Economic Objections

Denny High History Department

Looking for work

• Most of the ‘new’ immigrants were unskilled and looked for work in America’s growing industries in the cities.

• The poverty-stricken immigrants were often so desperate to find work that they were prepared to work in appalling conditions for very little pay.

Strike Breakers

• Many were employed as strike-breakers. For these reasons, labour organisations such as trade unions resented the ‘new’ immigrants.

Trade union Hostility

• T.U backed the idea of a literacy test for immigrants believing that many unskilled workers would be denied entry into the USA.

• The idea of the literacy test for immigrants was debated 32 times in Congress prior to its introduction in 1917.

End of WWI

• While World War One had boosted the American economy, when the war ended wartime industries reduced production.

• Troops returned home seeking jobs in the already saturated labour market. The American economy seemed destined for trouble. Factories closed and people lost their jobs.

Stealing jobs

• Economic slump increased hostility towards ‘new’ immigrants.

• Concerns grew about Europeans flocking to America to seek refuge and work.

• Belief that those who could not speak English (immigrants) seemed to be taking American jobs.

Cheap Labour

• Industrialists, on the other hand, relished the abundance of cheap, unskilled labour for their factories.

• Many of these jobs were so dangerous, dirty or low paid that ‘Americans’ would not do them.

Strike

• ‘American’ labour went on strike and because the immigrant population was desperate for money, they could be lured as strike-breakers into factories.

TASKsTrade Union Movements

• Provide evidence (facts) of the work of Trade Union Movements to better working conditions.

• How did this encourage hostility towards immigration? This is your analysis you are trying to convince the reader why this evidence encouraged hostility.

Immigrants involvement in Trade Union Movements.

• Provide evidence (facts) of the immigrants involvement in Trade Union Movements.

• How did this encourage hostility towards immigration? This is your analysis you are trying to convince the reader why this evidence encouraged hostility.

Big Business• Provide evidence (facts)

of the immigrants involvement with Big Business.

• How did this encourage hostility towards immigration? This is your analysis you are trying to convince the reader why this evidence encouraged hostility.

Economic objections were a major factor in causing hostility towards immigrants as Americans became angered by what they saw as the

immigrant threat to capitalist America and the depletion of their

working rights and conditions.

Economic Objections:Trade unions

• Trade Unions fought for better working conditions by campaigning for shorter hours, higher wages and used the power of strike action to achieve this.

• This encouraged hostility towards immigration as immigrants were seen to work longer hours for less pay and were also used as strike breakers. This caused considerable bitterness and resentment which intensified due to the difficult economic period following WWI.

Economic ObjectionsImmigrants involvement in Trade Unions

• Many unskilled Immigrants had joined Trade Union Movements as a way to improve their pay and protect themselves from being exploited.

Economic ObjectionsImmigrants involvement in Trade Unions

• This encouraged hostility towards immigration as the Immigrants membership of Trade Union Movements meant that they received the blame for the strikes that spread across America in 1919. In particular the 1919 Steel strike was caused when 350,000 workers walked off their jobs crippling the industry. Nativist Americans blamed the immigrants when it was reported that “the foreigners brought on the strike”. Many immigrants were involved in left wing politics which was viewed with suspicion, while their support for unionism was seen as un-American.

Economic ObjectionsBig Business

• Immigrants were favoured by big business in American as they were seen as a source of cheap labour.

• This encouraged hostility towards immigration by Big Business as they did not like immigrants association with trade unions or the idea of workers entering America and joining organisations which supported violence and damage to private property.

Sub ConclusionYou need to now summarise your argument. What did you argue in your point? This must back up what you have said in your point and analysis.

• Complete your sub conclusion. This must only be a few lines long. Again, keep it linked to your question