Question

Why did Nativists often resist and try to limit immigration during the Industrial Revolution?​

Answer 1

Nativists often resisted and tried to limit immigration during the Industrial Revolution due to economic competition, cultural and religious differences, and fears of political influence. They employed strategies such as advocating for literacy tests and passing exclusionary laws.

Step-by-step explanation:

Nativists often resisted and tried to limit immigration during the Industrial Revolution for several reasons:

1. Economic competition: Nativists believed that immigrants would compete with native-born Americans for jobs and drive down wages. For example, the arrival of Irish and German immigrants in the 19th century led to concerns among native-born laborers about losing their jobs to cheaper foreign workers.
2. Cultural and religious differences: Nativists held prejudices against non-Protestant immigrants, as well as immigrants from non-Western European countries. They wanted to preserve what they saw as the traditional white, Anglo-Saxon, and Protestant character of America.
3. Political influence: Nativists feared that immigrants with different languages, customs, and loyalties would disrupt American political systems and institutions.

Nativists employed various strategies to limit immigration, such as advocating for literacy tests, passing exclusionary laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act, and forming organizations like the American Protective Association.