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8/14/2019 Explain why there was mass immigration to the USA between the years 1890 and 1914 (12 marks).docx
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Explain why there was mass immigration to the USA
between the years 1890 and 1914
There was mass immigration to the USA between the years 1890 and 1914 for a combination of reasons, all of
which are based around socio-economic, ideological, political, cultural and technological factors.
America was considered at this time The Great Melting Pot due to immigrants from everywhere mixing into
this one country, however, this immigration did not form a melting pot of cultures because each ethnic
group had their own area in a town or even its own town. For immigrants, America was seen as a place for
achieving the dream of improving and having a better life, there they had freedoms and liberty, this is why
immigration was not only from Europe but from other parts of the world. The other form of immigration was
formed called migration. There was a lot of migration from African-Americans from poorer South to the more
prosperous North; however, the migrating African-Americans were not welcomed, they suffered much the
same way as they had in the South.
The changes in American society that immigration brought about were friction between newly arrived and
older established groups, religion being the main one, with older groups (Protestants) and the newer ones
(catholic). The changes in American politics that immigration brought about were very little; power was kept
by the WASPs (White Anglo Saxon Protestants). Irish Americans began sticking together for collective political
clout which brought about the significance of Tammany Hall. Tammany Hall was notorious for the corruption
in city and state politics that it fostered; it was built by local politics to support the Democratic Party and it
provided immigrants with a social safety net. It also controlled businesses, influenced police, certain labour
unions and voting.
Push and pull factors are said to be a main cause of immigration to America. Push factors are reasons that
generally push people out of their country; the push factors in Europe included population growth as Europe
had better food and homes causing a population growth and so it soon became overcrowded. Due to
agricultural changes, landlords took advantage of city growth because of the overcrowdedness and forced
residents out in order for the land owners to farm in large areas. Also in agricultural changes, there was mass
crop failure, poor farmers were in debt because of this, causing them to starve and so they chose to redeem
themselves in America instead. The Industrial Revolution introduced factories which made cheaper materials
that artisans could not compete with so because of their unemployment status, some decided to come to
America. Regarding religious and political chaos, Quakers from Norway and Jews from Germany left to avoid
religious harassment, Germans also came as the German Revolution didnthave the desired outcome. Not only
that, but the persecution of Russian Jews and the economic collapse and starvation of Southern Italians
influenced a lot of immigrants.
Pull factors are factors that attracted immigrants to America. Considered to be the most attractive pull factor
was freedom, as immigrants looked for a place to practice anything they desired. Also, economic opportunities
gave immigrants a reason to seek a better life, and they found it in America. Because of the Louisiana Purchase
and the Mexican Cession effect on America was gaining more than enough land, this attracted Europeans who
faced overcrowding in their country. There were limited restrictions for immigrants to get into America but
only 2% of immigrants were turned away.
Therefore, there was mass immigration in the USA between the years 1890 and 1914 as the immigrants lives
in their native countries was poor and they looked for a better place to live with freedom and opportunities
which they found in America.