Immigrants often came to the United States around 1880 because there were so many opportunities. Their own countries were strongly lacking things that the U.S had such as jobs, democracy, and land. Still, the U.S gave many of the different immigrants a hard time. Immigrants often had to face hardships, but had graspable opportunity which explains the changing patterns in immigration during this time.
Immigrants face many difficulties such as terrible living conditions and awful, even dangerous working conditions. People often lived in tenants because they were so cheap, but there were so many things wrong with them. They were very damp, dark, and cramped. Immigrant families were stuffed into rooms the size of a bedroom. There were any windows …show more content…
According to “Historical Statics of the United Sates”, northern and western European immigrants went from making up 93% of immigrants to only 61% (Dave Merrell/ Steven Edsey & Sons). The rest were eastern and southern Europeans, north and south American, Asian, and many others. This caused many problems for the “newer” immigrants of different races because many of the Americans thought they were superior due to having the ability to speak fluent English and they all looked similar. The new immigrants couldn’t speak English very well which made communication very hard. They also tended to look different, though it was mainly the Chinese who suffered the most due to their appearances. For the Chinese, it got so bad that the government began to pass laws that worked against them and restricted their rights. In “They Who Knock at Our Gates says “We surely violate the Declaration [of Independence] when we attempt to exclude aliens on account of race, nationality, or economic status” (Mary Antin). When the Chinese and anybody else, no matter what race, entered the U.S as a citizen, they get the rights of an American citizen. The attempt to discriminate them through law was an act against the very constitution that the United States lives and breathes by.
Immigrants obviously had it rough when they first got there. The jobs were dangerous and even kids suffered under child labor. The living conditions were terrible with damp, cramped tenants and disease often were the result of these. Still, it was the opportunity that kept the change in immigrant patterns, even if discrimination became a problem. Immigrants didn’t come for the awful conditions, however. They came for even the slightest hope that one day they would have a new and better
Immigrants face many difficulties such as terrible living conditions and awful, even dangerous working conditions. People often lived in tenants because they were so cheap, but there were so many things wrong with them. They were very damp, dark, and cramped. Immigrant families were stuffed into rooms the size of a bedroom. There were any windows …show more content…
According to “Historical Statics of the United Sates”, northern and western European immigrants went from making up 93% of immigrants to only 61% (Dave Merrell/ Steven Edsey & Sons). The rest were eastern and southern Europeans, north and south American, Asian, and many others. This caused many problems for the “newer” immigrants of different races because many of the Americans thought they were superior due to having the ability to speak fluent English and they all looked similar. The new immigrants couldn’t speak English very well which made communication very hard. They also tended to look different, though it was mainly the Chinese who suffered the most due to their appearances. For the Chinese, it got so bad that the government began to pass laws that worked against them and restricted their rights. In “They Who Knock at Our Gates says “We surely violate the Declaration [of Independence] when we attempt to exclude aliens on account of race, nationality, or economic status” (Mary Antin). When the Chinese and anybody else, no matter what race, entered the U.S as a citizen, they get the rights of an American citizen. The attempt to discriminate them through law was an act against the very constitution that the United States lives and breathes by.
Immigrants obviously had it rough when they first got there. The jobs were dangerous and even kids suffered under child labor. The living conditions were terrible with damp, cramped tenants and disease often were the result of these. Still, it was the opportunity that kept the change in immigrant patterns, even if discrimination became a problem. Immigrants didn’t come for the awful conditions, however. They came for even the slightest hope that one day they would have a new and better