America's Sources of Immigration (1850-Today)

Summary

This video explores the evolution of American immigration from 1850 to 2010. It highlights the significant shifts in the countries of origin, influenced by events like the Civil War, World War I, and legislative changes such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and post-1950s immigration reforms. The narrative shows how the U.S. transformed from a predominantly European immigrant destination to a more diverse landscape with Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Asian countries becoming major sources of new arrivals.

Takeaways

• 📊 In 1850, most immigrants to America were from Ireland and Germany.
• 🔄 The 1860s Civil War labor shortages led to increased demand for immigrant labor.
• 🌎 During the 1870s, Mexico became a top source of immigrants in the Southwest, while British immigrants favored the Rocky Mountain territories.
• 🏗️ The 1880 census highlighted a surge in Chinese immigrants, many of whom took on dangerous jobs in mines and railroad construction.
• ⛓️ The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 significantly reduced Asian immigration for much of the next century.
• 🇨🇦 By 1900, Canadians were the largest immigrant group in several northern states.
• 🌱 The early 1900s saw Norwegians, Swedes, and Italians as the largest immigrant groups in South Dakota, Minnesota, and Louisiana, respectively.
• 🚫 Post-World War I, restrictive immigration measures like quotas led to a decrease in the foreign-born population.
• 🌉 The repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1950 allowed for an increase in Chinese immigration to the U.S.
• 🌟 The 1960s marked a shift towards a more diverse America, with Filipinos becoming the largest immigrant group in Hawaii.
• 🌈 By 2000, the U.S. was home to over nine million Mexican-born immigrants, and India was the top country of origin in three states.

Q & A

What was the predominant country of origin for immigrants to America in 1850?

In 1850, the vast majority of newcomers to America were from Ireland and Germany.

How did the Civil War impact immigration to the United States in the 1860s?

The labor shortages during the Civil War in the 1860s created strong demand for immigrant labor.

Which country became the top source of immigrants in the American southwest during the 1870s?

During the 1870s, Mexico became the top country of origin for immigrants in much of the southwest.

What significant event occurred in 1882 that affected Asian immigration to the United States?

In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was enacted, which blocked the arrival of large numbers of Asian immigrants for much of the next century.

Why is there a lack of detailed immigration data from the 1890 census?

The overall microdata for the 1890 census were destroyed in the 1921 fire at the Department of Commerce.

Which European countries sent the largest groups of immigrants to the United States at the turn of the 20th century?

At the turn of the 20th century, Norwegians, Swedes, and Italians were the largest groups coming to the states of South Dakota, Minnesota, and Louisiana, respectively.

How did immigration patterns change between 1900 and 1910 in the United States?

Between 1900 and 1910, there was a significant increase in the number of Russians and Italians arriving in the United States.

What was the status of German, Italian, and Russian born immigrants in the United States according to the 1920 census?

By the 1920 census, there were equal numbers of German, Italian, and Russian born immigrants in the United States.

How did the Industrial Revolution affect the percentage of foreign-born individuals in the United States by 1930?

By 1930, the Industrial Revolution was in full swing, and the country was growing rapidly from within, causing the percentage of foreign-born individuals to fall.

What was the impact of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act on Chinese immigration to the United States in 1950?

The repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1950 led to Chinese immigrants being welcomed back to the United States.

Which country's immigrants were the largest group arriving in South Carolina in 1950?

In 1950, Greeks were the largest group of immigrants arriving in South Carolina.

How did immigration to the United States change after Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959?

When Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959, Canadians could simply cross the border to emigrate to the last frontier, while Filipinos crossed an ocean to become the Aloha state's largest immigrant group.

What was the percentage of foreign-born individuals in the United States by 1970, and which country had sent more than a million people?

By 1970, the percentage of foreign-born individuals in the United States reached an all-time low, and Italy was the only nation that had sent more than a million people.

How did immigration patterns in the United States change in the 1980s according to the script?

In the 1980s, after Congress began granting more visas to people from the Western Hemisphere, the number of states where Mexico was the top country of origin doubled, becoming the dominant foreign-born population in the entire country.

Which immigrant groups were the largest in New York and leading in seven states according to the 1990 census?

According to the 1990 census, Dominicans were the largest immigrant group coming to New York, and South Korea and Southeast Asian Nations were the leading countries of origin in seven states.

What was notable about the number of Mexican born immigrants and India as a country of origin in the 2000 census?

In the 2000 census, the number of Mexican born immigrants surpassed nine million, and it's also notable that India was the top country of origin in three states.

Why is the United States quickly becoming more diverse according to the 2010 census?

The 2010 census reveals that America is quickly becoming more diverse because only five states, all of them bordering Canada, receive the most immigrants from a majority white country.