Modern Immigration

Since 1965, the United States has been undergoing a demographic revolution, a dramatic change in the racial and ethnic composition of the nation. The origins of this revolution lie in worldwide population growth, political instability, and better communications, combined with changes in U.S. immigration law. In 1965, the old national-origins quota system, which strongly favored northern and western European immigrants, was discarded in favor of a more ethnically and geographically equitable system based on family unification, and to a lesser degree on attracting highly skilled individuals. The new laws have promoted migration from Asian and Western Hemisphere countries such as China, India, Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, Mexico, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. By 1990, 21.2 million Americans (about 8 percent) were foreign-born. The assimilation of these immigrants is one of the nation's great challenges in the twenty-first century. This primary source portfolio narrates this unfolding story through text, documents, charts, photo essays, recipes, reminiscences, a family album, and political pamphlets. This portfolio includes a Study Guide with reproducible student activities and a modern immigration timeline. 5 Illustrated Broadsheet Essays: * New Americans and the Laws * The New Immigrants * Immigrants from the Western Hemisphere * Asians and Africans * The Refugees 15 Primary Source Documents: * Mexican-Americans During the Great Depression and World War II * Immigrating USA: A Guide for Irish Immigrants * "The Ordeal of Immigration in Wausau" * Naturalization Requirements and General Information * Application for Naturalization * A Guide to Resettlement in the United States * Vietnamese Identity Card and Evacuee Information Card for Tran Thi Bach Tuyet, ca. 1973-1975 * 'Illegals' Made Slaves to Fashion * Los Tejanos: The Mexican Texans * Photographs from Taking Refuge in L.A.: Life in a Vietnamese Buddhist Temple * "1996 Texas Democratic Party Platform" and Political Buttons * Recipes and Restaurants * "Survey of the Economic Literature Indicates Immigrants Do Not Take Away Jobs or Reduce Wages" * "Foreigners Flock to Slopes to Work, Not Ski" * Certificate of Naturalization