Throughout the history of the United States, immigration has been essential to the expansion and diversification of America. During the Gilded Age, this immigration reached a new high. People were coming primarily from Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and Mexico. They came to America because of overpopulation, crop failure, famine, religious persecution, violence, or industrial depression. These people believed that America would hold more opportunities for them to take advantage of. Such opportunities included jobs, money, religious freedom, ample food supply, and less oppressive government policies. There were two main types of immigrants: "Old Immigrants" and "New Immigrants". In the century prior to the Gilded Age, the Old Immigrants came to America, mainly from northern and western Europe. However, during the Gilded Age, the country saw a rise in people coming from eastern and southern Europe. There was also an increase in the arrival of people from Asia, specifically the Pacific area. These were called New Immigrants. Many of these immigrants came from Germany, Ireland, Scandinavia, Italy, Poland, China, and various others.
With so many new people coming into the country, the United States began to establish requirements for entrance. These policies required immigrants to pass an inspection that oversaw their medical history, criminal records, and overall state of being. The most famous inspection sites were Ellis Island and Angel Island. Ellis Island was located off Manhattan in New York, overseeing the entrance of millions of Europeans and spawned the reputation of the gateway to freedom due to the close vicinity of the Statue of Liberty. Angel Island was located in San Francisco, California, which oversaw the arrival of thousands upon thousands of Asians. While most immigrants arrived with the hopes of staying in the U.S. to start a new life, some only came for a few years or months, only to return to their homeland with the money they earned. These people became known as "birds of passage."
After arriving in the United States, the majority of the immigrants went to Northeastern and North-central states. However, there was very little immigration to the South. Most of these people wanted to live in the cities for more opportunities such as employment in factories. Life proved challenging to New Immigrants. Most foreign born workers or first generation Americans took on jobs requiring unskilled labor. They also were victims of discrimination on the job and off the job. Some employers held prejudices against foreign born employees and gave them very little pay for long hours. Immigrants who were given jobs were sometimes bribed by political machines. These political machines would give immigrants jobs, shelter, and supplies in exchange for their loyalty. However, the shelter was not always the best. For most foreigners, shelter meant tenement housing and ghettos. These were overcrowded and filthy, often having up to six families living in one small living quarter. For many immigrants, America brought many opportunities but also many struggles.
In addition to personal and career struggles, there were political issues for New Immigrants as well. Most of these came in the form of immigration restrictions. The two best examples of this were the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Gentleman's Agreement. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 banned Chinese immigration for 10 years. Once it expired, it was extended for 10 more years and then even longer. It was not repealed until 1943. The Gentleman's Agreement was when Japan's government agreed to limit immigration of unskilled workers to the U.S. in exchange for the repeal of the San Francisco segregation order. Similar to political issues, there was an issue pertaining to nationalism and racism. Nativism arose from these two. Nativism was the favoritism toward native born Americans. It often led to violence against foreign born citizens and heightened tensions among workers.
Basically, immigration played a key role in the development of the U.S. With the hopes of better opportunities such as job prospects, monetary gain, freedom from oppression, and better supplies, millions of people immigrated to America. During the Gilded Age, this movement came to its peak. However, many immigrants found that life in the United States was not as glamorous as it appeared, facing various difficulties regarding discrimination, being taken advantage of, and adequate shelter. But, if these people had not arrived, America would not be known as the "melting pot" that it is today.
With so many new people coming into the country, the United States began to establish requirements for entrance. These policies required immigrants to pass an inspection that oversaw their medical history, criminal records, and overall state of being. The most famous inspection sites were Ellis Island and Angel Island. Ellis Island was located off Manhattan in New York, overseeing the entrance of millions of Europeans and spawned the reputation of the gateway to freedom due to the close vicinity of the Statue of Liberty. Angel Island was located in San Francisco, California, which oversaw the arrival of thousands upon thousands of Asians. While most immigrants arrived with the hopes of staying in the U.S. to start a new life, some only came for a few years or months, only to return to their homeland with the money they earned. These people became known as "birds of passage."
After arriving in the United States, the majority of the immigrants went to Northeastern and North-central states. However, there was very little immigration to the South. Most of these people wanted to live in the cities for more opportunities such as employment in factories. Life proved challenging to New Immigrants. Most foreign born workers or first generation Americans took on jobs requiring unskilled labor. They also were victims of discrimination on the job and off the job. Some employers held prejudices against foreign born employees and gave them very little pay for long hours. Immigrants who were given jobs were sometimes bribed by political machines. These political machines would give immigrants jobs, shelter, and supplies in exchange for their loyalty. However, the shelter was not always the best. For most foreigners, shelter meant tenement housing and ghettos. These were overcrowded and filthy, often having up to six families living in one small living quarter. For many immigrants, America brought many opportunities but also many struggles.
In addition to personal and career struggles, there were political issues for New Immigrants as well. Most of these came in the form of immigration restrictions. The two best examples of this were the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Gentleman's Agreement. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 banned Chinese immigration for 10 years. Once it expired, it was extended for 10 more years and then even longer. It was not repealed until 1943. The Gentleman's Agreement was when Japan's government agreed to limit immigration of unskilled workers to the U.S. in exchange for the repeal of the San Francisco segregation order. Similar to political issues, there was an issue pertaining to nationalism and racism. Nativism arose from these two. Nativism was the favoritism toward native born Americans. It often led to violence against foreign born citizens and heightened tensions among workers.
Basically, immigration played a key role in the development of the U.S. With the hopes of better opportunities such as job prospects, monetary gain, freedom from oppression, and better supplies, millions of people immigrated to America. During the Gilded Age, this movement came to its peak. However, many immigrants found that life in the United States was not as glamorous as it appeared, facing various difficulties regarding discrimination, being taken advantage of, and adequate shelter. But, if these people had not arrived, America would not be known as the "melting pot" that it is today.