3. USA, essays to learn BUT only 1 to write in the exam

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1 3. USA, essays to learn BUT only 1 to write in the exam

2 Issue 1 An Evaluation Of The Reasons For Changing Attitudes To Immigration Factor 1: Prejudice And Racism Factor 2: Isolationism & The First World War Factor 3: Economic Fear Factor 4: Social Fear Factor 5: Fear Of Revolution AIMS OF ESSAY: To understand why hostility towards immigration grew in the USA To explain why the American public supported immigration restriction

3 PAST EXAM QUESTIONS Did not come up 2015 How important was fear of revolution (5) as a reason for changing attitudes towards immigration in the 1920s? (2014) To what extent was racism (1) the main reason for changing attitudes towards immigration in the 1920s? (2011) To what extent does a fear of Communism (5) explain the changes in American policy towards immigration in the 1920s? (2010)

4 IMMIGRATION ESSAY PLAN Introduction Factor 1: Prejudice And Racism Factor 2: Isolationism & The First World War Factor 3: Economic Fear Factor 4: Social Fear Factor 5: Fear Of Revolution Conclusion Remember that this is an ISOLATED factor question Start essay with factor that is in the question!

5 General Introduction: North America has always been a refuge for those in search of a better life; the United States is thus a nation built upon the foundations of immigration Immigrants seeking the American Dream were for many years the nation s lifeblood many came over were skilled and willing to work However by the 1920s fears over immigration had become so strong that the open door of America slammed shut WHY???

6 PLAN FOR PARAGRAPH 1 Racism & Prejudice Changing Attitudes 1. Start with an Opening Argument e.g. state what the link is between the isolated factor & the question 2. Put in Knowledge discuss the change from old to new immigrants (how did they differ?) 3. Put in Analysis argue that this changed attitudes to immigration because (What did the Dillingham Commission show? Why did the old immigrants worry? What grew because of this) 4. Knowledge discuss that the change in attitude resulted in antiimmigration acts such as 5. Analysis explain how these acts show that racism was behind changing attitudes towards immigration (think percentages) 6. Evaluation sum up why this is an important factor in explaining why attitudes changed toward immigration

7 Example Paragraph Read Through Paragraph 1 On Handout

8 Old Immigrants: WASPs! Until the middle of the nineteenth century, most immigrants came from Northern Europe, in particular Britain, Ireland, Germany & Scandinavia The descendents of these old immigrants were generally White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestants and became known as WASPs They viewed themselves as natives and thus better than other Americans and immigrants

9 The Dillingham Commission From , the numbers of these immigrants soared The Dillingham Commission, began its work in 1907 and concluded that from the 1890s onwards, immigrants had come mainly from Southern and Eastern Europe It was claimed that immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe posed a serious threat to American society and culture and should therefore be greatly reduced The commission's overall findings provided the rationale for the politically and economically inspired immigration restriction acts of the 1920s, which favoured immigration from northern and western Europe

10 Away with you beggars! The New Immigrants These new immigrants were from Southern and Eastern Europe (Russia, Poland & Italy) where people tended to be poorer (escaping poverty; persecution; unemployment) and of a different religion to the WASP countries They also stood out as they stuck together; wore native dress & spoke their own languages. The WASPs were not happy as they feared that their culture would be replaced!

11 Problem One: Religious Antagonism: Catholicism Before 1830 the USA had been almost exclusively Protestant but by 1860 the number of Catholics exceeded 3 million which was one tenth of the population! A significant proportion of immigrants were Roman Catholic Irish, Italians and Hispanics The attachment to Catholicism generated cohesion among Irish Americans and American protestants IRISH Irish immigrants were confronted with demeaning stereotypes and violent anti- Catholic PREJUDICES as WASPs commonly assumed that the Irish were ignorant, filthy, clannish people incapable of integration

12 Problem Two: Religious Antagonism: Anti-Semitism By 1913 there were 1.25 million Jews in New York s city s lower east side and were nicknamed Kikes Hostility was directed against Jewish immigrants particularly those who, once they had settled, became successful and prosperous Even Henry ford bought a local newspaper and used it as a vehicle for attacking Jews The articles in Ford's newspaper blamed the Jews for everything from the Bolshevik Revolution to bootlegged liquor. They also accused the Jews of conspiring to enslave Christianity and destroy the "Anglo-Saxon" way of life Jews suffered discrimination in employment and became targets for the KKK

