A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS

+ 1821-1997: 64,000,000 immigrants (the largest ever)

+ J. Kennedy (1964): 3 strong forces (chief motives)
- religious persecution
- political oppression
- economic hardship
 A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS
1. Immigration before Independence
- The earliest: American Indians (native): 15k years ago
- 700k natives USA, Columbus 1492
- The first Europeans: Spanish
- The 1st permanent British colony: Virginia 1607
- The 2nd permanent British colony: Plymouth,
Massachusetts 1620
- 1790: 13 colonies: 3M, 75% British; others: Spanish,
Dutch, French, Swiss
- The British gave the language, laws, philosophy of
government.
 A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS
2. Immigration 1790 - 1920
1790-1840: < 1M
1841-1880: > 4M
1881-1920: 23.5M (90% Europeans)
After1882: Asian immigration was restricted, for
occupational matters
 A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS
3. Immigration after 1920
1920s: limit immigration: American industry didn’t need
1930-1945: limit immigration: Wars
After 2nd World War: immigration rose sharply, accepted
displaced persons, refugees, orphans, war brides…
1950s: 130,000 Hungarians admitted (xxx?)
1960s: 150,000 Cubans (xxx?)
1975: 300,000 Vietnamese fled (ran away) from…
1976-1979: 1M Vietnamese
 A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS
4. Today’s foreign born population: 10%
- The largest: Mexico: 28% - 7M
- Five states with the largest foreign born population:
CA, NY, FL, NJ, TX
5. Hispanic population
- Hispanics: Latinos = Spanish-speaking natives
- ¾ of them: CA, TX, NY, FL, IL
- 3 largest Hispanic groups: Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba
- Mexican’s Contribution: establish LA, methods of
farming, mining, ranching
 A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS
5. Hispanic population
- Hispanics & Latinos: Spanish-speaking natives
- ¾ of them: CA, TX, NY, FL, IL
- 3 largest Hispanic groups: Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba
- Mexican’s Contribution: establish LA, methods of
farming, mining, ranching
- Mexican-American War 1848: 525,000 square miles of
Mexico belonged to the USA
- Spanish-American War: Puerto Rico belonged to the
USA
- Cuban immigrants 1959
- Hispanic culture influences everywhere: nachos, salsa,
dance (tango, salsa, samba, merengue)
 CONTRIBUTIONS
Diversity:
melting pot --> salad bowl/ mosaic/ pizza

SEE PAGE 65  VERY IMPORTANT