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The Impact of immigration, 1917-80 - Coggle Diagram
The Impact of immigration, 1917-80
NATURE OF, AND RESPONSE TO, IMMIGRATION IN THE 1920S
Dillingham Report 1911 - Said that immigration was beginning to pose a serious threat to US culture/society.
Old Immigrants - Western Europe, adapted to the US way of life.
New Immigrants - South/East Europe, racially inferior, not adapting to US way of life.
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Post-war immigration legislation - focused on Europe/Asia, did not apply to South America.
Causes/ reasons for it:
- Post-war isolationism
- Dillingham report.
- First red scare
- Spike in unemployment
- Increased hostility to immigrants, communists, Catholics (posed a threat to WASPS).
1921 Emergency Quota Act:
- Limits annual immigrants to 3% of people from that country living in USA.
1924 Immigration Act- Limited annual number of immigrants to 150,000.
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Impact of Immigration.
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Rapidly expanding urban areas: immigrants would create competition for jobs, housing and other facilities.
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Immigration from South America increased to fill the need for cheap labour in states such as California in things such as mining.
Some immigrants were official immigrants, others crossed the border illegally, but the high demand for workers meant that employers didn't ask many questions.
Employers exploited 'illegal' immigrants using deportation fears, paying them little, bad conditions.
GD caused Americans to migrate towards California to find work, which led many immigrants to be deported. Around 400,000 Mexicans deported during GD.
IMPACT ON URBAN LIFE, 1919-41
In some cities, immigration was a significant factor in their growth.
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Employment e.g. Detroit (FORD HQ):
- Mass production led to high car ownership, creating a high demand for workers.
- Most workers were from eastern Europe.
- Had a large immigrant labour force.
- Number of kids born in USA whose parents were foreign-born immigrants was adding to the population
- These kids were more integrated into the US way of life - encouraged to get an education and work hard.
Newest arrivals had worst jobs, pay, living conditions.
Immigrants had an influence in politics because of their numbers:
- During GD, many supported FDR
- Republican ideals hit urban areas the hardest - as growing industry meant more immigrants getting exploited.
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