Module 5, Immigration to America

"We came to America, either ourselves or in the persons of our ancestors, to better the ideals of men, to make them see finer things than they had seen before, to get rid of the things that divide and to make sure of the things that unite."-President Woodrow Wilson

For Americans,imperalism and immigration were the foundation of American society that overall established the rights for all people in America. Foreign policy issues were brought to the forefront as American women with imperalist and anti imperalist views revealed the harsh realities behind Foreign policy. During this era of industrilization, imperalism, and immigration they were all tied into the same category, essentially because they each determined the outcome of life lived in America, whether an immigrant or American. Imperalism had a goal to be the, "markets for American goods" that were goods only to be manufactured by Immigrants.The power of white Protestant Americans brought great fear upon minorities like Native Americans, which made it hard for them to adapt into American society.

Between the years of 1870 and 1920 over 25 million immigrants had migrated to the United States. As the United States continued to grow with immigrants coming from the North and the South, Italians, Poles, and Eastern European Jews accumilated most of the population, while German and Irish numbers began to diminish. Americans clashed toward migration, as they felt like immigrants couldn't upheld American demoracy, and our normal way of life. They felt immigrants to be uncultured, and felt like their right to more income would decrease if migration continued.

In September of 1876, Massachusetts Board of State Charities, Franklin Benjamin Sanborn, gave an account to advocate on behalf of regulatory federal immigration, that would limit migration as one. San Borne stated, "Immigration might bring some benefits, but it also introduces disease, ignorance, crime, pauperism, and idleness". Franklins peroration was directly targeted toward limiting the migration of paupers from Europe to the East coast, but the suggestion of immigration restrictions was already a common thought amongst most American citizens. From the 1870's through the 1920's the government passed numerous laws that restricted immigration of specifc ethnic groups and the United States made sure this was a top priority.

As we look at migration now, we can still see that not much has changed in the United States point of view when it concerns immigrants migrating to America for a more sufficient life. To even maintain or update a Visa it can be a hassle. The cost of American democracy can be dehumanizing and incompetent, when it makes other's feel as if they're less than who they are based on a wanted change in location because of wars in their city or even famnine in their land. Wouldn't you want a change in location? What if you weren't fortunate enough to be born in the United States, what would you do then? Ask yourself. America still needs an immediate and direct change in immigration laws so that all may have accesss to a better life.