Chapter 9 Section 4 Notes

Growing DivisionsGrowing Divisions Objectives for today:

1.What were the causes for the huge rise in immigration to the US in the 1830s and 1840s?

2. How did Americans react to immigrants

Main Idea• The United States grew increasingly diverse The United States grew increasingly diverse

due to the arrival of new groups of due to the arrival of new groups of immigrants and the growing cultural immigrants and the growing cultural differences between the North and Southdifferences between the North and South

• The young, nation was attracting immigrants The young, nation was attracting immigrants from a variety of European cultures. from a variety of European cultures.

• Some people of this diverse population did Some people of this diverse population did not share the “Native” Americans’ vision of not share the “Native” Americans’ vision of America.America.

• The North and the South were becoming The North and the South were becoming more distinct. more distinct.

• Differences between working people and the Differences between working people and the middle class were widening.middle class were widening.

Rising Immigration• Thousands of jobs were created Thousands of jobs were created

due to the Industrial Revolution.due to the Industrial Revolution.• created a growing demand for created a growing demand for

cheap labor in factories and in cheap labor in factories and in the building of canals and the building of canals and railroad lines. railroad lines.

• These jobs attracted These jobs attracted immigrants, most of whom immigrants, most of whom arrived hungry, penniless, and arrived hungry, penniless, and eager to work.eager to work.

• 1820s-143,000 immigrants1820s-143,000 immigrants• 1830s-600,0001830s-600,000• 1850s-2,400,0001850s-2,400,000• Nearly all of these new arrivals Nearly all of these new arrivals

settled in the North and the settled in the North and the West because the use of slave West because the use of slave labor in the South offered few labor in the South offered few job opportunities in that region.job opportunities in that region.

Irish Immigration• Irish immigration soared in Irish immigration soared in

the mid-1840s when Ireland the mid-1840s when Ireland suffered a horrible disaster suffered a horrible disaster known as the Irish Potato known as the Irish Potato Famine. Famine.

• The famine, which lasted from The famine, which lasted from 1845 to 1849, caused 1845 to 1849, caused hundreds of thousands of hundreds of thousands of Irish people to flee to the Irish people to flee to the United States. United States.

• Most settled in northeastern Most settled in northeastern cities such as Boston and New cities such as Boston and New YorkYork..

Potato Famine• During the summer of 1845, a "blight of unusual During the summer of 1845, a "blight of unusual

character" devastated Ireland's potato crop, the character" devastated Ireland's potato crop, the basic staple in the Irish diet. basic staple in the Irish diet.

• few days after potatoes were dug from the few days after potatoes were dug from the ground, they began to turn into a slimy, ground, they began to turn into a slimy, decaying, blackish "mass of rottenness." decaying, blackish "mass of rottenness."

• the cause was a fungus that had traveled from the cause was a fungus that had traveled from Mexico to Ireland. Mexico to Ireland.

• "Famine fever"--cholera, dysentery, scurvy, "Famine fever"--cholera, dysentery, scurvy, typhus, and infestations of lice--soon spread typhus, and infestations of lice--soon spread through the Irish countryside. through the Irish countryside.

• Observers reported seeing children crying with Observers reported seeing children crying with pain and looking "like skeletons, their features pain and looking "like skeletons, their features sharpened with hunger and their limbs wasted, sharpened with hunger and their limbs wasted, so that there was little left but bones." so that there was little left but bones."

• Masses of bodies were buried without coffins, a Masses of bodies were buried without coffins, a few inches below the soil.few inches below the soil.

IRISH POTATO FAMINEMEMORIAL STATUE INBOSTON

Irish Immigration• Like other immigrant Like other immigrant

groups, after settling in groups, after settling in the United States the Irish the United States the Irish became naturalized. became naturalized.

• That is, they applied for That is, they applied for and were granted and were granted American citizenship. American citizenship.

• Irish men filled manual Irish men filled manual labor jobs in factories or labor jobs in factories or on canals or railroads. on canals or railroads.

