2.4 The New Immigrants

The “new” immigrants differed from the “old” immigrants in their

• nations of origin.

• reasons for leaving home.

• reasons for coming to the United States.

• likelihood of being “chain immigrants.”

Why did many immigrants to the United States have such an optimistic spirit?

• The voyage was usually an easy and encouraging one.

• Most immigrants were well-prepared and financially secure upon arrival.

• They believed better economic and personal opportunities awaited them.

• U.S. immigration policies welcomed people from all countries and backgrounds.

The goal of the Americanization movement was to

• help new immigrants assimilate to American culture.

• protect American jobs by supporting immigration restrictions.

• restrict social services and financial assistance to new Americans.

• encourage the acceptance of immigrant traditions into American society.

What did immigrants help the United States to become?

• independent

• a tolerant nation

• a strong military power

• an economic world power

Before 1895, most immigrants came from

• Asia.

• Northern and Western Europe.

• Latin America.

• Southern and Eastern Europe.

What was one way that “new” immigrants of the late 1800s were unlike “old” immigrants?

• “Old” immigrants usually lacked job skills, education, and monetary savings.

• “New” immigrants shared relatively few cultural characteristics with native-born Americans.

• “Old” immigrants were likely to immigrate alone, and “new” immigrants came in family groups.

• “New” immigrants often came from northern and western Europe, and “old” immigrants came from Asia.

The most likely reason that Angel Island was not welcoming to Chinese immigrants was a result of

• anti-Catholicism.

• cultural prejudice.

• overcrowding on the West Coast.

• resistance to formal immigration policies.

Americanization programs were mostly focused on

• supporting the work of nativist organizations.

• attracting “new” immigrants to the United States.

• helping immigrants assimilate into American society.

• providing jobs and financial help for immigrants.

What is an example of a "pull" factor that brought immigrants to the United States?

• wars abroad that forced people to flee their homes

• land reform abroad that displaced farmers

• anti-Catholic sentiment in the United States

• economic opportunity in the United States

What was one unintended consequence of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882?

• Construction on major railroad projects halted.

• Many single-crop ranches in California struggled economically.

• Chinese people born in the United States became American citizens.

• The number of Chinese immigrants to the United States dropped greatly.