Issue 1

An Evaluation Of The Reasons For Changing Attitudes To

ImmigrationFactor 1: Prejudice And RacismFactor 2: Isolationism & The First World WarFactor 3: Economic FearFactor 4: Social FearFactor 5: Fear Of Revolution

AIMS OF ESSAY:

To understand why hostility towards immigration grew

in the USA

To explain why the American public

supported immigration restriction

Aims Paragraph 2:

Have The Background Knowledge & Argument To Write Your Second Paragraph On The Influence ‘Isolationism & WWI’

Had On Changing Attitudes To Immigration

Describe The Reasons Why America Wanted A Return To Isolationism After WWI

PLAN FOR PARAGRAPH Isolationism & WWI Changing Attitudes

1. Start with an Opening Argument e.g. state there is a link between the isolated factor & the question

2. Put in Knowledge – discuss what the term means; who supported it & pre-WWI example

3. Put in Analysis – explain why this policy is used/how do American benefit from it?

4. Knowledge – discuss how WWI increased isolationist beliefs

5. Analysis – explain president Wilson's quote

6. Knowledge – discuss the how America was affected by WWI

7. Analysis – explain how American isolationism hardened after WWI

8. Evaluation – make a judgement between paragraph 1 & 2: WWI impacted changing attitudes but… where the immigrants came from was more important e.g. German’s welcome/Russian’s not

Read Through Paragraph 2 On Handout

Example Paragraph

What Does Isolationism Mean?

To remain isolated, or, on her own from foreign countries e.g. not become

involved in other countries problems

In 1796, President George Washington stated that the US should “steer clear

of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.”

His warning against foreign ‘entanglements’ served as a

fundamental principle of US foreign policy until the early 20th century

Clearly isolationism was NOT caused by World War One but it definitely

increased in the years after thus an important factor in explaining why

attitudes changed

Pre-WWIAn example of an isolationist policy

occurred in 1913 when the government passed the Alien Land Law which forbade

Japanese and other Asian immigrants in California from owning farm land - 11 other states quickly followed California’s example

As we already know Laws were made tougher in the 1920s with the passing of the 1921 Emergency Immigration Act

ANDThe 1924 National Origins Act

These Acts are all clear evidence that the USA wanted to protect the interests of

‘native born Americans’ from immigrant competition

Which key percentages should you

associate with these Acts…?

Isolationism and WWIWhen WWI broke out in 1914,

President Wilson repeatedly urged the American people to be “neutral in

thought as well as action”

The USA had kept out of all the negotiations between the European

powers in the years proceeding 1914 that led to the creation of the two

alliance systems

Why Do You Think Hostilities Towards Immigrants Could

Increase If The USA Got Involved In WWI?

When America entered the war in 1917, it soon emerged that sympathies in America were mixed, which caused great tensions and a split in American society

WASP Americans supported the Allied Powers as Britain and France seemed to represent democracy while Germany seemed to represent autocracy (one person with all the power) and militarism

The 1910 census showed that out of the US population of 92 million, 32 million were 1st or 2nd generation immigrants who retained close ties to their home countries…

More than 10 million were immigrants from the nations of the Central Powers and supported their mother country e.g. Germany & Italy

Isolationism and WWI

In 1917, there were around 8 million German-Americans living in the USA

At the outbreak of war, many were criticised for being too sympathetic towards the German Empire

Former president Theodore Roosevelt denounced “hyphenated Americanism", insisting that dual loyalties were impossible in wartime

1. German-Americans

As President Wilson said “any man who carries a

hyphen around with him carries a dagger that he is ready to

plunge into the vitals of this Republic”

WHY COULD THIS IDEA OF HYPHENATED AMERICANISM CAUSE HOSTILITY TOWARDS IMMIGRANTS?

2. Irish & Italian-Americans

4.5 million Irish Americans lived in the USA during WWI

Many harboured a deep rooted hatred towards Britain due to the

English oppression they had endured in Ireland since the 17th

century

Italian anarchist organisations often openly criticised towards

America’s involvement in the war

Many publications caused so much concern that their editors

were arrested and deported at the end of war!

Isolationism After WWIInvolvement in WWI was a break in the tradition of US foreign

policy

After WWI, most Americans were weary from fighting in a world war - 117,465 Americans had died & 205,690 were wounded

Most Americans wanted a return to isolationism this can be shown through refusal to join The League of Nations (an

organisation that had been suggested by the President in the first place…)

There was a growing demand for an end to mass immigration which politicians could not ignore…By The End Of The War It Was Clear That

Attitudes Towards Immigration Had Changed And The ‘Open-door’ Was Firmly

Closing

SUM UP: Isolationism and Immigration

After WWI, America’s attitude towards immigration clearly changed & became more firm

In the post-war period America returned to isolating herself from Europe (especially Eastern and Southern Europe) by restricting the flow of

immigrants through the quota system – which we already know about…

This Meant That Only So Many Immigrants From Each Country Were Allowed Into The USA

During The 1920s

Which key percentages & dates should you associate with The Emergency Immigration Act & The National Origins

Act …?

PLAN FOR PARAGRAPH Isolationism & WWI Changing Attitudes

1. Start with an Opening Argument e.g. state there is a link between the isolated factor & the question

2. Put in Knowledge – discuss what the term means & pre-WWI example

3. Put in Analysis – explain why this policy is used/how do American benefit from it?

4. Knowledge – discuss how WWI increased isolationist beliefs

5. Analysis – explain president Wilson's quote

6. Knowledge – discuss the how America was affected by WWI

7. Analysis – explain how American isolationism hardened after WWI

8. Evaluation – make a judgement between paragraph 1 & 2: WWI impacted changing attitudes but… where the immigrants came from was more important e.g. German’s welcome/Russian’s not

ISOLATIONISM OPENING ARGUMENT

It can be argued that hostility towards new immigrants increased when the

USA had to abandon her policy of isolationism during WW1 and

immigrants loyalties to the USA were questioned.

ISOLATIONISM

KNOWLEDGE 1

• Explanation of isolationism

• When can it be dated back to – think famous president?

• For example: discuss the pre-WWI – 1913 Alien Land Law

ARGUMENT 1• It can be argued that changing attitudes towards immigration had began pre-WWI and isolationism began…

•Because/in order to…•Explain the intensions of passing this act

ISOLATIONISM

KNOWLEDGE 2

• America entering WWI had a part to play in increasing isolationist desires because…

• Explain why the war created tension with America

ARGUMENT 2•It can be argued that WWI acted as a magnifying glass for America’s immigration tensions…

… as President Wilson said:“any man who carries a hyphen around with him carries a dagger that he is ready to plunge into the vitals of this Republic”

This shows/created…Explain why this quote is important

ISOLATIONISM

KNOWLEDGE 3

• After the war attitudes hardened – partly due to the human cost of life

• Describe numbers affected

 

ARGUMENT 3

• It can be argued that WWI did change attitudes toward immigration which can be seen through America’s policy of isolationism being hardened when they refusing to join…?

ISOLATIONISM

EVALUATION:

Therefore although Isolationism & WWI was an important factor in changing attitudes towards immigration, America had been

Isolationist before the 1920s & it was the changing nature of immigration and American prejudice that really was the driving force behind changing attitudes

toward as shown in the 1913 Act.