Industry and Immigration

Lesson 4 The New Immigrants

Key Terms
“new” immigrants
steerage
Ellis Island
Angel Island
Americanization
“melting pot”
nativism
Chinese Exclusion Act

Academic Vocabulary
compel: to drive or urge to action
persecution: harassment or unfair punishment because of one’s beliefs
refugee: a person who flees to a foreign country to escape danger or
discrimination
preliminary: happening before and leading up to something; initial
detain: to hold in prison or in custody
exclude: to leave out
activist: someone who fights for a controversial cause

Lesson Objectives
1. Compare the “new immigrants” of the late 1800s to earlier immigrants.
2. Explain the push and pull factors leading immigrants to America.
3. Describe the challenges that immigrants faced establishing new lives in
America.
4. Analyze how immigrants adapted to American life while trying to maintain
familiar cultural practices.

New Immigrants Seek Better Lives: Text

1. Compare and Contrast How were the “new” immigrants that came to the
United States between 1870 and 1900 different from earlier immigrants?
Cite specific evidence from the text.

Interactive Reading Notepad • Lesson 4

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2. Categorize As you read “Why Some Immigrants Left Their Homes” and
“Why Some Immigrants Came to America,” use this graphic organizer to
take notes about the “push factors” and the “pull factors.” Explain what a
push factor is and what a pull factor is; then record each reason that
immigrants came to the United States in the correct column—either “Push”
or “Pull.”

3. Identify Cause and Effect How did the United States encourage people
to move west? How did private companies aid in this movement? Why?
Cite specific examples.

Optimism and the Immigrant Experience: Text

Interactive Reading Notepad • Lesson 4

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4. Draw Inferences Why were first- and second-class passengers able to
enter into the United States right away, while third-class (steerage)
passengers had to pass through Ellis Island?

5. Compare Authors’ Points of View Compare the excerpts from the two
primary sources—one written by Edward Corsi about Ellis Island, and one
written by a Chinese immigrant about Angel Island. How do the authors’
points of view differ? What do they suggest about differences in the ways
Asian and European immigrants were treated?

Social Issues Affecting Immigrants: Text

6. Summarize What kinds of discrimination did immigrants face in the new

country? Summarize the main points of “Social Issues Affecting
Immigrants.”

7. Cite Evidence The text states that many immigrants and established
Americans alike viewed the United States as a melting pot. From what you
have read in “Social Issues Affecting Immigrants,” do you agree that the
United States was a melting pot early in the twentieth century? Cite
evidence from the text to support your answer.

Interactive Reading Notepad • Lesson 4

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Immigrants Affect American Society: Text

8. Identify Supporting Details In “Immigrants Affect American Society,” the

text argues that immigrants transformed American society. Cite and
explain an example that supports this central idea.

9. Analyze Interactions How did the “new” immigrants affect the politics of
unionization, and what motivated them to do so?

Interactive Reading Notepad • Lesson 4

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