Nativism and Immigration in the 1920s

In the 1920s, a resurgence of nativism in the U.S. led to distrust of immigrants, particularly those from Germany, southern, and eastern Europe. Nativists feared job loss and racial impurity, influencing policies like the Emergency Quota Act and the Immigration Act of 1924, which limited immigration.

What was the primary focus of nativism in the 1920s?

• Encouraging foreign trade

• Supporting technological advancements

• Opposing immigration

• Promoting Native American rights

Which group was primarily targeted by nativists during World War I?

• Mexican workers

• German Americans

• Irish immigrants

• Chinese laborers

What action did American towns take to express distrust of Germans during WWI?

• Closed German businesses

• Prohibited German music

• Banned German food

• Changed street and city names

After World War I, which regions' immigrants became the focus of nativist opposition?

• Southern and Eastern Europe

• Northern Europe

• Africa

• Asia

What was a common belief held by nativists about immigrants from Eastern Europe?

• They would integrate easily

• They would strengthen the economy

• They were highly skilled

• They were of 'inferior races'

What economic fear did nativists have regarding immigrants?

• They would increase taxes

• They would cause inflation

• They would lower property values

• They would take jobs from Americans

What was the purpose of the Emergency Quota Act of 1921?

• To encourage foreign investment

• To promote cultural exchange

• To limit the number of immigrants

• To increase immigration

How did the Immigration Act of 1924 affect immigration numbers?

• It had no effect

• It stopped all immigration

• It increased them significantly

• It reduced them considerably

Which countries' immigrants were exempt from the Immigration Act of 1924?

• Germany and Italy

• Canada and Mexico

• China and Japan

• Ireland and Scotland

Approximately how many immigrants arrived in the U.S. annually in the late 1920s?

• 270,000

• 1,000,000

• 100,000

• 500,000