*Immigration+-+Latin+America

What parts of the world did most immigrants come from during the time period? Were these immigrants welcomed by the society at large? What policies were enacted that limited immigration? Did immigrants assimilate into the American culture? How did immigrants attempt to retain their cultural heritage? What were "barrios"?
 * __[[image:http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTQ6Qa0Uwer0wJHk6vyqMyctYkhk95_aJjDPSDPpguJ0Hy-ayA_Dg width="256" height="192" align="left" caption="Mexican-American grape pickers near Guasti, California, in the 1920s."]]Guiding Questions:__**

Ricardo F., Pd 5[|http://www1.appstate.edu/~stefanov/proceedings/rodriguez.htm] [] [] = Latin American Immigration = During the 1920 time period most immigrants came from Eastern and Southern European countries and also came from Latino America mostly Mexico. Mexicans were the majority of the Latinos in the continental united states because many were fleeing the violence of the Mexican revolution of the 1910s so they arrived in the greatest number. From 1920 to 1930 the total percent of Mexican immigrants in the US was 11percent and went all the way up to 25 percent from the year 1991 to 1998. After the depression immigration jumped from a low of 3.5 million to 9 million in the first decade of the new country. After 1914 immigration dropped off because of the war and also because of immigration restrictions imposed in the 1920s. A tight national origins policy was made in 1921 as a temporary measure and total immigration was limited to about 350,000 per year. This system was made permanent with the national origins act of 1924. Each year they reduced the number of immigrants that are allowed to come to the country to 150,000. Besides keeping the number of immigrants that can come to America be low, the object of the law was also to favor certain kinds of immigrants and to keep out others. Most immigrants were allowed from western Europe and less from southern and eastern Europe. they totally did not allow Asians, mostly to prohibit Chinese, Japanese, and Filipinos from acquiring U.S. citizenship.This was mostly because of the war and would be relaxed after WW2. This is why some Asians would go to Mexico pose as a Mexican to come to the U.S.

= How immigrants came and The difference between legal and illegal immigration =

= Ellis Island =

There were many immigrants who came to America legally and illegally. The way the immigrants would come to America legally would be to come through first or second class passage. The ones who could not afford that came through the processing center at Ellis island New York. There at Ellis Island the people would be asked twenty nine probing questions. Of those questions if they found that they were deemed criminals, strike breakers, anarchists, or carriers of disease they were sent back to there place of origin so not every immigrant came here illegally. The way immigrants came here illegally was to cross the border and enter the U.S. undocumented. For example, most of the immigrants today that come here illegally are Mexicans. The reason why is because Mexico and the U.S. share the same border and Mexicans would cross that border and enter the U.S. undocumented. In the 1920s there were many immigrants that came from Mexico because the door was open for them, they were desired by employers for there cheap labor. Many Mexicans were brought here legally and then basically legal immigration led to illegal immigration because Edward H. Dowell, vice president estimated that while 67,000 Mexicans entered the U.S. legally the prior year many times that number entered illegally.

= = = Society and Immigration / Why Immigrants came?? = Society at large did not welcome illegal immigrants because many felt immigrants were a burden of there tax dollars, prisons,hospitals and American workers wages. Society felt that immigrants were taking jobs away from "real Americans" that deserve it and are better at only because they cost less to hire.Employers hired Mexicans and other foreigners because they preferred the foreign workers who were willing to work for less wages.Another reason is because (Such a massive illegal workforce had a devastating impact on the wages of American workers). society felt that it wasn't right for immigrants to be here tak ing "advantage" of there country they felt that this was there country and immigrants should not be allowed to stay here. They felt they were taking advantage because they were not paying taxes but the thing was that they were being paid in cash (under the books) and anyone legal or illegal that got payed like that didn't pay taxes. These people are ignorant because no one is really from the U.S. and the U.S. is made up of immigrants or a descendant of an immigrant. It is even said that America is the land of opportunity and in many ways that's why immigrants (people from all over the world) come or want to come to the U.S.. They want to come to the U.S. because they want to have more opportunities for them, their family, and they want to have a better life. There are many different reasons why some people come to the U.S. they come here because the economy in their country is bad and they want to work have a job, and have more money for a better life. they come to have more freedoms like the freedom to practice there religion in peace and harmony. They also come here to escape the violence that surrounds them were they live.

= Assimilating Into American Culture and keeping Cultural Heritage Alive =

Immigrants did assimilate into American culture it was easier for some than others. First off many immigrants learned to speak English and that was the first step to adapting into American culture because now they can communicate and understand better. Immigrants then started following some American customs and trends. Some immigrants even saw the U.S. as there home know and became very proud and patriotic about the U.S.. Even tough they lived in the U.S. know immigrants never forgot where they came from and kept there own traditions and cultural heritage alive. They practiced there religion they still made there types of foods, they still spoke and thought there children there own language. They still wore there style of clothes too. For example Mexicans spoke Spanish, ate tacos, and wore sombreros, they also celebrated special holidays like dia de los muertos or (day of the dead) which is a day when you honor and keep the memory of your loved ones alive by setting offerings such as lighting a candle next to the deceased picture and placing their favorite foods or even favorite beer that they like and even a rosary and their cherished belonging. It is traditionally believed that the spirit of the deceased one comes back and accepts the offerings and that is why we light the candle and pray so the spirit is able find its way back.