Immigration to the United States, 1851-1900

Background

• In the late 1800s, many people globally immigrated to the U.S. due to:
  • Crop failure
  • Land and job shortages
  • Rising taxes
  • Famine
• The U.S. was seen as a land of economic opportunity.
• Immigrants sought personal freedom and relief from political and religious persecution.
• Nearly 12 million immigrants arrived between 1870 and 1900.

Sources of Immigration

• Primarily from Germany, Ireland, and England during the 1870s and 1880s.
• Significant number of Chinese immigrants during the California Gold Rush (1849-1882).
• Chinese immigration was halted by the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 due to economic competition and racial tensions.

Immigration Ports

• European immigrants entered mostly through East Coast facilities.
• Asian immigrants entered via West Coast centers.
• Over 70% entered through New York City, known as the "Golden Door."
• Castle Garden was the initial entry point in NYC.
• Ellis Island opened in 1892, serving as a new processing center.

Settlement Patterns

• Immigrants often settled near ports of entry.
• Some moved inland, attracted by states offering jobs or land.
• Communities were often formed by earlier settlers from the same homeland.

Employment and Social Tensions

• Immigrants sought employment but faced job shortages.
• Employers often exploited immigrant workers, paying men less than other workers and women even less.
• Social tensions due to stereotyping and discrimination.
• Immigrants experienced verbal and physical abuse.
• Despite tensions, immigrants contributed to American society's vitality and diversity.

Research Tips

• Use keywords like immigration or specific ethnic groups (e.g., German, Irish, Scandinavian) to find related documents on Loc.gov.

Related Documents

• Battery and Old Castle Gardens, New York
• Ellis Island, New York
• Inspection Room, Ellis Island
• Ellis Island and Harbor
• French Canadian Textile Worker
• Minnesota as it is in 1870
• Recollections of a Norwegian Immigrant
• A Street in Chinatown
• Protest against the ill-treatment of the Chinese, 1885
• Chinese Immigrants at the San Francisco Custom House
• Which color is to be tabooed next

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