Immigration to the USA (1820-1924)

Immigration to the USA (1820-1924)

• Analysis of annual immigrant entries into the USA between 1820 and 1924
• Data is in an Excel spreadsheet
• Graph of total migratory flows from 1820 to 1924 needed for analysis
• Key questions on the graph include when the largest migration boom occurred and if it coincided with the Transport Revolution
• Transport Revolution occurred in the 19th century with trains (1830), steam navigation (1850), and motor cars/aviation (1900)
• Three main periods of migration to the USA: 1850-1854, 1882 and 1902, and early 20th century
• 1850-1854 migration likely due to railways and steamboats aiding passenger transport, rather than solely goods transport.
• 1882 and 1902 peaks likely linked to transport revolution continuity, or lower transport costs, or other external factors.
• Early 20th century boom potentially due to widespread use of automobiles and airplanes.

Heckscher-Ohlin Model & Immigration

• Heckscher-Ohlin model: Countries export goods using abundant factors
• USA had abundant land relative to labour in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
• This led to capitalising on land-intensive production.
• However, increased immigration increased labour supply, potentially lowering wages and increasing the wage-rent ratio, favouring landowners.
• 1920s saw a sharp drop in immigration due to stricter immigration policies, restricting labour inflow and potentially increasing wages relative to land rents.

Origin of European Immigrants (1820-1924)

• Clear change in immigration trends between 1850 and 1920
• Early period (1850-1880s): Dominated by Northern/Western Europe (Germany, Ireland, Scandinavia)
• Later period (1880s-1920): Shift to Central/Eastern & Southern Europe. High growth in immigration from Central & Eastern Europe peaking around 1900. Significant increase in Southern European immigration in early 20th century.
• Post-1920 decline: Significant drop in immigration from all regions as restrictive US policies, e.g., Immigration Act of 1924, implemented quotas heavily favouring Northern/Western Europe immigrants.

Factors Influencing Immigration Origins

• Geographical Proximity: Closer countries (Mexico, Cuba) had higher immigration rates due to easier/cheaper travel.
• Economic Opportunities: Higher demand for labour in industries (agriculture, manufacturing, mining) attracted immigrants from areas with lower wages and population pressures.
• Social/Ethnic Networks: Existing immigrant communities provided support systems (housing, jobs, social networks).
• Political/Institutional Factors: Wars, persecutions, and restrictive emigration policies in origin countries influenced immigration flows
• Examples: Eastern European Jews fleeing pogroms, Irish fleeing famine.

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

• First significant US law restricting immigration based on ethnicity/nationality
• Prohibited Chinese laborers entering the USA for 10 years, expandable.
• Prevented obtaining citizenship/restricted re-entry after leaving
• Anti-Chinese sentiment, due to economic competition and racial discrimination, reinforced this act
• Dramatically reduced Chinese immigration, with minimal presence by 1910.
• Chinese immigrants often settled in Chinatowns for isolation.

Spanish Immigration Patterns

• Strong cultural/historical ties to Latin America
• Existing Spanish communities in Latin America provided support systems.
• Immigration policies in the USA favored Northern/Western over Southern Europeans.
• Economic opportunities prevalent in Latin American countries for labour, particularly for agriculture, infrastructure and industry, during the late 19th & early 20th centuries
• Easy and affordable travel to Latin America compared to crossing the Atlantic to the USA.

Regional Patterns in the USA (Gangs of New York, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Django Unchained)

• Northeast: Dense urban environments, immigrant tensions, heavy Irish and Italian populations in factories, construction.
• Midwest (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly): Western/Midwest settings during the Civil War, however, the Midwest also shows characteristics of open lands and opportunities for immigrants, rural-to-urban shifts/farmland for homesteaders (Germans, Scandinavians).
• South (Django Unchained): Plantation economy, racial hierarchy. Relatively few immigrants compared to other areas – mainly involved in agriculture/small industries.

Long-Term Effects of Immigration on Destination Regions

• Positive: Economic growth, population growth, cultural diversity, innovation.
• Negative: Urban overcrowding, labour competition, cultural conflicts, limited integration.
• Conclusion: Positive impacts (economic contributions, cultural enrichment) during the period outweighed negative impacts (such as congestion and discrimination), contributing to overall long-term development in major regions like the Northeast and agricultural Midwest.