Immigration Debates in the Era of "Open Gates"

Transcription

1 Immigration Debates in the Era of "Open Gates" In this activity you will analyze a political cartoon, a presidential speech and an anti-immigration pamphlet from the early 20th century. After analyzing the documents, you will write about why the United States passed immigration quotas in the 1920s. Objectives 1. You will analyze debates over immigration in the early twentieth century to understand the tension between the need for labor and anxiety over immigrants' political and cultural qualifications for citizenship. Instructions 1. Step 1: Let s briefly discuss current immigration debates and push/pull factors for immigrants, documented and undocumented, to the United States today. a. Please locate the cartoon analysis worksheet and the cartoon. Let s read the description of the cartoon out loud and the title/caption. Then let s read each of the quotes from the cartoon (typed out on the worksheet in Part I) from each of the various characters: contractor, politician, etc. 2. Step 2: Work in groups or pairs to complete Part II of the worksheet by analyzing the cartoon. After you have had time to complete the worksheet, let s have a discussion of the cartoon, making sure that everyone understands its content. a. Before moving to Step 3, let s review the key points: In the early twentieth century, people (i.e. the native born Protestants - White -- WASP) did not agree about whether immigration was good or bad for the United States. In the early twentieth century, those same people were unsure whether or not new immigrants were "fit" for citizenship. 3. Step 3: Please locate the two written documents, the anti-immigration pamphlet and the speech from President Cleveland. Underline or highlight specific arguments for and against immigration in each document as we read it aloud. Let s share what pro and con arguments you found. a. After reading and reviewing the documents, we will discuss: Given that there were so many objections to immigration at the time, why do you think it took legislators until 1924 to restrict immigration? How was the immigration debate of the 1900s different than the immigration debate today (especially considering today's idea of "illegal" or "legal" immigrants)? 4. Step 4: After reading and discussing the documents, respond to the question on the back of the worksheet (Part III): Given that there were so many objections to immigration at the time, why do you think it took the U.S. Congress until 1924 to restrict immigration from Europe?

2 Historical Context As the 20th century began, millions of immigrants from southern and eastern Europe poured into Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and other U.S. cities. In New York, the nation's largest city, more than half of the population was foreign-born. Many immigrants came in search of economic opportunity, fleeing depressed economies, high land prices or prejudices in their old countries. Immigrant labor powered the rapid industrialization of the late 19th and early 20th century. Employers were eager to hire the new immigrants and happy to pay them less than most American-born workers would accept. Many politicians wooed new voters with favors and jobs in exchange for votes; consequently, political machines exercised great power in urban areas with large immigrant populations. Other native-born Americans, however, were wary and often hostile towards new immigrants. They worried that cheap labor undercut their own economic security. They feared their diminished political power. And they were often prejudiced against the darker complexions and unfamiliar religions--the great majority of "new" immigrants were Catholic or Jewish--of the newcomers. Debates for and against immigration played out for decades, finally culminating in a nativist push to restrict immigration from southern and eastern Europe. U.S. Congress passed quota laws in 1921 and 1924 that remained in place until 1965.

3 The Immigrant Cartoon worksheet 1. List of words and phrases that appear in cartoon: ONE MILLIONS IMMIGRANTS CAME TO THE UNITED STATES IN TWELVE MONTHS HE GIVES ME CHEAP LABOR CONTRACTOR HE IS A MENACE CITIZEN HE IS BRAWN AND MUSCLE FOR MY COUNTRY UNCLE SAM HE IS A PUZZLE TO ME STATESMAN HE CHEAPENS MY LABOR WORKMAN HE BRINGS DISEASE HEALTH OFFICER HE MAKES VOTES FOR ME POLITICIAN THE IMMIGRANT: IS HE AN ACQUISITION OR A DETRIMENT? 2. Using the list of words and phrases above, complete the following: Title of cartoon: Phrases that are pro-immigration Phrases that are anti-immigration How does the cartoonist depict the immigrant? Do you think the cartoonist is pro- or anti-immigration? Name

4 3. Reflection Write a brief response (1 2 paragraphs) to the following question: Given the immigration debates and concerns of the 1890s and early 1900s, why do you think it took the U.S. Congress until 1924 to restrict immigration from Europe? Name

