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American Immigration
Immigration, writes Maldwyn Allen Jones, was America's historic raison d'être. Reminding us that the history of immigration to the United States is also the history of emigration from somewhere else, Mr. Jones considers the forces that uprooted emigrants from their homes in different parts of the world and analyzes the social, economic, and psychological adjustments that American life demanded of them—adjustments essentially the same for the Jamestown settlers and for Vietnamese refugees. As well as measuring the impact of America on the lives of the sixty million or so immigrants who have arrived since 1607, he assesses their role in industrialization, the westward movement, labor organization, politics, foreign policy, the growth of American nationalism, and the theory and practice of democracy.
In this new edition, Jones brings his history of immigration to the United States up to 1990. His new chapter covers the major changes in immigration patterns caused by changes in legislation, such as the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965.
"It is done with a grasp of regional, chronological, national and racial information, plus that 'feel' for the situation which can come only from the vast resources and a gift for interpretation."—A. T. DeGroot, Christian Century
"A scholarly contribution, based on a thorough mastery of the subject."—Carl Wittke, Journal of Southern History
In this new edition, Jones brings his history of immigration to the United States up to 1990. His new chapter covers the major changes in immigration patterns caused by changes in legislation, such as the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965.
"It is done with a grasp of regional, chronological, national and racial information, plus that 'feel' for the situation which can come only from the vast resources and a gift for interpretation."—A. T. DeGroot, Christian Century
"A scholarly contribution, based on a thorough mastery of the subject."—Carl Wittke, Journal of Southern History
361 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 5, 2011
boring.
November 22, 2015
American Revolution made the US think in collective terms, as being Americans, rather than concerning their ethnic origins. Book in same format as Dinnerstein.
Waves of immigration. 15M immigrants to US from 1890-1914. Discusses old and new immigration. Nativism movement, anti-immigrant.
In this portion of the book, it discusses European immigration only, except for Filipinos to Hawaii during 1920s. when US shut out European countries during 1920s, they drew closer to other western hemisphere nations, hence the loophole in the 1924 immigration act. “Good Neighbor” policy for Hispanic immigrants. Canada and US had the most equal exchange of immigrants (traveling both north and south).
Mexicans were bewildered when they came here because they came from largely agrarian societies, had minimal education, poor, subject to racism because of skin color. Author treats them like victims of the US. Talks about west Indian negroes, but not those from Africa. Also Puerto Ricans.
Argues that immigrant churches had a profound impact on the community and the immigrant. This is a point that no one else has made so far. Pities immigrants too much, seeing them as helpless victims. Sees the US as a beneficiary of immigrant, particularly in the economic realm. The US has succeeded economically because of these immigrants who have numerically replaced the native born (in terms of population growth). He argues that the Dillingham commission is wrong when it said that immigrants had been a drain on society and lowered wages, standard of living. Immigrants did have an important political impact.
This book rehashes secondary sources had has almost no primary sources.
How does the idea of Hispanic Americans fit in with the picture overall?
HIST 8980: Hawes: Thematic Studies; fall 2005.
Waves of immigration. 15M immigrants to US from 1890-1914. Discusses old and new immigration. Nativism movement, anti-immigrant.
In this portion of the book, it discusses European immigration only, except for Filipinos to Hawaii during 1920s. when US shut out European countries during 1920s, they drew closer to other western hemisphere nations, hence the loophole in the 1924 immigration act. “Good Neighbor” policy for Hispanic immigrants. Canada and US had the most equal exchange of immigrants (traveling both north and south).
Mexicans were bewildered when they came here because they came from largely agrarian societies, had minimal education, poor, subject to racism because of skin color. Author treats them like victims of the US. Talks about west Indian negroes, but not those from Africa. Also Puerto Ricans.
Argues that immigrant churches had a profound impact on the community and the immigrant. This is a point that no one else has made so far. Pities immigrants too much, seeing them as helpless victims. Sees the US as a beneficiary of immigrant, particularly in the economic realm. The US has succeeded economically because of these immigrants who have numerically replaced the native born (in terms of population growth). He argues that the Dillingham commission is wrong when it said that immigrants had been a drain on society and lowered wages, standard of living. Immigrants did have an important political impact.
This book rehashes secondary sources had has almost no primary sources.
How does the idea of Hispanic Americans fit in with the picture overall?
HIST 8980: Hawes: Thematic Studies; fall 2005.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews