Chapter 20 -Section 1
Changing Patterns of Immigration
Millions of immigrants came to the United States from northern Europe in the mid-1800s.
They came mainly from Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, and the countries of Scandinavia.
Except for the Irish, who were Roman Catholics, most were Protestants.
Many were skilled workers.
Others settled in rural areas and became farmers.
By the late 1800s immigrants from northern Europe were known as old immigrants.
A newer and larger wave of immigration from different parts of the world was arriving in the United States.
New Immigrants
During the 1880s more than 5 million immigrants arrived in the United States about the same number of people as had arrived during the six decades from 1800 to 1860 combined.
The majority of these new immigrants were from southern and eastern Europe.
Thousands of Czechs, Greeks, Hungarians, Italians, Poles, Russians, and Slovaks came to the United States to find new opportunities and better lives.
A young woman from Russia spoke for many of her fellow immigrants when she said she hoped “for all manner of miracles in a strange, wonderful land!”
New immigrants came from many different cultural and religious backgrounds.
They included Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics, and Jews.
Some were escaping political or religious persecution.
They were eager for the job opportunities created by the U. S. industrial boom of the late 1800s.
Arriving in a New Land
Immigrants usually faced a difficult journey by ship to America.
Most traveled in steerage an area below a ship’s deck where steering mechanisms were located.
Steerage tickets were inexpensive, but the cabins were hot, cramped, and foul-smelling.
Many passengers were seasick for the entire journey.
Some even died of diseases contracted along the way.
Once in the United States, new arrivals were processed through government-run immigration centers.
The busiest center on the East Coast was Ellis Island, which opened in New
Millions of immigrants came to the United States from northern Europe in the mid-1800s.
They came mainly from Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, and the countries of Scandinavia.
Except for the Irish, who were Roman Catholics, most were Protestants.
Many were skilled workers.
Others settled in rural areas and became farmers.
By the late 1800s immigrants from northern Europe were known as old immigrants.
A newer and larger wave of immigration from different parts of the world was arriving in the United States.
New Immigrants
During the 1880s more than 5 million immigrants arrived in the United States about the same number of people as had arrived during the six decades from 1800 to 1860 combined.
The majority of these new immigrants were from southern and eastern Europe.
Thousands of Czechs, Greeks, Hungarians, Italians, Poles, Russians, and Slovaks came to the United States to find new opportunities and better lives.
A young woman from Russia spoke for many of her fellow immigrants when she said she hoped “for all manner of miracles in a strange, wonderful land!”
New immigrants came from many different cultural and religious backgrounds.
They included Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics, and Jews.
Some were escaping political or religious persecution.
They were eager for the job opportunities created by the U. S. industrial boom of the late 1800s.
Arriving in a New Land
Immigrants usually faced a difficult journey by ship to America.
Most traveled in steerage an area below a ship’s deck where steering mechanisms were located.
Steerage tickets were inexpensive, but the cabins were hot, cramped, and foul-smelling.
Many passengers were seasick for the entire journey.
Some even died of diseases contracted along the way.
Once in the United States, new arrivals were processed through government-run immigration centers.
The busiest center on the East Coast was Ellis Island, which opened in New