Prompt: Compare and contrast reactions of Americans to immigration in the 1840s-1850s with immigration in the 1910s-1920s.
In the 1840s-1850s, America experienced a surge of Irish and German immigrants. The Irish fled their homeland due to a potato famine, while the Germans left due to political and economic issues. This influx of immigrants triggered a wave of xenophobia among Americans. Many native-born Americans saw the newcomers as a threat to their jobs and culture. They formed the Know-Nothing Party, a political party that advocated for restrictions on immigration and naturalization. The party also sought to keep political power in the hands of native-born white Protestants. Their sentiments led to the passing of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, which made it difficult for immigrants to gain citizenship.
In contrast, in the 1910s-1920s, America experienced another surge of immigration. This time, the immigrants came mainly from southern and eastern Europe, as well as Asia. Unlike in the 1840s-1850s, the federal government played a significant role in managing the influx of immigrants. In 1917, Congress passed the Immigration Act, which required immigrants to pass a literacy test and barred immigrants from Asia. The Act also established a quota system that favored immigrants from northern and western Europe. This legislation reflected a growing sense of nativism among Americans. The nativists argued that immigrants from southern and eastern Europe were inferior to those from northern and western Europe. They claimed that the newcomers brought crime and disease and threatened American culture.
In conclusion, the reactions of Americans to immigration in the 1840s-1850s and 1910s-1920s shared some similarities but also differed in some aspects. In both periods, xenophobia and nativism were prevalent among Americans. However, in the 1910s-1920s, the federal government played a more significant role in managing immigration, and the nativists' sentiments were reflected in federal legislation.