American Pageant is vague on what "New Immigration" actually is- can anyone define it? Thanks!

What time period are we talking about here? The term isn't familiar to me, but perhaps with a little context I can give you a good guess.

perhaps you are referring to the "new immigration" of 1865-1900...when america moved to the city? or the "new immigrants" of the Colonial Society in the Mid-Eighteenth Century? or is this an old topic that isn't further relevant to anyone?

I'd guess that this is the case, shannok; however, I agree with you that it would most likely be the wave of "new immigration" in the mentioned time period.

If that's the case, I'd say the book wasn't really "vague" at all, but you never know....

i agree with that too. its funny, hey? don't you think that if the book says 'people reacted to this new immigration in these ways....' that would ring a bell somewhere up there.....? :huh:

but for the sake of anyone who also has the same question.... on "new immigration" from the time period of 1865-1900:

here is a brief summary:
new Immigrant characteristics:
-came from eastern and southern europe
-orthodox
-unfamiliarity with democratic gov't
-high illiteracy
-mostly poor
-took up jobs in cities
-isolated themselves into "little italys" and "little polands"----will they assimilate??

the federal gov't did little to make assimilation easier. new immigrants' needs were mainly tended to by political machines, led by "bosses" like Boss Tweed (and others). The bosses would trade them jobs for services and votes. So, the boss would set the new immigrant up with a job and in turn, the immigrant would vote/support/campaign/etc. for the boss. Reformers stepped in and the "social gospel" was preached far and wide and also settlement houses were established (esp. Hull House by Jane Addams).