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Mass Immigration - Part of the Problem
In 1853, the United States began surveying railroad routes to the Pacific, mapping
four different ones. Poster, flyers and advertisements went to Europe and the rest of
the world extolling the virtues of coming to America and getting "free land." Many
were led to believe America was the "land of milk and honey" they so desperately
wanted for themselves and their children.
As a result the United States has received a larger number of immigrants than any
other country in history, according to World Book Encyclopedia, counting those from
the British Isles who settled the thirteen original colonies.
Between 1841 and 1860, America welcomed 4,311,465 newcomers. Many left their
homelands because of poor harvests, famines, political unrest and revolutions.
Agents of steamship lines along with the railroad companies attracted thousands to
the United States with words such as "the land of opportunity" and "land of a second
chance." This brought laborers for the factories, tenants for western lands, and
often chaos to young families when housing became a problem.
It wasn't until 1882 that congress passed the first general immigration statute.
As early as 1830, some states passed immigration laws of their own but in 1872 the
Supreme Court decided these state laws violated the constitution.
Ellis Island, located in New York Harbor, opened in 1892 as property of the United
States Bureau of Immigration (later the Immigration and Naturalization Service) but
the main structure was gutted by fire in 1897, reopening in 1900 processing 2,251
immigrants the first day.
In 1907, a record number (1,285,349) of immigrants were admitted to the United
States. Ten years later, Congress passed a law that required an immigrant to prove
that he could read and write at least one language. Physically handicapped and
children under 16 did not have to meet this requirement.
The 1921 quota law allowed up to 357,000 aliens from countries outside the
Western Hemisphere to enter the United States and by 1924, the total was down to
150,000.
Ellis Island closed in 1954 but became part of the Statue of Liberty National
Monument in 1965.
In 1853, the United States began surveying railroad routes to the Pacific, mapping
four different ones. Poster, flyers and advertisements went to Europe and the rest of
the world extolling the virtues of coming to America and getting "free land." Many
were led to believe America was the "land of milk and honey" they so desperately
wanted for themselves and their children.
As a result the United States has received a larger number of immigrants than any
other country in history, according to World Book Encyclopedia, counting those from
the British Isles who settled the thirteen original colonies.
Between 1841 and 1860, America welcomed 4,311,465 newcomers. Many left their
homelands because of poor harvests, famines, political unrest and revolutions.
Agents of steamship lines along with the railroad companies attracted thousands to
the United States with words such as "the land of opportunity" and "land of a second
chance." This brought laborers for the factories, tenants for western lands, and
often chaos to young families when housing became a problem.
It wasn't until 1882 that congress passed the first general immigration statute.
As early as 1830, some states passed immigration laws of their own but in 1872 the
Supreme Court decided these state laws violated the constitution.
Ellis Island, located in New York Harbor, opened in 1892 as property of the United
States Bureau of Immigration (later the Immigration and Naturalization Service) but
the main structure was gutted by fire in 1897, reopening in 1900 processing 2,251
immigrants the first day.
In 1907, a record number (1,285,349) of immigrants were admitted to the United
States. Ten years later, Congress passed a law that required an immigrant to prove
that he could read and write at least one language. Physically handicapped and
children under 16 did not have to meet this requirement.
The 1921 quota law allowed up to 357,000 aliens from countries outside the
Western Hemisphere to enter the United States and by 1924, the total was down to
150,000.
Ellis Island closed in 1954 but became part of the Statue of Liberty National
Monument in 1965.
Insufficient Living
Conditions Added Problems
Port cities were overcrowded for even
temporary housing. Tenements often
housed ten or more persons to the room.
Jobs became scarce and labor was
cheap.
Without the extended family
(grandparents, aunts, uncles) to rely
upon in times of need, young families fell
apart. Children as young as six years old
were working to help support the family.
Food became scarce. Job safety was not
a priority causing many men to be killed
in accidents at sea and at other work
places. This left women and children to
make their own way living as best they
could.
Diseases from living in unsanitary
quarters led to early deaths of
overworked mothers. Orphanages were
built to care for as many children as
could possibly be taken in. Adults could
pay for the care on a weekly or monthly
basis but if the payments stopped, the
child became a ward of the court and was
"disposed" of as the social workers saw
fit.
Conditions Added Problems
Port cities were overcrowded for even
temporary housing. Tenements often
housed ten or more persons to the room.
Jobs became scarce and labor was
cheap.
Without the extended family
(grandparents, aunts, uncles) to rely
upon in times of need, young families fell
apart. Children as young as six years old
were working to help support the family.
Food became scarce. Job safety was not
a priority causing many men to be killed
in accidents at sea and at other work
places. This left women and children to
make their own way living as best they
could.
Diseases from living in unsanitary
quarters led to early deaths of
overworked mothers. Orphanages were
built to care for as many children as
could possibly be taken in. Adults could
pay for the care on a weekly or monthly
basis but if the payments stopped, the
child became a ward of the court and was
"disposed" of as the social workers saw
fit.
| What Lead to the Need for the Orphan Trains? |
Children Making a Christmas Tree -
An example of the living conditions in New York
City and the persevering spirit of these children.
(Photo from the Children's Aid Society)
An example of the living conditions in New York
City and the persevering spirit of these children.
(Photo from the Children's Aid Society)