Define the differences in the “push”, “passage”, and “pull” factors of three different immigrant groups which come to America between 1607 and 1830? Use testimonies from the various websites provided in the first three weeks of readings which illustrate individuals from these groups. Also, are there any testimonies which present how the resident Anglo-Americans feel about subsequent groups which came to America, especially after the Revolution? (For example, what does Benjamin Franklin think about German immigrants and their presence in Pennsylvania?)
There were four waves of immigration into America. The first one took place between 1790 and 1820. The pull and push factors that made the immigrants move the country were due to various economic, political, and religious reasons. Communities such as the French, Germans, Scotts, English, Puritans, and Spanish moved due to different factors. For instance, the Spanish migrated to become English converts while the Puritans moved to Massachusetts to create a community for only those who were members of their religion. Shipwreck, disease, and starvation killed every 1 of 10 of the individuals who set sail for the United States before they could even set foot in the nation (Omi and Howard, 14)
In 1790, the English settlers occupied most of the land in America. They allowed the White immigrants safe passage if they would indenture themselves. The second wave followed in 1820 to 1860. Immigrants arrived in the U.S. to find new opportunities since in Europe the industrial revolution has displaced many from their jobs. Others were encouraged by those who were already in the country, to join them. The Scottish-Irish and British escaped famine and poverty and the Germans wanted political freedom and to stir clear of economic issues (Natives and Strangers, pg. 20). The construction companies in the United States welcomed the immigrants as customers and laborers. Most immigrants came from Ireland motivated by the overwhelming presence of the Catholic Church.
The third cycle occurred between 1880 and 1914 as more immigrants came to tap work opportunities and religious freedoms. Most of them came from Asian countries. They immediately joined the labor force working in the mining, meat-packing, and steel companies. The fourth immigration wave took place from 1965 to present times. The new laws only allowed those who had relatives and families in the U.S. to join them. Most immigrants were from Mexico, Asia, and Europe since most of the previous settlers were from the regions. Between 1980 and 1990, Asians covered a third of the total immigrant population with the Hispanics and Europeans following behind (Omi and Howard, 17).
Many immigrants came to America as “indenturers”. Their experiences, however, would vary considerably depending on their origin and circumstance, where they settled, and what they faced after having worked off the terms of their contracts. Your task is first to explain what being “indentured” meant. For example, the first Africans to be brought to America were originally considered “indentured”. Yet their fate would be very different from the whites who also came as “indentured”. (Dinnerstein goes to considerable length to show the evolution of the concept of “slavery” in the American colonies.) What did being indentured mean to those who settled in Virginia and the southern colonies, versus those who came as indentured and settled in the northern colonies? Finally, provide testimonies for each of the kinds of experiences which to you, best illustrate these different kinds of immigrants.
An individual who moved to America between the 17th and 19th centuries was placed under a job contract to work for another person for at most seven years. The indentured servants comprised of paupers, victims of political and religious persecution, redemptioners, kidnapped people, and convicts. For the Africans, the servitude quickly transformed into slavery while for the White indentured persons, freedom became the end results. The African servants indentured were also treated poorly. Angry White employees or bosses would burn down their houses and assault them. They would even go further to killing them because they were mere slaves whose lives were valueless to them (Civil War and Immigration, pg. 90).
The White immigrants secured better jobs in the industries and growing farms. Construction projects attracted more individuals from the West to seek better opportunities in America. Contrary to the Whites, the African indentured servants were brought as slaves of the White men who migrated to the U.S. Most of Blacks were torn apart from their families and forced to move to the country as slaves. The Africans found jobs that had discriminating conditions and wages. They received minimal salaries for the same crafts and farm work compared to the White servants. The White workers, on the other hand, saw the Blacks as threats because they could handle strenuous duties; hence, were preferable than them (Civil War and Immigration, pg. 126)
The Blacks accounted for the largest portion of slaves who were once indentured servants. The law in Virginia during the 17th century was inclined to placing all the individuals who were not Christians and imported into the America into servitude. Any slave who dared to defy his master was subject to correct in a form of punishment that pleased their bosses or even death. Virginia heralded most of the colonial masters in the U.S. due to the large plantations in the region that required a massive supply of labor. The Company of Virginia paid to have slaves transported to the area resulting in the kidnap of individuals to sell into servitude (Natives and Strangers, pg. 4). The growth of indigo, rice, and tobacco introduced an overwhelming need for laborers in the Southern States. The Northerners did not value slavery as much as the Southerners. Servants in the Northern States also had better working and living conditions than those in the South.
In the several decades after the American Revolution, the new American government had a sometimes conflicted policy towards immigration. Note the difference between how the Federalists like President John Adams acted towards immigration during the 1790’s, and the kinds of legislation passed by the federalist congress, in contrast to the policies of Thomas Jefferson and his administration which came into power after Adams, in 1801. Your job is to define several of the main changes in immigration policy from 1796 to 1820. What particular groups entered the country during these decades? Which people were kept out of the country during these years and why? Use the testimonies you have read to back up your conclusions where possible.
Before the 17th century, the Spanish individuals occupied America with their capital in St. Augustine. During the early periods of the 17th century, more communities flooded into the country such as the Dutch, Swedish, and British. Due to the massive numbers of immigrants in the nation and the assistance they provided in the plantations and industries, the leadership had to change the immigration policies. Hence, to encourage more people into America, Congress passed the Naturalization Law in 1790 that allowed any free White person or Alien to become a citizen of the country. Over the following years, immigration doubled with the exception of the hostilities between France and England in 1806 that affected the shipping lines (Omi and Howard, 20).
The battle between the British and America decreased the rate of immigration in the U.S. Those, who dared to travel to the nation succumbed to illnesses and died along the way. Congress took the initiative to establish the Steerage Policy in 1819 that required the ship captains to provide better and human conditions for the immigrants as well as keeping records of all the passengers they had on board. Regulators and reformers began to speak against the unfair treatment of the slaves particularly the Blacks and Indians. In 1808, Congress banned the global slave trade. The regulators quoted the Declaration of Independence that said every man was equal and endowed with freedoms and rights by the Creator such as liberty, life, and happiness (Natives and Strangers, pg. 26).
The Declaration of Independence put the New America on record regarding the support of people’s freedoms. The American Revolution also disrupted the immigration patterns by uprooting people from their homes, discouraging trade, and damaging many farms. However, with time the colonialists resumed to their previous commerce activities and regained the strength of the nation. The difference between the South and the North also create the distinction in immigration since the Northern states were not interested in slaves as much as the Southerners (Natives and Strangers, pg. 27). The variation soon led to the Civil War, which was a battle to bring an end to servitude and open the Black community’s eyes to request for their freedoms and rights.
Works Cited
Civil War and Immigration, n .d.
Natives and Strangers, n. d.
Omi, Michael, and Howard Winant. Racial formation in the United States. Routledge, 2014.
