6.9

Period 6: 1865-1898, Topic 9- Responses to immigration in the Gilded Age 

Student learning objective- Explain the various responses to immigration in the period over time.

The figure presents a bar graph titled “Number of People Immigrating to the United States from Selected Regions, 1865 through 1895.” The horizontal axis is labeled “Years,” and the following four years are indicated: 1865, 1875, 1885, and 1895. The vertical axis is labeled “Number of Immigrants,” and the numbers 0 through 180,000, in increments of 20,000, are indicated. Each year indicated on the horizontal axis has up to five bars. A key indicates that each bar represents one of the following five regions: Great Britain, China, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Southern Europe. The data represented by the bars are as follows. Note that all values are approximate. Year, 1865: Great Britain, 82,000; China, 3,000; Central Europe, 84,000; Eastern Europe, less than 500; Southern Europe, 2,000. Year, 1875: Great Britain, 50,000; China, 17,000; Central Europe, 56,000; Eastern Europe, 8,000; Southern Europe, 6,000. Year, 1885: Great Britain, 59,000; China, less than 500; Central Europe, 155,000; Eastern Europe, 18,000; Southern Europe, 16,000. Year, 1895: Great Britain, 29,000; China, less than 500; Central Europe, 66,000; Eastern Europe, 37,000; Southern Europe, 38,000.Source: Based on data from the United States Bureau of the Census, Historical Statistics of the United States (1975).

Discussion Question #1- What was a difference between the immigration from 1865 to 1895 depicted in the graph and immigration in the 1840s and 1850s?

Discussion Question #2- What was a response to both immigration in the 1850s and the immigration depicted in the graph?

Discussion Question #3- What was a long-term development that contributed to the change in Chinese immigration depicted in the graph between 1875 and 1885 ?

“The Italian laborer does more than his share of work and receives less than his share of earnings; for as a matter of fact, the laws enacted with regard to this matter oppress the laborer and assist rather than hamper the contractor. Even supposing that the contractor does not succeed in importing contract labor, he finds in the market a large number of men entirely at his mercy, with not even the weak [government] promise to defend themselves against [the contractor’s] greed. . . .

“The contractor is sure to depart from the terms of the contract either as to wages, or hours of labor, or the very nature of the work. . . . The employer . . . recognizes [only the contractor, not the laborers], and all wages are paid to him. He [keeps a portion of] these for his own benefit. . . . Meanwhile the [working] men have to live, and to obtain food they increase their debt with the contractor.”

S. Merlino, journalist, article on contractors who recruit immigrant laborers for employers, The Forum magazine, 1893

Discussion Question #4- What is the historical development in the excerpt?

Discussion Question #5- What point of view is present in the excerpt?

Discussion Question #6- Briefly explain ONE way in which the situation in the excerpt is significant for a historical argument about immigration in the Gilded Age.


Country stances toward immigration

1- Allow all

2- Allow all except for criminal and medical exceptions

3- Allow some and restrict others

4- All none

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