Immigrants In Thomas Nast's Towing Down The Ladder

Over thirty million immigrants came to America in fifty five years. Many of them came for a variety of incentives, and for the heavily sought after “American Dream”, or the idea that through hard work and dedication one can surpass poverty and achieve success and wealth. However, the path to the American dream was not as easily obtained for some as it was for others, in light of the fact that after the 1880’s new waves of immigrants with greater differences from the earlier counterparts began to arrive in America. Due to changes in immigration patterns and increased anti-immigrant sentiments felt by many citizens, there were a variety of hardships and obstacles, such as the necessity of immigrant child laborers, and opportunities that were …show more content…
Xenophobic thoughts about the immigrants, such as “They are beaten men from beaten races; representing the worst failures in the struggle for existence”, were often shared attitudes among society (Walker). In general, the Chinese were the target of discrimination and racism. In 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act passed to limited immigration, civil rights, and the naturalization of Chinese incomers of who were considerably different from their native-born white and later European immigrant neighbors. “Throwing Down the Ladder by Which They Rose” by Thomas Nast is a prime visionary example of the frame of mind European immigrants held toward their Asian counterparts. In the cartoon, the ladder immigrants are using to scale the wall to America is kicked down after the last European immigrant reaches the top preventing the Asian immigrants from also ascending the wall. In addition to the fall of the ladder it appears that at least one man is cheering at the prevention of immigration by the remaining immigrants (Source J). The cartoon addresses the hypocrisy of new American citizens and their eagerness to oppress those that now hold the position they once faced when they themselves