Historical Sources on Immigration to the United States, 1820–1924

Between the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, nearly forty million people immigrated to the United States. Poverty, widespread famine, and the California gold rush prompted many people to leave their home countries for America. Over time, however, the government tried to slow the flow of immigration with laws like the Johnson-Reed Act in 1924. In this book, students will read accounts from immigrants about the decision to leave home, the journey to America, and life in the new world. Additionally, students will read about xenophobic responses to immigration from the descendants of colonists. Through primary sources, this book provides students with an in-depth understanding of immigration to the United States.