The Making of a Nation explains the history of the United States briefly. Throughout American history, millions of people around the world have left their homelands for a chance to start a new life in this country—and they continue to ...

2. FIRST IMMIGRANTS
1500s
• NEW WORLD’S GOLD
• SPANISH
• OUTPOSTS
• FLORIDA

3. FIRST IMMIGRANTS
1500s
• PROSPECTS OF WEALTH
• FRENCH FUR TRADERS
• TRADING POSTS
• St. LAWRENCE

4. FIRST IMMIGRANTS
1500s
• BRITISH
• PROFIT & RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
• JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA
• PROTESTANT

5. FIRST IMMIGRANTS
1600s – 1700s
• EAST COAST
• DUTCH – NEW YORK
• GERMAN – PENNSYLVANIA
• SWEDES – DELAWARE
• BRITISH – VIRGINIA
ALSO FROM AFRICA, FRANCE, SPAIN AND SWITZERLAND

6. NATIVE AMERICANS
• Major
changes when
Europeans
arrived
• CLASH of
cultures
• Reservations
Native Americans watching the arrival of Europeans

7. OLD IMMIGRATION
• Boomed during the 1840s and 1850s
– From: NORTHERN AND WESTERN EUROPE, ENGLAND,
SCOTLAND, IRELAND, GERMANY AND CHINA
– Reasons: POOR HARVESTS, FAMINE, POLITICAL FREEDOM,
BETTER LIFE, FAMILY REUNIFICATION
– EASILY ACCEPTED INTO US:
• PROTESTANS
• READ, WRITE AND SPEAK IN ENGLISH
Prior 1800: OLD IMMIGRANTS

8. SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEANS
• Those who arrive after 1880: NEW IMMIGRANTS
– From: SOUTHERN & EASTERN EUROPE, POLAND, RUSSIA,
GRECCE, ITALY, AUSTRIA, HUNGARY
– Reasons: WORK, FAMINE, POLITICAL UNREST, BETTER LIFE
– NOT EASILY ACCEPTED INTO US:
• CATHOLICS AND JEWISH
• COULD NOT READ OR WRITE
• CUSTOMS, LANGUAGE AND APPEARANCE SET THEM APART

9. • Affected American cities
• Rowling NEW YORK and CHICAGO
• ETHNIC NEIGHBORHOODS
• Preserve language and customs
• “Chinatown”
IN AMERICA

10. NATIVIST SENTIMENT
• Rising immigrant population
creates racists attitudes
• Prejudices
• Fear
• Americans pressured
congress to act
• 1920s - QUOTA
SYSTEM/RESTRICTION
Americans who
hated immigrants

11. ASSIMILATION PROCESS
• FIRST GENERATION
– OBTACLES: DISCRIMITANION AND RELUCTANCY
• SECOND GENERATION
– BETTER TO IDENTIFY THEMSELF AS AMERICANS, SPOKE
MOSTLY ENGLISH AND PRACTICED FEWER ETHNIC CUSTOMS
• THIRD GENERATION
– USUALLY NO LONGER ABLE TO SPEAK THEIR GRANDPARENTS’
LANGUAGE
• FOURTH/FIFTH GENERATION
– INTERMARRIAGE AGAINST ETHNIC IDENTITY

12. RECENT IMMIGRACION
• 1920 IMMIGRATION DROPPED
• NEW ASSIMILATION PROBLEM
• NEW IMMIGRANTS:
– MEXICO, LATIN AMERICA, ASIA
– CAMBODIAN AND VIETNAM REFUGEES WHO FLED
THE DESTRUCTION AND UPHEAVAL OF THE
VIETNAN WAR