• Once established, the Once established, the newcomers sent for newcomers sent for relatives to join them. relatives to join them.

• Irish communities in Irish communities in northern cities grew northern cities grew steadily.steadily.

1.1. What year didWhat year didUS immigrationUS immigrationhit its peak?hit its peak?

2. What happened2. What happenedduring that year?during that year?

Irish in Boston• Proper Bostonians pointed and laughed at Proper Bostonians pointed and laughed at

the first Irish immigrants stepping off ships the first Irish immigrants stepping off ships wearing clothes twenty years out of wearing clothes twenty years out of fashion. fashion.

• They watched as the newly arrived They watched as the newly arrived Irishmen settled with their families into Irishmen settled with their families into neighborhoods that became exclusively neighborhoods that became exclusively Irish near the Boston waterfront along Irish near the Boston waterfront along Batterymarch and Broad Streets, then in Batterymarch and Broad Streets, then in the North End section and in East Boston.the North End section and in East Boston.

• Irishmen took any unskilled jobs they could Irishmen took any unskilled jobs they could find such as cleaning yards and stables, find such as cleaning yards and stables, unloading ships, and pushing carts.unloading ships, and pushing carts.

Irish Immigration• As their numbers grew, As their numbers grew,

Irish Americans became Irish Americans became a political force. a political force.

• Most were Jacksonian Most were Jacksonian Democrats. Democrats.

• The Democratic Party The Democratic Party had reached out to these had reached out to these potential new voters potential new voters when they first arrived, when they first arrived, and the tactic paid off. and the tactic paid off.

• In 1855, for example, 34 In 1855, for example, 34 percent of all New York percent of all New York City voters were first-City voters were first-generation Irish generation Irish immigrantsimmigrants

John F. Kennedy-Grandson of an Irish-Immigrant

(left) Population density of people born in Ireland, 1870; these were mostly Catholics

• Most Irish immigrants came to the U.S. poor, settling in either Boston, New York, or Philadelphia.

The Germans• Many Germans came to America Many Germans came to America

seeking political freedom after a seeking political freedom after a series of failed rebellions across series of failed rebellions across Europe in 1848. Europe in 1848.

• The majority of the German The majority of the German immigrants were peasants who immigrants were peasants who bought large tracts of farmland in bought large tracts of farmland in the Midwest, especially in Wisconsin the Midwest, especially in Wisconsin and Missouri. and Missouri.

• Many also settled in Texas and, by Many also settled in Texas and, by 1850, made up about 5 percent of 1850, made up about 5 percent of the state's population. the state's population.

• German artisans and intellectuals German artisans and intellectuals tended to settle in northern cities tended to settle in northern cities such as New York, Chicago, and such as New York, Chicago, and Milwaukee.Milwaukee.

The Germans

• • German German immigrimmigrants ants came to came to the U.S. the U.S. to to escape escape war and war and to to better better their their lives.lives.

German immigrants boarding a ship for America in the late 19th century

• Those with money bought farms in the Midwest.

New Cultures• These immigrants brought new These immigrants brought new

cultural traditions to the United cultural traditions to the United States. States.

• Most of the Irish and many of Most of the Irish and many of the Germans were Roman the Germans were Roman Catholic. Catholic.

• Like Catholics in other Like Catholics in other countries, they respected the countries, they respected the authority of the Pope in Rome authority of the Pope in Rome as the head of the Church..as the head of the Church..

• Like other laborers, the new Like other laborers, the new immigrants worked long hours.immigrants worked long hours.

• After work the men gathered in After work the men gathered in taverns, often the social centers taverns, often the social centers of the neighborhood. of the neighborhood.

• Boxing matches, horse races, Boxing matches, horse races, and new team sports such as and new team sports such as baseball were inexpensive baseball were inexpensive diversions from the grind of diversions from the grind of daily life.daily life.

Irish Catholic ChurchIn South Boston-built 1844

Effects of Immigration

• Immigrants took available jobs in factories and mines, helping the economy.