5 "The Immigrant" This 1903 cartoon presents the different perspectives that Americans had about the large number of immigrants entering the U.S. at the beginning of the twentieth century. It appeared in Judge magazine, which used humorous illustrations and short essays to comment on current events. The Immigrant. Is he an acquisition or a detriment? SOURCE F. Victor Gillam, "The Immigrant," chromolithograph, Judge, 19 September 1903; from Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs division; CREATOR F. Victor Gillam ITEM TYPE Cartoon

6 "Character of Present Immigration" These extracts from the report of the Commissioner-General of Immigration were reprinted and circulated by the Immigration Restriction League, a Boston-based organization that favored stronger restrictions on immigration at the turn of the twentieth century. In it the Commissioner-General echoes the sentiments of many anti-immigration efforts of the time, noting the prevalence of immigration from Italy and Eastern Europe (although denying any ethnic prejudice against these groups), their concentration in eastern cities, and characterizing them as undesirable. The great bulk of the present immigration proceeds from Italy, Austria, and Russia, and, furthermore, from some of the most undesirable sources of population of those countries. No one would object to the better class of Italians, Austrians, and Russians coming here in large numbers; but the point is that such better element does not come, and, furthermore, that immigration from such countries as Germany and the British Isles has fallen to a very low figure.

7 The great bulk of the present immigration settles in four of the Eastern States and most of it in the large cities of those States. Notwithstanding the well-known demand for agricultural labor in the Western States, thousands of foreigners keep pouring into our cities, declining to go where they might be wanted because they are neither physically or mentally fitted to go to these undeveloped parts of our country and do as did the early settlers from northern Europe....Past immigration was good because most of it was of the right kind and went to the right place. Capital cannot, and it would not if it could, employ much of the alien material that annually passes through Ellis Island, and thereafter chooses to settle in the crowded tenement districts of New York....A strict execution of our present laws makes it possible to keep out what may be termed the worst element of Europe (paupers, diseased persons, and those likely to become public charges), and to this extent these laws are most valuable.but these laws do not reach a large body of immigrants, who, while not of this class, are yet generally undesirable, because unintelligent, of low vitality, of poor physique, able to perform only the cheapest kind of manual labor, desirous of locating almost exclusively in the cities, by their competition tending to reduce the standard of living of the American wageworker, and unfitted mentally or morally for good citizenship. SOURCE Immigration Restriction League, "Character of Present Immigration," Extracts from the Report of the Commissioner-General of Immigration for the Year Ending June 30, 1903, American Memory, Library of Congress, CREATOR Immigration Restriction League ITEM TYPE Government Document

8 President Cleveland Vetoes a Law Restricting Immigration In 1897 President Grover Cleveland vetoed legislation requiring a literacy test for would-be immigrants proposed by Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, declaring, "I cannot believe that we would be protected against these [alleged evils of unrestricted immigration] by limiting immigration to those who can read and write in any language twenty-five words..." In his response to Congress, excerpted below, Cleveland outlined and refuted some of the arguments of those who favored restrictions on turn-of-the-century immigration. Twenty years after Cleveland's veto, a literacy requirement would be included as part of the Immigration Act of A radical departure from our national policy relating to immigration is here presented. Heretofore we have welcomed all who came to us from other lands except those whose moral or physical conditions or history threatened danger to our national welfare and safety...we have encouraged those coming from foreign countries to cast their lot with us and join in the development of our vast domains, securing in return a share in the blessings of American citizenship. A century's stupendous growth, largely due to the assimilation and thrift of millions of sturdy and patriotic adopted citizens, attests the success of this generous and free-handed policy which, while guarding the people's interests, exacts from our immigrants only physical and moral soundness and a willingness and ability to work. It is said, however, that the quality of recent immigration is undesirable. The time is quite within recent memory when the same thing was said of immigrants who, with their descendants, are now numbered among our best citizens. The best reason that could be given for this radical restriction of immigration is the necessity of protecting our population against degeneration and saving our national peace and quiet from imported turbulence and disorder. I cannot believe that we would be protected against these evils by limiting immigration to those who can read and write in any language twenty-five words of our Constitution. SOURCE John T. Woolley and Gerhard Peters, The American Presidency Project, University of California, Santa Barbara, CREATOR Grover Cleveland ITEM TYPE Government Document