These are farmers from Italy.

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3 Farms Lots of people came from Europe to the United States for economic reasons. Many European people were farmers, but as farms began MECHANIZATION, which means they turned more and more to machines to do work, lots of farmers lost their jobs. The few farmers that did stay often paid landowners really high fees (just like sharecropping.) These are farmers from Italy.

4 Factories For years lots of goods were made by hand by artisans. Shoes were made by shoemakers (cobblers). Items made of metal were made by blacksmiths. Barrels were made by barrel makers. You name it, skilled craftspeople or artisans made it. So, when factories came along, many of these artisans lost their jobs because they were no longer needed.

5 Living Conditions Their standard way of life was one of slow starvation. The lived in unhygienic (unclean), overcrowded slums, on an average yearly income of hardly more than a hundred dollars... Children were underfed percent of the farm servants lived in buildings which also housed stables (this is where animals lived). Disease was rampant (everywhere)... and infant mortality ( child death rate) was very high. - Eastern European author who wrote of farm laborers. Russian famine 1921

6 Religious Persecution Many Europeans escaped religious persecution. The largest group was the Jews. In much of Russia, Jews had their rights taken away. Laws were different for Jews than other Russians. For example, Russians did not allow Jews to own land, rent land or attend high schools and universities. Jews could only do some jobs, most jobs were illegal for them to have.

7 Promise #1: Lithuanian Immigrant The following is an excerpt of a letter from a Lithuanian immigrant living in the United States, writing to his family back in Lithuania. That was the time, you see, when America was known to foreigners as the land where you d get rich. There s gold on the sidewalk - all you have to do is pick it up. (FYI: There was not really gold on the sidewalks.) *Notice this is written to family. Promise #2: Greek Immigrant The following is an excerpt of a letter from a Greek immigrant living in the United States, writing to his family back in Greece. Here the people work much and regularly. Where did I know life with such order? You can do well to come. The United States also sent pamphlets to Europe promising a better life and cheap land. Often those pamphlets were not telling the truth. *Notice this is written to family, why else might people be willing to immigrate to the U.S.? Who already came over?

8 Religious Violence Also, after 1881 violent mobs called pogroms went around murdering, beating and raping jews while looting (robbing) and destroying their homes. Over 2 million Jews left Europe, most of whom came from Russia. Other groups like the Turks in Bulgaria, Poles in Austria and Greeks in Romania also faced similar violence based on religion or nationality. ( Pogroms in Russia)

9 Over Population From 1850 to 1890 the population of Southern Italy almost quadrupled... that is 4 times as many people as only 40 years before. More people competed for fewer resources like land, food and jobs. Rising populations and limited resources were common across Europe. Italian Immigrants in 1890 in Sao Paulo, Brazil which has the largest Italian population outside of Italy.