13 New Immigrants Were.. It was easy to see the immigrants as being different Many were ROMAN CATHOLIC or JEWISH (not protestant) Many had left non-democratic societies & mistrusted the government (this was seen as a threat to American Constitution) Their physical appearance frightened native-born Americans (different language & dress) Old Immigrants Native Americans WASPs Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, Nordic races Protestant Old Immigrants New Immigrants Illiterate and more appeared so as they could not speak English Slavic and Latin races Jewish and Catholic Unfamiliar with democracy. They were communist, socialist and anarchists and because of this they were an easy target for ill informed prejudice and racism by native Americans

14 Nativism Grew The effect of high levels of immigration increased the WASPs sense of superiority and their determination to maintain racial purity Academics and some politicians even claimed to have scientific evidence that the new immigrants from Southeast Europe were racially inferior In Woodrow Wilson s History of the American People in 1902, he even compared the men of the sturdy stock of the north of Europe with the more sordid and hopeless elements. This Clearly Shows That Bigotry, Prejudice And Racism Gave Rise To The Soon To Be They were afraid that new immigrants would Passed Anti-immigration Legislation destroy American culture and many activists were pledged to protect the purity of the American ideal...

15 Nativist Organisations Evans spoke out against The KKK Had died out in 1870s but reformed in Georgia in 1915 In true nativist tradition it focused on the evils of Catholicism and anti-semitic propaganda The KKK naturally appealed to the WASPs who believed that their dream of America was about to be shattered By 1924 the KKK were openly parading through the streets of Washington D.C. The Klan s appeal spread from the south to the western and northern states, where Catholics and Jews, as well as blacks became the target of their threats and violence the vast horde of immigrants who have reached our shores Italian immigrants, Irish catholic malcontents, Russian Jews, Finns, Letts, Lithuanians of the lowest class These Groups Are A Real Reflection Of The Extent Of Anti-alienism In The USA At The Time Hiram Wesley Evans

16 Perhaps the most obvious example that shows just how important PREJUDICE AND RACISM was in the changing attitudes towards immigration can be shown through the passing of 2 Acts: 1. The Emergency Immigration Act 1921 This Quota Act was designed to restrict new immigrants. This law imposed an annual limit on immigration from any European country, limiting to 3% of the number of nationals from that country who were living in the USA in This favoured immigrants from Old Immigrant countries and kept out New Immigrants.

17 2. National Origins Act 1924 The proportion from each country was lowered to 2% based on the sizes of national groups at the time of the 1890 census In 1929 only 120,000 immigrants a year were allowed into the USA and 85% of all places were reserved for Northern and Western Europe. All this information proves that it was not necessarily the number of immigrants coming in that America s objected to, but where they came from, making racism & prejudice a very important factor!

18 OPENING ARGUMENT It can be argued that prejudiced and racist views towards new immigrants was a key factor behind changing attitudes towards immigration in the USA.

19 PREJUDICE AND RACISM KNOWLEDGE 1 Who were the Old Immigrants & why were they welcomed? Why type of immigrant came from 1880 s+ ARGUMENT 1 It can be argued that is important because What did this make the old immigrants feel? What was set up because of this? What did it make them want to do/get passed?

20 PREJUDICE AND RACISM KNOWLEDGE 2 Anti-immigration laws showed a clear sign of what? KU about the 2 Acts: 1921 Emergency Immigration Acts 1924 National Origins Act ARGUMENT 2 This clearly shows Not necessarily the no. of immigrants coming in that they objected to, but what? How did the laws do this? (what has the percentage got to do with it?)

21 PREJUDICE AND RACISM Evaluation Prejudice and racism is thus one of the most important factors in changing attitudes towards immigration as it resulted in what happening/a cut in the number of what from where?

22 PLAN FOR PARAGRAPH 1 Racism & Prejudice Changing Attitudes 1. Put in Knowledge discuss the change from old to new immigrants (how did they differ?) 2. Put in Analysis argue that this changed attitudes to immigration because (What did the Dillingham Commission show? Why did the old immigrants worry? What grew because of this) 3. Knowledge discuss that the change in attitude resulted in antiimmigration acts such as 4. Analysis explain how these acts show that racism was behind changing attitudes towards immigration (think percentages)

23 PLAN FOR PARAGRAPH 1 Racism & Prejudice Changing Attitudes 1. Start with an Opening Argument e.g. state what the link is between the isolated factor & the question 2. Put in Knowledge discuss the change from old to new immigrants (how did they differ?) 3. Put in Analysis argue that this changed attitudes to immigration because (What did the Dillingham Commission show? Why did the old immigrants worry? What grew because of this) 4. Knowledge discuss that the change in attitude resulted in antiimmigration acts such as 5. Analysis explain how these acts show that racism was behind changing attitudes towards immigration (think percentages) 6. Evaluation sum up why this is an important factor in explaining why attitudes changed toward immigration

24 Example Paragraph