The creation of a German influenced society in Milwaukee and the uniting of the many different types of German immigrants into a strong political and economic culture led to the Americanization of Germans in Wisconsin. Ethnic groups that moved to Wisconsin would settle into certain areas of the state. Germans settled in the southeast portion of the state, in and around the city of Milwaukee. German immigrants were tremendously diverse in their religious and socio-economic backgrounds. They came to Wisconsin from Europe for many reasons.
Many of these theories were based off of racism and the feeling of Anglo-Saxon Supremacy. U.S. Congress passed the Chinese exclusion act this act prohibited all Chinese Immigration into the United States, The Chinese were excluded from entering the U.S. because of their willingness to work for less money. The American people wanted more earnings than most immigrants ( Doc C). Document B expresses the need for regulation of allowing European immigrants into the United States and illustrates the results of the Emergency Quota Act of 1921, which limited the number of new immigrants to 3 percent of the number of immigrants existing already in the United States. There is a giant funnel that starts in Europe and deposits immigrants into the United States.
There were many of the comparatively prosperous who also came; to better themselves economically. They had heard of how easy it was to proliferate one's riches in America, and with an archetypal German interest in making the most of circumstances, some of the families embarked to seek a greater fortune in the new world. A second notable reason for the coming of the Germans was the religious persecution of the Lutherans and Protestants. While the Midwest received many liberal-minded Germans, it also acquired many of Germany's most ebullient conservatives. In 1817 King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia decreed a unification of the Lutheran and Reformed churches in Prussia, and his action was accompanied by the rulers of several of the smaller German states.
German Americans and Discrimination In the 1680's, the first Germans immigrated to British Colonies primarily in New York and Pennsylvania. However, it was not until 1951 thru 1960 when the highest number of German immigrants came to the United States. Many Germans came to the U.S. because of the economic status, religious freedom, and the ability to own land. These hopes and dreams were very difficult to obtain and almost impossible for some Germans; as they faced prejudice beliefs and many acts of discrimination. Coming to the "New World" meant a new beginning for almost all Germans looking to put their past troubled lives behind and start a new.
By the early 1800s, the number of immigrants increased drastically. America was becoming a melting pot of different ethnicities including Germans, Swedish, Bohemians, English, French, and Polish. After the civil war, coming into the United States was made easier due to the innovations in steam-based engines for ships, allowing for larger ships to bring in immigrants in mass numbers. (Diner, 2008: 1) This exponential increase in immigrants was considered a threat to the nation’s security, which resulted in forcing government legislation to place regulations on immigration. In 1912, the National Origins Act was passed which restricted the number of immigrants allowed to enter the United States and assigned slots according to quotas based on origins.
Before the war, many Polish citizens had lived in small villages or rural landscapes and were used to the agrarian lifestyle. Germans living in agrarian areas could sympathize with the Polish workers far beyond what that of an urban German citizen might have. The Catholic peasant population in Germany most likely rejected Nazi racial policies more than other groups. From a religious perspective, if one believes in God, it doesn’t matter if they are German or Polish. The Nazis had a difficult time convincing the staunch Catholics to partake in their
Do we need federal legislation to further assert this fact? Dennis Baron (1991) described a few instances in history around the English only official language debate. According to Baron, xenophobic feelings against German immigrants in the middle of the eighteen century initiated the language issue. The xenophobia against Germans and other Eastern European immigrants was intensified after World
Taxes, levied to pay for the war, added to the people's plight. (http://www.anabaptists.org/history/ss8001.html) * Religious disputes also drove people to leave their homes. In Europe the rulers chose what church they wanted in their lands. Many pious Germans of strong convictions found this hard to bear. (http://www.anabaptists.org/history/ss8001.html) * After the year 1800, Germans still poured into the US, but for different reasons than the earlier generations.
Ellis Island Ellis Island was considered the gateway to the land of opportunity because millions of immigrants from Europe passed through it. It was a place where immigrants were judged and accepted into America. America’s unique diversity in population is directly attributed to immigration. The American Government needed a detailed process of weeding out the diseased. I think most immigrants found happiness in America.
Immigration In America In the late 19th century and early 20th century, millions of immigrants entered into the United States of America. Many of these immigrants came to America because they face persecution in their homelands. The immigrants were promised a new land of prosperity, riches, and freedom from persecution. But when many arrived they found out that this was not true and many of them still faced persecution and struggled to make enough money to live and eat well. Many of the immigrants had their own personal reasons to move to America, but there were some major push and pull factors that brought them here.