-
First Wave of Immigration
During the 1600s European colonists began to immigrate to the New World. Most of the colonists were from England and northern Europe. -
Period: to
American History
-
Mayflower Arrives At Cape Cod
102 Pilgrims seeking religious freedom travel from Plymouth, England to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The Pilgrims establish the first permanent English settlement. -
Puritans Establish Masschusetts Bay Colony
Arriving on a ship named the Arbella, this colony was larger than the settlement at Cape Cod. -
English Settled Maryland
-
England Founded Rhode Island
Founded by Roger Williams. -
Swedish Settled Delaware
-
England Found Connecticut
-
French Settled Fort Detroit
Established by Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. -
First Slaves in Louisiana
-
Population Reaches 2,210,000
The population of the American colonies reaches 2,210,000 people. -
Loyalists Escape to Canada
100,000 Loyalists have now fled America. On this date 7000 Loyalists travel from New York to Canada. -
Russian Settlement in Alaska
The first Russian settlement is established on Kodiak Island. -
Second Wave of Immigration
For 50 years during the mid 1800s people immigrated from mostly Ireland and Germany. The Irish were amidst a potato famine which in turn forced them out of their homeland due to starvation. One third of the immigrants were Irish. The potato famine occured in the 1840s. Orange = Ireland
Green = Germany -
Third Wave of Immigration
This wave lasted for about 40 years and brought millions of southern and eastern Europeans and Asians. Railroad companies needed laborers and states wanted to increase population. Agents were often sent oversea to recruit immigrant workers. 23 million new immigrants found their way to the U.S. Laws continued to keep numbers from Asia very small. -
Chinese Exclusion Act
Signed by President Chester A. Arthur. The Act prohibited all immigration of Chinese laborers. Chinese immigrants had begun to settle in California when the gold rush of 1848 had begun. People became anti-Chinese and felt threatened because jobs were being taken. Opinion: Slightly racist. Luckily it was repealed in 1943. -
Fourth Wave of Immigration
Largest wave of Immigration and the modern wave still happening today. Most immigrants came from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean islands of the West Indies. -
Internment of Japanese Americans
Over 127,000 American citizens were imprisoned during World War II. People were paranoid that because of their Japanese heritage they would act as spies for the Japanese government. They believed that they may still be loyal to their homeland. Japanese Americans were also feared as a security risk because of their large presence on the west coast. Japanese Americans were relocated to concentration camps. Two thirds of these people were born in the U.S and had never been to Japan at all. -
Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952
The Act established racial preference of immigrants and determined which ethnic groups were more desirable.
3 types of immigrants:
-Immigrants with special skills or relatives of U.S. citizens, both of which were able to be admitted without restrictions or quotas.
-Average immigrants whose numbers were not supposed to exceed 270,000 a year.
-Refugees
The Act set in place how immigrants were let in and how they could be treated. -
Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
Amended the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952. President Truman signed the Act.
