Essential Questions: Why did people come to America? What difficulties did immigrants face?
How did the immigrants cope with their new surroundings?
I. Through the Golden Door
A. Europeans
1. Between 1870-1920 approximately 20 million Europeans arrived in the
US.
a. They left Europe to escape religious persecution, rising
populations and unemployment
B. Asian
1. Chinese immigrants entered the US from the west coast
a. They came looking for gold and work on the transcontinental
railroad
II. Life in the New Land
A. Difficult Journey
1. The trip across the two oceans was extremely difficult
a. They were crowded together and rarely allowed on deck
b. They often had to sleep in louse-infested bunks
B. Ellis Island
1. European immigrants had to pass inspection at Ellis Island
a. They had to pass a physical exam
-Anyone with a serious health problem was sent home
b. Government officials checked documents and questioned the
new comers to determine whether they met the requirements
-They had to prove they were never convicted of a felony
-They had to prove that they could work
C. Angel Island
1. Asian immigrants checked in at Angel Island in San Francisco
a. Here, immigrants were treated more harshly
D. Survival
1. Once admitted, immigrants faced many challenges
a. Getting a job and trying to understand an unfamiliar culture
b. Many immigrants sought out people who shared their culture
III. Immigration Restriction
A. The Rise of Nativism
1. This was favoritism toward native-born Americans
a. This gave rise to prejudice and immigration restriction
B. In 1897, Congress passed a bill requiring literacy tests for immigrants
1. Those who could not read 40 words in English or their native language
would be refused entry
a The bill was eventually vetoed by President Cleveland