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How long did it take before emigration from England/UK to the thirteen colonies/states resumed following the American Revolution? Or did it? Had large-scale emigration from England to the colonies ceased before 1775 and did emigration from Ireland and Scotland continue?
For the most part large scale immigration virtually ceased to exist between 1770 and 1830 with only a small trickle coming in from various places. For instance in 1820 there were only 8,000 immigrants in that year. By 1830 it had risen to 23,000. From 1810-1820 there were only around 70,000 immigrants total and from 1820-1830 it was around 140,000. From there things really take off...
1830-1840 was 600,000 which included; 200k Irish, 150k Germans and 75k British.
1840-1850 was 1.7 million which included; 780k Irish (potato famine), 435k Germans and 267k British.
One of the more interesting figures to me is that in 1815 the US population was almost 99% native born, by 1850 this had dropped to 90%. In the span of roughly 20 years, there was a massive population shift, the impact of which is clearly seen in US politics with things like nativist movements.
From that point forward, we get into the heyday of American immigration from 1850-1930. From 1850-1880 the main immigrant nations were still Ireland, Germany, England, Scotland and France. From 1880-1930 there was a huge shift where most immigrants were coming from southern Europe and Italy in particular.
One of the more interesting figures to me is that in 1815 the US population was almost 99% native born, by 1850 this had dropped to 90%. In the span of roughly 20 years, there was a massive population shift, the impact of which is clearly seen in US politics with things like nativist movements.
I'm currently reading about the nativist, anti-immigration and anti-Catholic, movement, the Know Nothings and the beginning of the Republican party. Very interesting part of US history which I knew nothing about before; not surprising as I was never taught any American history at school.
One thing that Goat touched upon were nativist movements in the early 1800s. These groups of people were decidedly anti-British and the UK was considered by most Americans during the 19th century to be an "unfriendly" country. This type of rigid anti-Brit sentiment changed somewhat after the Civil War, yet anti-British attitudes prevailed in this country until after WWII when our "cousins" across the pond became our most trusted allies -- especially in the fight against the Soviet bear.
I'll add that during the heyday period between 1830 and 1950, U.S. law maintained quotas and various restrictions on immigration. As Goat stated, laws did provide for more immigrants from southern Europe and Italy, but banned nearly altogether Asians trying to enter the country. See in particular the Chinese Exclusion Act (Repealed in 1943), Emergency Quota Act of 1921 and the Immigration Act of 1924 and the subsequent National Origins Formula. The last one here divided nations into those in which there were quotas and those that were deemed non-quota.
Reasons explaining these immigration restrictions include suspicion of immigrants from majority Catholic countries and suspicion of immigrants from European countries who might be prone to bringing over various ideas about wealth distribution and government ownership of industries (socialism/communism). The McCarran-Walter act of the 1950s specifically lifted restrictions on Asiatic immigration, but provided the government with sweeping powers to deport any non-native persons suspected of sympathizing with communists.
Perhaps the true heyday of immigration began after 1965 when these quotas and restrictions were lifted and enabled legal Mexican immigration to proceed apace.
Reasons explaining these immigration restrictions include suspicion of immigrants from majority Catholic countries and suspicion of immigrants from European countries who might be prone to bringing over various ideas about wealth distribution and government ownership of industries (socialism/communism). The McCarran-Walter act of the 1950s specifically lifted restrictions on Asiatic immigration, but provided the government with sweeping powers to deport any non-native persons suspected of sympathizing with communists.
Perhaps the true heyday of immigration began after 1965 when these quotas and restrictions were lifted and enabled legal Mexican immigration to proceed apace.
There were no restrictions on Mexican immigration in the 1924 Immigration Act, which allowed for unlimited immigration from the Western Hemisphere even as it severely restricted European immigration and banned Asian immigration.
The big change in the Kennedy-Cellar act came from removing restrictions on Asian immigration (which still existed post-McCarran Act although loosened) and on immigration from Southern Europe (no effect) and Eastern Europe (no effects until 20 years later). The big upsurge in Mexican immigration both legal and illegal had to do with factors inside Mexico rather than US law.
I'm currently reading about the nativist, anti-immigration and anti-Catholic, movement, the Know Nothings and the beginning of the Republican party. Very interesting part of US history which I knew nothing about before; not surprising as I was never taught any American history at school.
Actually unless you took a course in college there is a good chance you would have never learned this in America either .
I did a research paper on a similar subject while I was in school. It was about immigration to the united states comparing English immigrants to everyone else (irish, german, etc). And what was interesting is how all the other immigrants tended to stick together forming neighborhoods/streets/towns full of people from the same place. Whereas the English immigrants found it very easy to access any level of society and distributed fairly evenly among the native population.
I'm currently reading about the nativist, anti-immigration and anti-Catholic, movement, the Know Nothings and the beginning of the Republican party. Very interesting part of US history which I knew nothing about before; not surprising as I was never taught any American history at school.
For the most part large scale immigration virtually ceased to exist between 1770 and 1830 with only a small trickle coming in from various places. For instance in 1820 there were only 8,000 immigrants in that year. By 1830 it had risen to 23,000. From 1810-1820 there were only around 70,000 immigrants total and from 1820-1830 it was around 140,000. From there things really take off...
1830-1840 was 600,000 which included; 200k Irish, 150k Germans and 75k British.
1840-1850 was 1.7 million which included; 780k Irish (potato famine), 435k Germans and 267k British.
One of the more interesting figures to me is that in 1815 the US population was almost 99% native born, by 1850 this had dropped to 90%. In the span of roughly 20 years, there was a massive population shift, the impact of which is clearly seen in US politics with things like nativist movements.
From that point forward, we get into the heyday of American immigration from 1850-1930. From 1850-1880 the main immigrant nations were still Ireland, Germany, England, Scotland and France. From 1880-1930 there was a huge shift where most immigrants were coming from southern Europe and Italy in particular.
In 1948 a political revolution overtook Europe, and for a short span of time, the old guard was pushed out of power by reform governments who were inspired by the US and French ideas. In 1849 they were not only lost but those associated, especially in the German and Austrian areas, ran for their lives. This was in part a reason why Irish and German immigration rose so much at that point, because both had good reasons to go.
How long did it take before emigration from England/UK to the thirteen colonies/states resumed following the American Revolution? Or did it? Had large-scale emigration from England to the colonies ceased before 1775 and did emigration from Ireland and Scotland continue?
I know that our american patriarch 'William' immigrated from Devonshire to Charleston, South Carolina in 1789 and so i assume that Prez Washington and/or the Congress allowed it to happen quickly afterwards.
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