Immigration in American schools.

http://www.orange.k12.oh.us:16080/teachers/ohs/tjordan/pages/whatthenthisamerican.html

This website features an article which outlines the reasons for large scale immigration during the 19th and early 20th century. The article is split up into industrialization and immigration but both make links between the two processes. The article appears to present America as a sort of safe haven for the immigrants who came from Europe who were fleeing religious and political persecution. The article also presents the positive effects the growth in industrialization had on the immigrants. The article then briefly mentions at the end the negative effects of the large growth in immigration which was the over stretched resources like housing and employment.

The article appears to present a positive view of immigration to students. It does also give a balanced view of America as a result of immigration as it gives the negative attitudes some Americans had for example the racial, religious and ethnic prejudice some immigrants experienced as well as the inability of some cities to cater for the amount of immigrants that came over which resulted in over crowding with some families of saw 5 or 6 living in a single room. It also meant there was not enough jobs to cater for the large amounts of immigrants that came over. It also shows the persecution some Asian immigrants experienced at the hands of some Anti-Asian people towards the West of America.

In conclusion, I think it is good that the author has presented both positive and negative aspects of immigration in relation to the image of America. The article presents America as both this safe haven and this country who is willing to help immigrants, as well as the inability of America to cater for the immigrants.