Immigration

Spring 1920

The Influx flamed nativist fears

Demands for immigration restrictions intensified:

  • Number of popular books promoted the social Darwinian view - Race determined quality of a civilisation
  • Xenophobia was rife in America
  • Many believed that the US's anglo saxonism was being polluted
  • Southern and Eastern Europeans were seen as less intelligent and weaker than the 'superior' Nordic people

US received 5 000 immigrants per day from the war-ravaged Europe

Immigration Restriction Act

First Temporary Measures

No more than 3% of the total foreign born population of each nationality recorded in the 1910 census

Total immigration was limited to 357 000 per yer, a third of the annual average before the war

First quotas introduced in 1921

3 years later

Reduced to 2% of the 1890 census

Favoured British and Western European immigrants

Limited visas to Eastern and Southern Europeans

Restrictions on Asian immigrants was heavy:

  • Japan also became included in this

Immigration Bill

Signed by president Clavin Coolidge

He declared that "America must remain America"

Restricted entry of Jews:
-> Only a few thousand managed to escape persecution because of this

Chinese Exclusion Act

Passed in 1882

Banned all Chinese immigrants for the next 10 years

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