Chapter 15 Section 1 Guided Reading Questions

Chapter 15-1 Guided Reading Questions

1)

Southern and Eastern European Immigrants:

Came from: Italy, Austria-Hungary, and Russia.

Came to the U.S. because: Many wished to escape religious prosecution; many Jews were forced out of Russia by pogroms. Others left because they wanted lives of freedom and independence in America. Others left because of the rising populations. The promise of plentiful jobs was a lure, as well.

Entered the U.S. at: Ellis Island; the East Coast.

Asian Immigrants:

Came from: Japan, China.

Came to the U.S. because: They were seeking their fortunes after the discovery of gold in California, as well as for jobs; the railroads were largely built by Asian immigrants.

Entered the U.S. at: West Coast; Angel Island.

Caribbean Islands and Central America:

Came from: Jamaica, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and other Islands.

Came to the U.S. because: Jobs were scarce and the Industrial boom in the U.S. seemed to promise jobs to everyone. Mexicans came because of political turmoil. The 1902 National Reclamation Act, which encouraged the irrigation and farming of arid land, drew Mexican farmers to the North. Political and social upheavals in 1910 caused more immigration.

Entered the U.S. at: Southeast and Southwest.

2)

The Difference Between Native-Born and New Immigrant Americans:

Immigrants: Nativism, or the overt favoritism towards native-born Americans, became a problem for immigrants when immigration grew. Anti-immigration groups were formed, and demands for restrictions on immigration were made. Many immigrants didn’t want to give up their cultural identities. Nativists often had no problem with Anglo-Saxon immigrants, but objected very much to immigrants from Asian and Latin countries. The immigrants also faced religious prosecution. Immigrants generally accepted lower wages. The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed by Congress in 1882, which for 10 years banned all immigrants except for students, teachers, merchants, tourists, and government officials. The law wasn’t repealed until 1943. The Gentleman’s Agreement was enacted in 1907, the terms of which were: Japan had to limit emigration of unskilled workers in exchange for the repeal of a San Francisco segregation order which put Japanese children into separate schools.

Native-Born Americans: Had a fear that immigrants (particularly Chinese immigrants) would take all of their jobs. Natives were preferred to immigrants, treated better, given higher wages, etc. Native-born Americans considered the country to be a “melting pot” where everybody of different races and cultures blended together to make one country, and were angered when immigrants wanted to keep their cultural identities.