In the 1700’s people came to the new world (the United States was not yet a country until 1776) for reasons that included freedom of religion and for economic opportunity (fur traders and members of the English gentry that sought land).  People were also brought from Africa and the West Indies against their will as slaves.  This was first started under the Dutch in the 1600's when New York was known as New Amsterdam and was a Dutch colony.   No "immigration laws" existed because people were encouraged to settle in the new world.  In 1790 a law was passed to make citizenship available to "free white persons" requiring 2 years of residency. (see  http://www.sru.edu/depts/artsci/ges/hughes/laws.htm ) There were at least 5,000 African American slaves in the United States by the time of the American Revolution.  There were also "indentured servants", people who agreed to work for others for a number of years (usually seven) in return for having been brought to the new world.  Once their time as indentured servants was completed, they were given land on which they could settle or sell. Many of those indentured servants came from England, Ireland and Scotland.  Often they went from farming to other jobs and involvement in politics.

  For more on immigration laws, click here.

     During the 1800’s, most immigrants came from Great Britain (United Kingdom), Ireland (part of the United Kingdom), Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Russia and the Scandinavian nations.  The slave trade continued during the early part of the 1800's but eventually a law was passed preventing new slaves from being brought into the country.  Slavery continued within American borders.     Not until the 1840’s, did wave after wave of immigration was deposited on American shores from almost every country in Europe. This is where the Irish wave of immigrants first took place, following the great potato famine. In 1848 with the discovery of gold, there was a spur of Chinese and Latin immigrants to the West Coast. This "Era of Mass immigration" was initially from northern and western Europe.  From 1840-1850 there were about 1.5 million immigrants, and from 1840-1880 there were about 4 million immigrants; altogether there were about 7.5 million immigrants during this wave. By 1860 (the start of the American Civil War) immigrants were coming to the United States from Britain, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia.   Immigration from Europe was encouraged.  After the collapse of the Confederacy ending the Civil War (also known as the War Between The States), immigration resumed in large numbers.
    Cities were popular destinations including Chicago, Buffalo, Detroit, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Buffalo.
In the west, California attracted many because of the California gold rush (starting with the discovery of gold in 1848).  As towns grew, the need for services and workers also grew.  Immigrants filled those jobs.  The railroad system was developing and immigrant labor (commonly Irish, and Chinese) supplied the workforce for those backbreaking jobs.
 

     Prior to 1855, ships carrying passengers to the United States, simply left them at the wharf; stranded to be attacked by thugs and criminals, and made prey by con men.  After 1855, however, Castle Garden, on the southern tip of Manhattan, became an immigrant-receiving center. This center enabled the U.S. Government to keep better track of its immigrants. Clerks would record the names, nationalities, and destinations of immigrants. Physicians would give routine checkups and physicals to ensure that the immigrants were healthy. Years later, the receiving center was moved to  Ellis Island.
     In 1864, immigrants were allowed to sign a contract that allowed their wages to be used to repay the expenses of their journey to the U.S.   The contract, however, was not allowed to take wages for longer than twelve months.   In 1868, that law was repealed.   Laborers were still brought in by employers who needed workers until 1865, when Congress made it unlawful.  Immediately upon arrival, the immigrants fell under the watchful eyes of politicians as potential voters  Some immigrant were even called "voting cattle" to be herded to the polls by bosses and their helpers.  The immigrant vote did not seriously affect the outcome of elections (as many were not even registered to vote).  Immigrants faced often faced anger from the public that feared diseases new immigrants might bring.   Living conditions were cramped and often apartments were small (known as tenements) with poor ventilation.

Bibliography for this page:
 http://www.bergen.org/AAST/Projects/Immigration/waves_of_immigration.html
 Statistical Yearbook of the   Immigration and Naturalization Service   for 1994 and updated for 1997-2000 data.
 http://www.msn.com http://www.yahoo.com   Encarta Encyclopedia   National Geographic Interactive CD

Home

Sitemap

Interviews

Recipes

Interactive

Back To ThinkQuest