Immigration: A Study in Political Cartoons

A Nation of Immigrants

• Growth of Immigration – Population increases threefold (23.2 million in 1850 to 76.2 million in 1900) – Fueled by approximately 16.2 million immigrants (8.8 million more arrived between 1901-1910) – Negative forces driving Europeans to emigrate: • Poverty of displaced farm workers driven from land by mechanization • Overcrowding and joblessness due to population boom • Religious persecution (Jews in Russia, etc.) – Positive reasons for choosing to emigrate to the U.S.: • Reputation for political/religious freedom • Economic opportunities in the Great Plains • Industrial jobs in cities • Large steamships make passage in steerage inexpensive and possible

A Nation of Immigrants

• “Old” Immigrants and “New” Immigrants – Old Immigrants • Through 1880s, majority came from northern/western Europe (British Isles, Germany, Scandinavia) • Most were Protestants, some Irish and German Catholics • Spoke mostly English, high level of literacy & occupational skills • Relatively easy to blend into rural American society in early 19 th century – New Immigrants • 1890s to WWI in 1914 • “New” immigrants came from southern and eastern Europe • Italians, Greeks, Croats, Slovaks, Poles, and Russians • Many poor and illiterate peasants • Left autocratic countries; unaccustomed to democratic traditions • Mostly Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and Jewish • Crowded into poor ethnic neighborhoods in NY, Chicago, and other big cities.

• Est. 25% were “birds of passage,” young men contracted for unskilled factory, mining, and construction jobs, who would return to native lands once they saved enough money to bring back home to families.

A Nation of Immigrants

Restricting Immigration – Little restrictions in the 1870s – By 1886, Congress passed a number of new laws restricting immigration • 1 st : Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 – Places ban on all new immigrants from China • 2 nd : Restrictions on immigration of “undesirables” – convicted of criminal acts or diagnosed as mentally incompetent • 3 rd : 1885 law prohibited contract labor in order to protect American workers • 4 th : Ellis Island opens in 1882 – More rigorous medical and document examinations – Pay entry tax before being allowed to enter the U.S.

– Supporters FOR increased restrictions: • Labor unions, feared employers would use immigrants to depress wages and break strikes • Nativist society of the American Protective Association, openly prejudiced against Roman Catholics • Social Darwinists, viewed new immigrants as biologically inferior to English/Germanic stocks.

• Depression in 1890s causes foreigners to become convenient scapegoat for jobless workers and employers who blamed strikes and the labor movement on foreign agitators.

Steerage Passengers

Awaiting Examination at Ellis Island

Manifest Tags Eye Inspection

Angel Island Dormitory

Department of Labor Naturalization Class

• Irish and Chinese ‘eating’/consuming Uncle Sam • Fear that new immigrants would take over the US • Fear of ultimate Chinese takeover

The Great Fear

Statue of Liberty?

• Immigrants are being dumped at foot of statue • Shows the anti-immigrant sentiment = immigrants are ‘less than’, inferior • Liberty is also an immigrant – shows the irony or double standard of the anti-immigrant sentiment

American Dream?

• Immigrants confronted with realities of US • Come to US for opportunity, better life, American Dream • End up lured by ‘gilding’ • Sympathetic to immigrant experience

Welcome…

• Uncle Sam welcomes and parts the waves for incoming refugees • While Europe is shown as stormy/bad, the US is shown as bright/happy/gilded • Uncle Sam is welcoming yet anti immigrant sentiment will greet them

• What do you see?

The Ark

• Offering immigrants a trip to freedom and the American Dream • Escape from the ills of European kings, taxes… • Irony – will experience much hardship in US, yet this is not represented

You can’t come in…

• Uncle Sam is shown as a big city boss who gets to decide who gets let in at Ellis Island • His list includes people who were born in the US and those not relevant for immigration at that time • Anyone who doesn’t conform to the dominant ideas is NOT WELCOME

Welcome Bandits…

• Immigrants are represented as bandits, mafia, pirates, from the slums of Europe • Pres McKinley is in Uncle Sam’s thoughts – McKinley was killed by bandits • Shows the sentiment that the US is letting anyone in, immigrants are less than human and bringing the US down

Every Dog… Has His Day

• Chinese Exclusion Act prohibited Chinese workers from entering US • Fear – Chinese would work for less, take all jobs, become a majority of people • White man will ‘not discriminate’ with who they discriminate against – Every immigrant will at some point be targeted for exclusion/discrimination