With all the recent hullabaloo about immigration reform and enforcement, you would think that America was a country of one unique identity – a homogenous culture that could be threatened by outside influences. The truth, however, is quite the opposite. America is instead a nation of immigrants, with a long history of people landing on its shores in search of a better life. Immigration lawyers were not needed until the early 20th century, when the first legislation was passed to limit immigration to the U.S.
Early Settlers
From the earliest days of the American colonies, this country has been seen as a land of opportunity. The discovery of the New World opened up vast expanses of land to farmers, trappers, and traders in the 16th century, and gave pilgrims a chance to start a new life free from religious persecution.
Mass Migration
Up until the early 19th century, the numbers of immigrants, usually from parts of western Europe, were relatively low. Starting in the 1820s, though, a massive wave of migration inundated the United States with approximately 15 million new immigrants. The Industrial Revolution and the inauguration of the Erie Canal in 1825 created new demand for unskilled labor as well as new space in which to settle.
This mass migration spawned the first nativist movement in the United States, as American nationals saw reasons to fear the influx of new immigrants from abroad. The primary concern was over the influence of the Catholic Church and its Irish followers, since the U.S. had largely been a Protestant nation up until that point. Accusations and stereotypes of Irish immigrants were rampant, and some of the racial slurs linger in our vocabulary right up to this day, but the newcomers eventually settled down and blended in with the rest of American society.
Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses Yearning To Breathe Free
The Statue of Liberty was a gift of friendship from France. It was intended to celebrate both nations’ commitment to liberty, and was dedicated on October 28, 1886. The poem which now adorns Lady Liberty’s base was written by the Jewish American poet Emma Lazarus, who saw the statue as a beacon to the world.
“The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles.
From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“”Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!”” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”