1900 US photo miners in Hazleton, PA

Immigrants face Hostility• Irish and German Irish and German

immigrants often faced immigrants often faced discrimination, the discrimination, the unequal treatment of a unequal treatment of a group of people because group of people because of their nationality, of their nationality, race, sex, or religion. race, sex, or religion.

• Discrimination came Discrimination came from Americans who felt from Americans who felt threatened by the threatened by the presence of the presence of the newcomers or who newcomers or who disapproved of their disapproved of their cultureculture

Immigrants face Hostility cont.• One source of tension was economics. One source of tension was economics.

• Because the Irish would work for lower Because the Irish would work for lower wages, companies used them as strike wages, companies used them as strike breakers. breakers.

• This was not the best time for Americans This was not the best time for Americans to go on strike in the factories.to go on strike in the factories.

• Many of the New England mill girls lost Many of the New England mill girls lost their jobs to Irish men in the 1830s and their jobs to Irish men in the 1830s and 1840s.1840s.

• This caused a lot of resentment towards This caused a lot of resentment towards the new immigrants.the new immigrants.

• Americans felt jobs should not be given to Americans felt jobs should not be given to immigrants over native born Americans.immigrants over native born Americans.

Immigrants face Hostility cont.• A second source of tension was religion. A second source of tension was religion.

• Many Protestants disapproved of the Many Protestants disapproved of the Catholic religion. Catholic religion.

• Protestants and Catholics had fought wars Protestants and Catholics had fought wars for centuries in Europe over this debate. for centuries in Europe over this debate.

• Catholics protested when their children in Catholics protested when their children in public schools were forced to read the public schools were forced to read the Protestant version of the Bible Protestant version of the Bible

• Textbooks of the time taught Protestant Textbooks of the time taught Protestant values. values.

• Catholics fought efforts by reformers to Catholics fought efforts by reformers to enact laws restricting drinking, gambling, enact laws restricting drinking, gambling, and sports, which they did not view as and sports, which they did not view as immoral when practiced in moderation.immoral when practiced in moderation.

Famous 1876 editorial cartoon by Thomas Nast showing bishops as crocodiles attacking public schools, with connivance of Irish Catholic politicians.

Know-Nothing Party• There was a fear in the US that the country was There was a fear in the US that the country was

being overwhelmed by Irish Catholic immigrants, being overwhelmed by Irish Catholic immigrants, who were often regarded as hostile to American who were often regarded as hostile to American values and controlled by the Pope in Rome.values and controlled by the Pope in Rome.

• The Know-Nothing Party was a political party aimed The Know-Nothing Party was a political party aimed at passing laws and policies against immigrants in at passing laws and policies against immigrants in the US.the US.

• The platform of the American Party called for, The platform of the American Party called for, among other things:among other things:

• Severe limits on immigration, especially from Severe limits on immigration, especially from Catholic countries Catholic countries

• Restricting political office to native-born Americans Restricting political office to native-born Americans • Mandating a wait of 21 years before an immigrant Mandating a wait of 21 years before an immigrant

could gain citizenship could gain citizenship • Restricting public school teachers to Protestants Restricting public school teachers to Protestants • Mandating daily Bible readings in public schools Mandating daily Bible readings in public schools • Restricting the sale of liquorRestricting the sale of liquor

Know-Nothing Party cont.• Mainly active from 1854–56, it Mainly active from 1854–56, it

strove to curb immigration and strove to curb immigration and naturalizationnaturalization

• The movement originated in The movement originated in New York in 1843 as the New York in 1843 as the American Republican Party. American Republican Party.

• It spread to other states as the It spread to other states as the Native American Party and Native American Party and became a national party in became a national party in 1845. 1845.

• In 1855 it renamed itself the In 1855 it renamed itself the American Party. American Party.

• The origin of the "Know The origin of the "Know Nothing" term was in the semi-Nothing" term was in the semi-secret organization of the secret organization of the party. party.

• When a member was asked When a member was asked about its activities, he was about its activities, he was supposed to reply, "I know supposed to reply, "I know nothing."nothing."