Knowledge Organiser – Political Ideologies



Knowledge Organiser – ImmigrationMain QuestionsWhy did immigrants come to the USA?Many immigrants came because of economic hardship at home. Areas such as southern Italy were very poor. In Ireland and Scotland there was a lack of suitable farmland. Many immigrants came to escape persecution in Europe. In Russia Jewish people were persecuted for their beliefs.Many came to America because of the opportunities it offered. Wages were higher than in Europe. Farmland was cheaper and more plentiful. The US constitution guaranteed freedom of religion. There were lots of jobs in industrial cities such as Detroit. Finally, the American Dream promised success to those willing to work hard for it. What problems did immigrants face in the USA?Entering America could be a long and traumatic process. Immigrants with any illnesses were quarantined at Ellis Island.Housing in cities such as New York was in great demand. As a result, many immigrants lived in massively overcrowded apartment blocks. Sanitation was extremely poor in the slums. A lack of running water, poor ventilation and toilet facilities led to the spread of diseases.Immigrants were often exploited in the workplace. They worked long hours for low wages, and working conditions were often extremely dangerous. Immigrants faced prejudice and racism when they arrived. They were looked down on for their religion and their inability to speak English. Cities such as New York were well known for having very high crime rates. Violence was an everyday part of life. PlacesEllis Island – Where immigrants arriving in New York were processed. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory – A factory in New York which suffered a devastating fire. Key vocabularyPull FactorAn attractive feature of a country that would encourage you to move there.Push Factor A negative feature about your home country that would make you want to leave.Melting PotThe idea that all immigrants to America would become ‘American’.Salad BowlThe idea that immigrants to America would retain some of the culture and customs of their homeland.CholeraA common disease in New York’s slums. It was caused by drinking contaminated water. American DreamThe idea that no matter your background, hard work and talent would give you a good life.WASPWhite Anglo Saxon Protestant. ‘Old’ immigrants, mainly from Britain and munismA political system where the workers controlled factories and resources were shared evenly.AnarchismA political system where there was no government and people made all decisions themselves. ProhibitionA period when alcohol was banned in America.StereotypeA widely-held but oversimplified view of a particular group of people.Key IndividualsFiorello LaGuardiaA second generation Italian immigrant who became mayor of New York.Al CaponeA famous gangster from an Italian background.Lucky LucianoA famous gangster from an Italian background.President McKinleyAmerican President who was shot by a Polish-American anarchist in 1901.Key Numbers40%The number of ‘roughnecks’ (people who built skyscrapers) who were killed or injured on the job.10,000The number of immigrants who could pass through Ellis Island in a single day.$12The cost of a gun in America in 1900.$100The cost of having someone murdered in America in 1900.$345The difference in salary each year between an immigrant worker and an American worker.Essay QuestionWhy did attitudes towards immigration change by 1920?New immigrants tended to come from eastern Europe and many were Catholic or Jewish. WASPs felt they were inferior to white Protestants.During Prohibition, the level of organised crime grew. This was associated with Italian immigrants and so some Americans wanted to prevent further immigration. Russia was associated with communism and anarchism. Some Americans therefore felt that immigrants from these countries undermined American values.The media helped to promote stereotypes of certain immigrants as criminals, drunks or as being lazy. For example, Irish immigrants were often associated with alcohol. Chinese immigrants were viewed as ignorant.Immigrants were paid lower wages than native workers, and were sometimes used to break strikes. This meant that American workers felt they undercut wages and threatened their jobs. In 1917, the US went to war with Germany. This led to German immigrants being treated with suspicion as potential enemy agents who would not be loyal to America. Self-TestingThe most effective way to learn this information is to self-test using the following questions to help.Give 2 push factors that made Europeans want to come to America.Give 2 pull factors that led to Europeans choosing to come to America.What would you face if you were suspected of carrying a disease at Ellis Island?What disease was caused by poor sanitation in the slums where many immigrants settled?Give a fact that shows that working life for many immigrants was dangerous.Give a fact that shows that immigrants were not paid as well as American workers.Give a fact that shows that life on the streets was dangerous for immigrants.Where were immigrants processed when they arrived in New York?What acronym was given to ‘old’ immigrants, mostly from northern or western Europe?What phrase sums up the idea that immigrants would become totally ‘American’?What phrase sums up the idea that immigrants would retain their old culture?What happened to President McKinley in 1901?Which two political beliefs were feared to be spreading into the US from Eastern Europe?Give an example of an Italian immigrant who made a positive contribution to America.Give an example of an Italian immigrant who made a negative contribution to America.Which law increased organised crime in America?How were Irish immigrants stereotyped by the media?Give 2 reasons why American workers feared an influx of immigrants.Define the ‘American Dream’.Why were German immigrants treated with suspicion after 1917? ................
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