Final answer:
The main difference between old immigrants and new immigrants is the period they arrived and their cultural background. New immigrants from southern and eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries often faced discrimination and lived in ethnic enclaves to maintain their culture.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main difference between old immigrants and new immigrants is the time period of their arrival and their cultural background. The term old immigrants typically refers to those who came from northern and western Europe in the early to mid-19th century, while new immigrants came from southern and eastern Europe between 1880 and 1914. Contrary to somemisinterpretations, new immigrants weren't generally wealthier or more skilled and often faced discrimination due to their cultural and religious differences from the established American norms.
New immigrants moved into neighborhoods where others from the same country already resided. This allowed them to be surrounded by familiar language and customs, which helped preserve their unique cultural identity. However, the Dillingham Commission highlighted the discrimination faced by new immigrants, asserting that these groups had darker skin tones, spoke unfamiliar languages, and practiced religions such as Judaism and Catholicism which were not mainstream in Protestant-dominated America at the time.