Zusammenfassung der Ressource
USA - Historical roots of
immigration II
- "from rags to
riches, from
dishwasher to
millionaire"
- many immigrants
believed that they would
have a better life in the US
- believed that everyone could
become successful if he / she
just worked hard enough
- the American Dream
includes liberty, justice
and pursuit of happiness
- Impact of the two World
Wars on immigration? How
did the Congress react?
- two World Wars: the
influx of immigration was
brought to a halt
- Congress passed stricter
immigration laws
- Changes in US immigration
policy after the late 60s
- government dropped
racially based quotas
- government favoured
immigration from Third
World nations
- number of coloured immigrants
has increased considerably
- Most important facts about
immigration today (focus:
Hispanic and Asian immigration)
- today: over 52 million
Hispanics in the US
- represent the fastest growing
population group
- growing force is no longer immigration,
but an increased number of births
- Chinese came towards the
end of the 19th century
- many prejudices (e.g. take away jobs)
- anti-Chinese riots in 1880
- for about 50 years: Chinese were seen as a
danger; strict limitations on living in the US
- From 1952: flow from the Far East increased
- 1970s: many came as refugees after the end of
Vietnam war
- today: about 18
million people with
Asian descend
- one of the most successful
of all immigrant groups
- higher income
- children study at
best universities
- Controversial attitudes
towards immigration to the US
- early days
- most immigrants were welcomed
because they contributed to the
success of the country
- today
- 2/3 would like to reduce immigration, but they
also think that legal immigration is not bad
- others complain about costs, crime and diseases
and about the burdens on schools and welfare rolls
- the fast success of many immigrants leads to envy,
resentment, growing discrimination and even hostility and
violence against newcomers
- "Salad Bowl" / "Melting Pot"
- number of coloured immigrants has risen
considerably when the government dropped
racially based quotas on immigration
- "Browning of America"
- not all non-Europeans
want to assimilate
- stick to their
traditions, language...
- Latinos have their own
theatres, cinemas, TV
channels, restaurants...
- salad bowl: combination of many cultures, living and
working together, each distinct and seperate. They
have not melted together, so there's no "melting pot"
- Current tendencies
of illegal immigration
- increased drastically in the last decades
- particularly Mexicans who cross the Rio Grande
- about 11.5 million foreign nationals live in
the US without the necessary documents
- many enter legally (e.g. tourists) and
don't leave when the visas expire