Throughout the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century the amount of immigrants coming to the United States caused the population to grow. Immigrants came from all directions such as east from Asia, south from Canada, north from Latin America, and west from Europe. From 1850 to 1920 more than 25 million immigrants came to the United States. Racial prejudice influenced people's perception of immigration patterns and caused the history of European immigrants to be divided into two waves called the “old” and “new” immigration. “Old” immigrants were considered to be very different from “new” immigrants in most areas. There were many traits distinguishing “old” immigrants from “new” immigrants. Old immigrants came to the United States
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For example, many of the earlier immigrants from Ireland, Germany, and Scandinavia did not come as settlers or farmer. Instead, they came as wageworkers and they were met with the same dislike as the Italians and Slavs who came after them. Also, prejudice from the old immigrants towards the new immigrants influenced how each wave of immigrants was seen. Skilled worker, or those with a craft or specialized ability, were frequently member of older immigrant groups often criticized the new immigrants because a lot of them were unskilled workers, or those who supplied muscle or tended machines. For example, in the textbook Understanding the American Promise by Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, and Hartmann, it says, “One Irish worker complained, ‘There should be a law… to keep all Italians from comin’ in and takin’ the bread out of the mouths of honest people.’” (552). Members of both the educated and uneducated viewed ethnic and religious characteristics as racial characteristics throughout the nineteenth century and into the twentieth. Existing Americans, including those from the old immigrant wave, judged the new immigrants as inferior. During this time of immigration, each wave of new immigrants was inferior to the established residents. So, old immigrants who criticized new immigrants were also thought of as inferior when
For example, many of the earlier immigrants from Ireland, Germany, and Scandinavia did not come as settlers or farmer. Instead, they came as wageworkers and they were met with the same dislike as the Italians and Slavs who came after them. Also, prejudice from the old immigrants towards the new immigrants influenced how each wave of immigrants was seen. Skilled worker, or those with a craft or specialized ability, were frequently member of older immigrant groups often criticized the new immigrants because a lot of them were unskilled workers, or those who supplied muscle or tended machines. For example, in the textbook Understanding the American Promise by Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, and Hartmann, it says, “One Irish worker complained, ‘There should be a law… to keep all Italians from comin’ in and takin’ the bread out of the mouths of honest people.’” (552). Members of both the educated and uneducated viewed ethnic and religious characteristics as racial characteristics throughout the nineteenth century and into the twentieth. Existing Americans, including those from the old immigrant wave, judged the new immigrants as inferior. During this time of immigration, each wave of new immigrants was inferior to the established residents. So, old immigrants who criticized new immigrants were also thought of as inferior when