Issue 1
An Evaluation Of The Reasons For
Changing Attitudes To Immigration
Factor 1: Prejudice And
Racism
Factor 2: Isolationism & The
First World War
Factor 3: Economic Fear
Factor 4: Social Fear
Factor 5: Fear Of Revolution
AIMS OF ESSAY:
To understand why
hostility towards
immigration grew in
the USA
To explain why the
American public
supported
immigration
restriction
Aims Paragraph 2:
Describe The Reasons Why America Wanted A
Return To Isolationism After WWI
Have The Background Knowledge & Argument To
Write Your Second Paragraph On The
Influence ‘Isolationism & WWI’ Had On
Changing Attitudes To Immigration
PLAN FOR PARAGRAPH
Isolationism & WWI Changing Attitudes
1. Start with an Opening Argument e.g. state there is a link between
the isolated factor & the question
2. Put in Knowledge – discuss what the term means & pre-WWI
example
3. Put in Analysis – explain why this policy is used/how do American
benefit from it?
4. Knowledge – discuss how WWI increased isolationist beliefs
5. Analysis – explain president Wilson's quote
6. Knowledge – discuss the how America was affected by WWI
7. Analysis – explain how American isolationism hardened after WWI
8. Evaluation -
What Does Isolationism Mean?
To remain isolated, or, on her own from
foreign countries e.g. not become involved
in other countries problems
In 1796, President George Washington stated
that the US should “steer clear of
permanent alliances with any portion of
the foreign world.”
His warning against foreign ‘entanglements’
served as a fundamental principle of US
foreign policy until the early 20th century
Clearly isolationism was NOT caused by World
War One but it definitely increased in the
years after thus an important factor in
explaining why attitudes changed
Pre-WWI
An example of an isolationist policy occurred in
1913 when the government passed the Alien
Land Law which forbade Japanese and other
Asian immigrants in California from owning
farm land - 11 other states quickly followed
California’s example
As we already know Laws were made tougher in
the 1920s with the passing of the 1921
Emergency Immigration Act
AND
The 1924 National Origins Act
These Acts are all clear evidence that the USA
wanted to protect the interests of ‘native
born Americans’ from immigrant
competition
Which key
percentages should
you associate with
these Acts…?
Isolationism and WWI
When WWI broke out in 1914, President
Wilson repeatedly urged the American
people to be “neutral in thought as well
as action”
The USA had kept out of all the
negotiations between the European
powers in the years proceeding 1914 that
led to the creation of the two alliance
systems
Why Do You Think Hostilities
Towards Immigrants Could Increase
If The USA Got Involved In WWI?
Isolationism and WWI
When America entered the war in 1917, it soon
emerged that sympathies in America were mixed,
which caused great tensions and a split in American
society
WASP Americans supported the Allied Powers as
Britain and France seemed to represent democracy
while Germany seemed to represent autocracy and
militarism
The 1910 census showed that out of the US
population of 92 million, 32 million were 1st or 2nd
generation immigrants who retained close ties to
their home countries…
More than 10 million were immigrants from the
nations of the Central Powers and supported their
mother country e.g. Germany & Italy
1. German-Americans
In 1917, there were around 8
million German-Americans living
in the USA
At the outbreak of war, many
were criticised for being too
sympathetic towards the German
Empire
Former president Theodore
Roosevelt denounced
“hyphenated Americanism",
insisting that dual loyalties were
impossible in wartime
As President Wilson said
“any man who carries a
hyphen around with him
carries a dagger that he is
ready to plunge into the
vitals of this Republic”
WHY COULD THIS IDEA OF
HYPHENATED AMERICANISM
CAUSE HOSTILITY TOWARDS
IMMIGRANTS?
2. Irish & Italian-Americans
4.5 million Irish Americans lived in the
USA during WWI
Many harboured a deep rooted hatred
towards Britain due to the English
oppression they had endured in Ireland
since the 17th century
Italian anarchist organisations often
openly criticised towards America’s
involvement in the war
Many publication caused so much
concern that their editors were
arrested and deported at the end
of war!
Isolationism After WWI
Involvement in WWI was a break in the tradition of US foreign policy
After WWI, most Americans were weary from fighting in a world war 117,465 Americans had died & 205,690 were wounded
Most Americans wanted a return to isolationism this can be shown
through refusal to join he League of Nations (an organisation that
had been suggested by the President in the first place…)
There was a growing demand for an end to mass immigration which
politicians could not ignore…
By The End Of The War It Was Clear That Attitudes
Towards Immigration Had Changed And The ‘Open-door’
Was Firmly Closing
SUM UP: Isolationism and
Immigration
After WWI, America’s attitude towards immigration
clearly changed & became more firm.
In the post-war period America returned to isolating
herself from Europe (especially Eastern and Southern
Europe) by restricting the flow of immigrants through the
quota system – which we already know about…
Which key percentages & dates should you associate with The
Emergency Immigration Act & The National Origins Act …?
This Meant That Only So Many Immigrants From Each
Country Were Allowed Into The USA During The
1920s
ISOLATIONISM
OPENING ARGUMENT
It can be argued that hostility towards
new immigrants increased when the USA
had to abandon her policy of isolationism
during WW1 and immigrants loyalties to
the USA were questioned.
ISOLATIONISM
KNOWLEDGE 1
• Explanation of
isolationism & when it
can be dated back to
• For example: discuss
the pre-WWI – 1913
Alien Land Law
ARGUMENT 1
• It can be argued that
changing attitudes to
immigration had began
pre-WWI and isolationism
began…
•Because/in order to…
•Explain the intensions of
passing this act
ISOLATIONISM
KNOWLEDGE 2
• America entering WWI
had a part to play in
increasing isolationist
desires because…
• Explain why the war
created tension with
America
ARGUMENT 2
•It can be argued that WWI
acted as a magnifying glass for
America’s immigration tensions…
… as President Wilson said
“any man who carries a hyphen
around with him carries a
dagger that he is ready to
plunge into the vitals of this
Republic”
This shows…
Explain why this quote is
important
ISOLATIONISM
KNOWLEDGE 3
• After the war attitudes
hardened – partly due to
the human cost of life
• Describe numbers
affected
ARGUMENT 3
• It can be argued that
WWI did change
attitudes toward
immigration which can
be seen through
America’s policy of
isolationism being
hardened when they
refusing to join…?
ISOLATIONISM
EVALUATION:
• Therefore although Isolationism & WWI was an
important factor in changing attitudes towards
immigration, America had been Isolationist before
the 1920s & it was the changing nature of immigration
and American prejudice that really was the driving
force behind changing attitudes toward.