Nativism
-flow of immigrants increased in 1919, after WW1
-June 1920-June 1921 over 800,000 people entered the USA
-many European migrants
-the rise of the KKK after 1915 was due to nativist concerns about immigration
-KKK tried to limit immigration numbers
-many believed that immigrants were responsible for criminal activity
-1920, 2 Italians sentenced to death for presumed robbery and murder, believed that they were sentenced to death for their ethnicity rather than the crime committed

Immigration Restriction
-surge in immigration brought an end to unlimited immigration
-1921, Emergency Immigration Act restricted immigration to 350,000 per year, only an additional 3% of immigrants from each country already in the USA could come in e.g. if there is 300,000 British people in the USA already, only 3% of 300,000 could enter
-1924 Quota Law reduced the percentage to 2%, excluded immigrants from Eastern Europe, national origins system, where only a certain amount of people from each country could enter the USA

The Red Scare
-The Russian revolution in 1917 aroused fear of communism
-Many people were alarmed that communism was spreading through America
-many American Communist groups had large amounts of foreign-born members
-public opinion became largely anti-immigrant

Western Hemisphere Immigration
-quota did not restrict those coming from the Western Hemisphere
-Hispanic people, mainly Mexican and Puerto-Rican became the fastest growing ethnic minority
-Mexicans settled mainly in California
-Mexicans accounted for 75% of farmers in the West
-farmers treated Mexicans almost like slaves
-a surplus of labour led to Puerto Ricans moving to the USA in search of work

Urban Development
-1920 census revealed that a majority of Americans lived in urban areas
-amount of busy cities grew, such as NY and Chicago
-manufacturing industries in Detroit and Houston increased
-retail traders expanded in Minneapolis and Seatle

Urban Incomers
-as cities grew the agriculture way of live declined
-1920s, 6 million Americans left their farms to go to the city
-most immigrants settled in cities

Black migration
-Black 'Great Migration' made up a large proportion of people moving to cities in 1920s
-1.5 million black people moved from the South to Northern cities
-racial discrimination in cities blocked opportunity
-low wages, black people had to seek the cheapest housing
-black new comers were forced into ghettos
-'black invasion' prompted neighbourhoods to set up agreements where home sellers would not sell to black people

Hispanic migration
-1920s, Hispanics crowded into low rent districts in southwestern cities such as LA
-poor sanitation, poor police protection and poor schools
-1920s, influx of Puerto Ricans, mainly in NY
-attracted by cheap labour
-successful Mexicans and Puerto Ricans became community leaders

European immigrants
-settled in USA's largest cities
-lived with people that shared the same language, religion etc
-ethnic neighbourhoods such as Little Italy grew, allowing people to preserve their culture
-provided cheap labour
-some turned to crime
-private armies of Italian mobsters in Chicago

Growth of suburbs
-most provided homes for white middle-class communities
-resisted migrants coming in due to the association with crime

Impact
-WW2 impacted on immigration and immigrants
-limited traditional sources of immigration
-led to a campaign of national unity, with the slogan 'America All'
-internationalist approach
-immigrants supported the war effort through military service and work in defence industries

Situation in 1945
-8% of the population were foreign born
-lowest percentage so far in the 20th century
-despite unity, there were still distinct immigrant identities
-America was not a melting pot for ethnic and religious differences