Between 1870 and 1924, over 26 million immigrants came to the United States from Europe and Asia, with many arriving through the ports of Ellis Island in New York and Angel Island in San Francisco. Immigrants were fleeing problems in their home countries like poverty, war, and religious persecution in search of opportunities in America like jobs, freedom, and to make a better life. However, immigrants faced prejudice and discrimination from native-born Americans who believed they were taking jobs and lowering wages. Despite this, immigrants still found opportunities in America through work, education, voting rights, and owning businesses.

1. Text Book Connection
Pages 184-190
Coming to America!
Immigration
PPV:
Ellis Island Angel Island
Prejudice Diversity
Note taking directions:
When you see the Statue of Liberty on the slide that’s your cue to take
notes from that slide.
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2. 26 million immigrants came to
the United States between 1870
and 1924.
By 1920, 1 out of every 4
people living in the United
States had been born in
another country.
Many were trying to escape the
problems in their home countries,
and many spent their life savings just3

3. 26 million immigrants came to
the United States between 1870
and 1924.
By 1920, 1 out of every 4
people living in the United
States had been born in
another country.
Many were trying to escape the
problems in their home countries,
and many spent their life savings just
In the 1920’s, Congress
passed laws
(like the Immigration Act of
1924)
that began to restrict the
number of immigrants
allowed in the
United States.
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4. Reasons to come to
America (PULL)
Jobs
Political and Religious
Freedom
Adventure!!!
A chance to make a better
life for themselves and
their family.4

5. Why did immigrants
leave their homeland?
(PUSH)
1. Some were FORCED to leave their country.
2. Some ESCAPED their country problems:
*religious persecution
*war
*political issues (evil leader)
*poverty (no food)
*no freedom
3. Some WANTED to come to a country where they could
get a job, start a business, or improve their lives.5

6. When these immigrants arrived in the
United States their first stop was either at
Ellis Island in New York City or Angel
Island in San Francisco.
Around 20
million people
made a stop on
Ellis Island
during its years
of operation
Some estimate
that nearly half of
all Americans
today can trace
their family
history to at least
one person who
passed through
Ellis Island.
Ellis Island
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7. What happened at Ellis
Island?
 Doctors checked
immigrants for diseases
 Government officials
asked questions about
where they were from,
what kind of work they
did, and where they
planned to live.7

8. What
happened at
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9. How did immigrants travel
to America?
Text Book Connection Pages 186-187
To get to America, they came by ship and many went through
ELLIS ISLAND (New York City) or ANGEL ISLAND (San
Francisco).9

10. Where were immigrants from?
Text Book Connection Pages 186-187
*Europe-which
included:
Ireland, Italy,
Poland
Germany, etc.
*Asia – which
included:10

11. Remember where immigrants entered the
US?
So many Chinese immigrants entered the US that the
government chose to limit their entrance into the country.
They had to prove they had relatives already living in the
United States before they were allowed entry.
They came
from China
or Russia
They came
from Ireland,
Italy, Poland,
Germany….
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12. Many immigrants were from small farming villages.
Now they were now surrounded by skyscrapers,
streetcars, automobiles, and crowds!
They spoke different languages,
had different customs, and practiced different religions.12

13. Lower East Side NYC
1890s
1) find a place to
live
2) find a job
3) work to improve
their lives
Immigrants had three things
to do when they came to
America
Finding a suitable
place to live was a
hardship endured
by immigrants.
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14. More people which included
immigrants…
lead to growing cities
(urbanization)
helped businesses become
bigger
(MOST immigrants were the labor (workforce)
that industries needed to EXPAND!
helped America become
DIVERSE
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15. More Immigrant Info:
Many were
too poor to
use the
Homestead
Act.
Most
immigrants
settled in
cities on the
east coast.
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16. Prejudice & Discrimination
Toward Immigrants
Many native-born
Americans
resented immigrants.
• Immigrants took whatever jobs they could find,
this led to LOWER WAGES for everyone, it also
affected supply and demand in the work force.
• Americans were being replaced by immigrants in
factories.
• Americans thought immigrants were MORALLY
CORRUPT (drinking and acting badly)16

17. Even with prejudice and
discrimination toward
immigrants…
• Jobs in American factories!
• Schools for their children!
• Having the right to vote!
• The possibility of holding a Political
Office!
• Starting their own businesses!
Immigrants still found good
opportunities in the US.
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