Nativism and Immigration in the Gilded Age

Xenophobia and Nativism

• An aura of xenophobia emerged during the Industrial Revolution, targeting Chinese immigrants and Eastern European ethnic groups.
• The Gilded Age marked a peak in immigration, characterized by diverse nationalities converging in America.
• Nativists, individuals who feared the influx of foreign immigrants, promoted a socio-political policy favoring established residents over newcomers.

Legislation Against Immigration

• Nativism in the 1800s coincided with Social Darwinism, an ideology that justified the superior status of certain groups over others.
• Key immigration laws included the Page Act of 1875, which prohibited immigrants brought in for immoral labor practices.
• The Chinese Exclusion Act imposed strict quotas on Chinese migrants, limiting citizenship rights and requiring personal identification visas.

Immigrant Experience

• The Industrial Age presented significant challenges for immigrants, as they often faced discrimination and hardship.
• The U.S. began developing an immigration system aimed at regulating the overwhelming number of arrivals.
• Many immigrants sought refuge from religious persecution and aimed for a better life, entering through entry points like Ellis Island and Angel Island.