A wave of nativism occurred after the huge migration of Irish immigrants in the Us during the potato famine Many wanted to passs laws to limit the new immigrants the right to vote, thinking that the rapid immigration if Irish and other European countries would bring undemocratic ideas and would try to corrupt the government and bring upon undemocratic ideas. The continued immigration caused the immigrant population to grow rapidly even in such a hostile environment. Immigrants continued to pour into America despite the hostile environment.
many thought that countries were dumping their poor and criminals on America. They blamed the uneducated and unskilled immigrants for poverty, crime, and disease that plague major cities such as New York City.
This is around the time when the first act against immigrants was made in 1907. The Gentleman's ACT which was directly only towards Asians stating that they were no longer allowed to enter the US.
many thought that countries were dumping their poor and criminals on America. They blamed the uneducated and unskilled immigrants for poverty, crime, and disease that plague major cities such as New York City.
This is around the time when the first act against immigrants was made in 1907. The Gentleman's ACT which was directly only towards Asians stating that they were no longer allowed to enter the US.
The photo to the right was taken on March 7, 1917 as new immigrants were arriving to Ellis Island, New York. This picture implies that the people (European immigrants) who are coming into America are "unfit" to be here. They believe that because of the war, the immigrants who come are old women, children, and men; also, men are aren't eligible for work, especially in the military.
This was still a problem to many even after the Immigration Act of 1917 was passed to limit the flow of immigrants coming into America. This act stated that no "idiots, alcoholics, poor, criminals, etc" were allowed citizenship. Impossible literacy test were also made to prevent those from being able to pass. When this didn't work, more acts were passed such as: Immigrant Act of 1921 and the Immigrant Act of 1924. These were to give only a certain limit for each country to how many immigrants were allowed in. This got to the point that no asians or middle easterners were allowed in 1924 to "preserve racial homogeneity".
This was still a problem to many even after the Immigration Act of 1917 was passed to limit the flow of immigrants coming into America. This act stated that no "idiots, alcoholics, poor, criminals, etc" were allowed citizenship. Impossible literacy test were also made to prevent those from being able to pass. When this didn't work, more acts were passed such as: Immigrant Act of 1921 and the Immigrant Act of 1924. These were to give only a certain limit for each country to how many immigrants were allowed in. This got to the point that no asians or middle easterners were allowed in 1924 to "preserve racial homogeneity".