Imagine that you are just arriving to the United States and the Statue of Liberty (pictured below) is the first image of America that you see. How would it make you feel? Would you want to continue your journey?
The quote above is etched on the Statue of Liberty. The statue, located on Ellis Island, was seen by immigrants coming to America (mainly from Europe) in the late 1800s. Read the quote again and answer the following questions in your notes.
The United States is sometimes called a country of immigrants, meaning that the country is comprised of people who have come from other countries to live in the United States. Many immigrants have come to the United States for various reasons; some have come to pursue better economic opportunities, while others have come to experience the religious freedom that they were unable to attain in their homelands.
Many have immigrated to the United States since the settlement of the American colonies. With them, they brought traces of their individual cultures. Their languages, customs, and beliefs have become a part of the American culture. Since coming to America, immigrants have continued to make contributions to the United States.
After England established its first settlement in the Americas, immigrants streamed into the country at a steady pace. This encouraged immigrants from other European countries to come to America, bringing with them the cultures of their homelands. These were the seeds of diversity that were planted in early America and that have continued to grow into the diverse American identity of today.
Click here to see where immigrants have traditionally settled across the United States.
Source: Alexander Hamilton portrait by Ezra Ames-cropped,
7mike5000, Wikipedia.
One of the most famous politicians, and a Founding Father, was also an immigrant. immigrated to the United States from the West Indies. After coming to the United States and making a living as a merchant, he entered the military, serving as an aide to General George Washington. Hamilton was later appointed as the nation’s first Secretary of the Treasury where he helped stabilize the young nation's economy.
Source: Haym Salomon NARA, Wikimedia.
Haym Salomon, a Polish immigrant of Spanish, Portuguese, and Jewish descent, played an important part in the American Revolution. Supporting the patriots' cause during the American Revolutionary War, he helped finance the Continental Army in their fight against British troops.
Some contributions were made by immigrant groups rather than individuals. German and Irish immigrants came to the United States to escape poverty in their respective countries. During the Industrial Revolution, these and other European immigrants came to the United States to fulfill the demand for labor that was created with new factory jobs. Most of the immigrants settled along the Atlantic Coast.
Other immigrants settled along the Pacific Coast. Among them were Chinese immigrants, who made a tremendous contribution to the United States, both economically and socially. By 1852, nearly 25,000 Chinese had immigrated to the United States to escape the poverty and civil turmoil that existed in China. They also participated in the Gold Rush.
By 1863, the United States began constructing the Transcontinental Railroad, a railroad that would connect the tracks across the United States. During this time, the United States was also involved in the Civil War, which caused a labor shortage. Central Pacific Railroad, a company involved in the construction, began to employ Chinese immigrants, citing that the Chinese were successful at building the Great Wall of China.
Source: Pacific Union Workers, Library of Congress.
Chinese immigrants worked for wages up to $35 a month, constructing the railroad. The work was dangerous and the workdays were long.
These workers were responsible for blasting through mountains and large trees. They also laid tracks and drove spikes into the ground.
Source: Sam Wah Laundry, Colorado City,
Colorado. Library of congress
Many of the Chinese immigrants contributed to the economy by becoming entrepreneurs. The picture to the right is of a Chinese laundry in Colorado City, Colorado. As more Chinese immigrants came to the United States, Chinese-owned businesses such as these were established throughout the western states.
Source: Chinese Telephone Exchange, Library of Congress
The image above is of a building in Chinatown, San Francisco, California, that was built in the late 1800s. The architecture of this building resembles that of buildings in China. The image below is of the entrance to Chinatown today.
Source: Chinatown 2,chensiyuan, Wikipedia
In your notes, respond to the following: