Western Settlement and Immigration

Four Factors that encouraged growth and expansion in the late 19th and early 20th CenturyIndustrializationEconomic OpportunityTechnological ChangeImmigrationThousands of Americans moved to the

region between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean

Homestead Act of 1862

Gave Settlers 160 acres of free land in the West

Had to agree to live on and farm the land for five years

But…While many

Southerners, including African-Americans, moved West, those who had “borne arms” against the United States during the Civil War (mostly Confederate southerners) did not qualify

ExodustersAfrican-Americans

who moved from the south in large groups 1879-1880

Many to KansasBut the Great

Migration of African Americans from the south doesn’t really begin until WWI

CowboysWorked on cattle drives, which moved cattle

to the nearest market with a railroad.

Era of the American CowboyJust before and immediately following the

Civil War

Midwestern Cities – Meat Packing

Kansas CityOmahaChicago

Technological Innovations Open up Western Land and Aid Farmers

Railroads

Technological Innovations Open up Western Land and Aid Farmers

Mechanical Reaper•Invented by Cyrus McCormick•New type of farm machinery that harvested wheat faster•The Great Plains and Rocky Mountain region changed from a mostly unsettled frontier to farms, ranches and towns.

Great Plains Settlement &Forced Removal of American IndiansSettlement of the Great Plains during the

second half of 19th century led to forced removal of American Indians through a series of wars.

White man’s attitude was that since Native Americans did not settle down and improve the land, it did not belong to them.

Crash Course - Settlement

Dawes Act1) Passed by Congress in

18872) Abolished tribal

organizations3) Divided reservations into

plots to be given to Native American families.

4) Money from the sale of Indian lands would be used for Indian Education

Dawes ActGoal was to change the Plains Indians

from nomadic hunters into farmersFor participating and complying with

the Dawes Act, Native Americans would – for the first time – become American citizens

Those who refused, continued to live on reservations and depended on the federal government for food and clothing

As a result of removal of Indians from plains, states of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains had entered the Union by the early 20th century.

Immigrants before 1880Most came from

northern and western Europe.

Thus, immigrants prior to 1880 usually came from Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, and the Scandinavian countries of Norway, and Sweden. *Great Britain is an island that includes the countries of England, Scotland and

WalesThe United Kingdom includes the

Island of Great Britain plus Northern Ireland Historians have called this first phase of immigration the

“old immigration.”

Immigrants after 1880Most after 1880 came from

southern and eastern EuropeIncluded the countries of Italy,

Greece, Poland, and RussiaCalled “new immigration” by

historiansDuring this time, also large Asian

immigration from Japan and especially China

Also sought political and religious freedom and economic opportunity

Most “new immigrants” entered the United States through Ellis Island in New York Harbor. Their first view of the US was often the Statue of Liberty

Contributions of ImmigrantsValuable contributions to the dramatic

industrial growth of AmericaProvided much of the labor to build the

transcontinental railroadWorked in textile mills and steel mills in

the NortheastWorked in the clothing industry in New

York CityMined coal in the mid - Appalachian

Mountains (many were Slavic, Italian and Polish Immigrants)

Chinese ImmigrantsFaced racial prejudice and discrimination in

California and other Western Areas where they settled in large numbers.

ConditionsOften received very

low pay and faced dangerous working conditions

Harsh living conditions in crowded tenements and slums

Often settled in ethnic neighborhoods, populated by people of the same culture group

New Immigration Impact

Cities of Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and New York grew rapidly

These cities served as manufacturing and transportation centers in the Northeast and Midwest

Rapid growth caused problems Housing shortagesNeed for services – sewage, water, public

transportationNew York City built one of the nation’s first subway

systemsOther cities addressed public transportation needs by

adding trolley and streetcar lines

Melting Pot or Salad Bowl?Two historical Theories

Melting pot – immigrants have come from all parts of the world to settle in America. They have brought their native culture with them. These different cultures have melted together to form a new, uniquely American CulturePublic schools play a key role Teach immigrant children the English

language, American customs and American culture

Great American Melting Pot

Melting Pot or Salad Bowl?Two historical Theories

Salad Bowl – or mixing bowlEach immigrant group has kept part of its old

world culture, while at the same time accepting basic characteristics of American culture

Historians who believe this theory are more critical of the role of public schools

The salad bowl theory explains that each immigrant group has retained unique aspects of their culture, (the different ingredients in the salad) while contributing to what makes up America (the dressing that brings it all together)

HardshipsMany experienced hardship, hostility and

cultural prejudice including:Religious discriminationCultural decimationDiscrimination against admission to colleges

Laws to Limit ImmigrationChinese Exclusion Act of 1882

Would stop the immigration of Chinese laborers for 10 years

Response to anti-Chinese movement in the West 1870s-80s

Native born, white Americans blamed Chinese for taking their jobs and undercutting their wages

Immigration Restriction Act of 1921 – After WWIPlaced quotas (numerical limits) on immigrants according

to nationalityParticularly discriminated against immigrants from

Southern and Eastern EuropeFollowed 3 years later by stricter law that would effectively

cut off most European immigration until after WWII