Immigration

What challenges did immigrants face in the US?

• They caught diseases

• They had trouble learning the language and faced prejudice

• They were uncomfortable in the large homes in the US

• It was difficult to study for the citizenship test

Answer explanation

The question asks about the challenges immigrants faced in the US. The correct response highlights that immigrants often struggled with learning the new language and faced prejudice from existing residents. These were significant barriers to their assimilation and acceptance in American society.

Most old and new immigrants were from...

• Asia

• The Middle East

• Latin America

• Europe

Answer explanation

The question asks from which region did the majority of both old and new immigrants to the United States come from. The correct answer is Europe. This is likely due to factors such as the historical ties between Europe and the United States, economic opportunities, and the challenges of geographic distance.

Who immigrated through Angel Island?

• German

• Irish

• Chinese

• Filipino

Answer explanation

Angel Island, located in San Francisco Bay, was a major immigration station where many Chinese immigrants entered the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although other nationalities also arrived here, the majority were Chinese. Hence, the correct answer to the question 'Who immigrated through Angel Island?' is 'Chinese'.

What is the east coast immigration center?

• Ellis Island

• Angel Island

• Detroit

Answer explanation

The east coast immigration center referred to in the question is Ellis Island. This was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station for over sixty years from 1892 until 1954. Therefore, Ellis Island is the correct answer.

Identify the pull factor for immigrants to the US.

• Religious Persecution

• Poor Economic Conditions

• Potential Employment

• Lack of Food

Answer explanation

The pull factor for immigrants to the US can be identified as 'Potential Employment'. Pull factors are positive conditions that attract people to new areas. While other options like 'Religious Persecution' and 'Lack of Food' might be push factors in their home countries, they are not necessarily pulling them to the US. 'Poor Economic Conditions' is also a push factor, not a pull factor. Therefore, the correct choice is 'Potential Employment'.

What did the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 do?

• prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the country

• prevented cities from hiring Chinese workers

• forced Chinese immigrants into ghettos

• prevented Chinese immigrants from gaining citizenship

Answer explanation

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was a significant immigration law which particularly prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the United States. The ban was the first law implemented to prevent a specific ethnic group from immigrating to the U.S. The other options mentioned don't accurately reflect the key impact of this act.

Which best describes the travel accommodations of most immigrants to the US?

• Spacious and inexpensive

• Dirty, crowded, and unhealthy

• First class cabins

• Tons of room for them and all of their possessions

Answer explanation

Most immigrants traveling to the US in the past endured harsh conditions. It was not a luxurious journey, ruling out options of 'First class cabins' and 'Spacious and inexpensive'. They didn't have a lot of space for their belongings, eliminating the 'Tons of room for them and all of their possessions' option. Therefore, the most accurate description of their accommodations is 'Dirty, crowded, and unhealthy'.

One potential reason why Chinese workers were discriminated against is because many believed:

• They were destroying 'Oriental' schools.

• They were taking 'white' jobs.

• They were attacking railroad property.

• They were claiming the best land.

Answer explanation

The discrimination against Chinese workers in the past was largely due to economic reasons. The prevalent belief was that they were taking jobs meant for 'white' workers. This created tensions and led to discriminatory practices against them. This option correctly answers the question.

How many people immigrated to the US between 1880 and 1920?

• More than 10 million

• More than 20 million

• More than 30 million

• More than 50 million

Answer explanation

The question asks about the number of people who immigrated to the US between 1880 and 1920. The correct choice is that more than 20 million people moved. This mass immigration era, also known as the 'Great Wave', saw a significant surge in population due to factors such as economic opportunity and political freedom.

What are immigration push factors?

• Reasons people come to a new place

• Reasons people leave their homelands

• Reasons people begin working

• Reasons people stop working

Answer explanation

Immigration push factors are conditions that drive people to leave their homelands. These might include economic hardships, political instability, or environmental problems. This aligns with the correct option 'Reasons people leave their homelands', indicating that such factors push or compel individuals to seek better prospects or safety elsewhere.