them and racialized these groups based on their cultures and languages. In his book A Different Mirror, Ronald Takaki explains how racial

In times such as now, immigration policy is a topic of controversial and emotional discussion. The key in having educational, progressive, and prosperous conversations is understanding the theoretical foundations behind the argument that a person stands for or believes in. Having factual evidence to support ideas on concepts such as: the opportunities that immigrants bring to a country, what the international rules actually are that govern the entry and  exit of people from one country to another, and the causes, trends, and consequences of international immigration. Finding reason and support for these claims can take the discussion behind immigration policy from one of heated and emotional argument to one of educational and beneficial conversation.

The essays share the same central focus: immigration. Both authors describe the many benefits of immigration for America. “...we would have to conclude that our history and society would have been vastly different if they (immigrants) had stayed home”(Kennedy pg24). Our country has been monumentally impacted by the creations, choices, and brilliant ideas of immigrants. Immigrants have made significant impacts on all fields of science, revolutionized inventing, and played an essential role in making America into the global superpower that it is today. “It (immigration) has contributed greatly to developing the spirit of personal betterment in American society and to strengthening the national confidence in change and the future”(Kennedy). Immigration has significantly influenced one of the main American priorities; striving for

Describe the “New Immigration”, and explain how it differed from the “Old Immigration” and why it aroused opposition from many Native-Born Americans.

As can be seen in documents A-H, from 1880 to 1925, immigration went from being the staple of the American culture to the common enemy of “native” Americans.

Most immigrants who came to the U.S had high expectations that they would find wealth but once they arrived they realized their expectations weren’t what they expected. Although, they were disappointed in not finding wealth the conditions in which the U.S was in by the late 1800s were still a lot better than the places they all had left behind to come. The majority of the immigration population anticipation was to find profitable jobs and opportunities. When the large numbers of immigration were migrating to the U.S, it was during the “Gilded Age”, which was the prime time for the country’s expansion of industrialization. This rapid expansion of new industries led to the need of workers which motivated people from other countries to come to

The influx of immigrants caused agitation among the American native-born. Between 1880 and 1920, America had more than twenty million immigrants, and many of them seized the jobs of native born Americans since they were willing to work for less. The rapidity of the immigrant population prompted nativists to have animosity among other religious groups and those who had different political views. For example, the Jews were despised because of

In the nineteenth century, rates of immigration across the world increased. Within thirty years, over eleven million immigrants came to the United States. There were new types of people migrating than what the United States were used to seeing as well. Which made people from different backgrounds and of different race work and live in tight spaces together; causing them to be unified. Not only did they immigrate to the United States, there were cities all over the world attracting all sorts of individuals. In this essay, I will discuss the variety of people who migrated, why so many people leaned towards immigration, and why the majority of immigrants populated the cities instead of rural areas like their homelands.

These immigrants were immensely different ethnically and culturally. This immigration resulted in nativism – the fear of immigrants – becoming a major issue. Ordinary citizens of the United States looked to both control and restrict immigrants with a number of laws including the Chinese Exclusion Act which was enacted in the year 1882 (Lamoreaux, 2010). Most of the immigrants resided in ethnic urban neighborhoods. Immigrants were also affected since most of them were poor and lived in poorer neighborhoods and slums where conditions were