Figure 1.--Congress passed restrictive immigration policies, establishing national quota for the first time (1924). While this substantially reduced immigration, there were still very large immigrant populations in American cities. This photograph take in Chicago Maxwell Street market shows a group of people some of whom seem to be Jewish. The boy looks to be studying the Torah. The caption reads, "Joe Kaplan sells dishes to Mrs. Freida Sawyer at Maxwell and Peoria Streets, circa April 1927." Also notice the African Americans, part of the Great Migration. An important part of the education and assimilation process was America's education process was the public school system which worked wonders with limited resources. This is in sharp contrast to the current public school system that despite enormous resources is failing to educate many students, especially in inner cities and teaching many students to hate their country.

The American population rapidly expanded in the 19th century, both by domestic births and migration. In finally reached 100 million (1910s). Even before the turn of the 20th century, United States had built the world's largest economy, but in contrast to Europe refused to convert industrial power into military power. World War I was a short term exception. This isolationist orientation almost resulted in national disaster and the destruction of Western Civilization during World War II. The Spanish Flu Epidemic caused a short term blip population growth. For the first tine, the majority of Americans lived in cities (1920). This meant that the average size of the American family was declining. It is at this tome the United States introduced strict immigration limitations (1924). While this limited the arrival of new immigrants. The United States had a large population of immigrants that were only partly assimilated. Here the public schools were doing a fine job of beginning the assimilation process. The African-American population was until the 1910s a mostly rural southern population. The harsh treatment of African Americans in a escalated racial bigotry as well as limited economic opportunity set the Great Migration in motion. Another factor was the need for labor in the North because the flow of European migration was cut off by World War I (1910s). Eventually some 6 million African-Americans would move north. The Great Migration which converted African Americans to an important northern urban population. Some 6 million African-Americans migrated out of the South in what would be the largest domestic demographic shift in American history. Henry Ford invented the Model-T Tin Lizzie (1907), essentially putting Americans on wheels--motorized wheels. This accelerated a move from the cities to the sunburns. The Great Depression of the 1930s, slowed population growth, but accelerated urbanization and strangely enough education, with more teenagers attending secondary schools. World War I had major repercussions, but because America was involved for only a shirt time, they were limited. World War II had a far greater impact, leading the Civil Rights and Women's Movements and a more open immigration system. The War and the Cold War that followed it would lead to America becoming a super power and generating unrepresented scientific advances leading to marvelous life changing innovations and while new industries. The United States population passed the 200 million mark (1960s). Immigration has led to major demographic shifts, especially a huge rise in the Hispanic population which began after World War II. Latin America has replaced Europe as the most important region origin for immigrants. As a result, Hispanic populations began a rapidly growth in the border states. New Mexico now has a majority Hispanic population. This has significantly affected American demographics. Germans long dominated as the largest immigrant ethnicity. By the end of the century in had become Hispanics. In addition non-Hispanic whites which had been the dominant American began drooping. Ethnic minorities tend to have a much higher birth rate than non-Hispanic white which combined with Hispanic immigration is radically altering the American ethnic profile. By the end of the century, these changes were still confined primarily to the Border States, but were beginning to reach urban areas in the rest of the country. There has also been a decline in the non-Hispanic white birth rate. Here factors including urbanization, the Women's Movement, and economic trends are involved, but unlike other Western countries, the population has not declined, primarily due to immigration.

Created: 8:47 PM 7/25/2024
Last updated: 8:47 PM 7/25/2024