Web Drop-In #3

 

                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                  

 

 

Introduction:

This assignment will take a look at the issue of immigration to the United States of America.  As many of you might already know, this nation was founded by a great influx of immigrants from other countries, primarily Europe.  Now, what we are going to look at is when these immigrants came to America and, maybe, some of the reasons why they wanted to leave their homelands and come to the U.S. to live.

 

Information/Problem:

Since America has been built on the backs of arriving immigrants, it only seems fair that we look at some graphs and charts to see exactly the when and why behind the immigrants’ journey here.  We want to learn at what times in the U.S.’s history did many of these immigrants come here.  We also want to know some of the reasons why they decided to make the often difficult journey here.

 

Activity:

This activity consists of two parts. 

 

(Part One):

First, visit this site and take a look at the graph and read the text below it.  After you do this, answer the following questions listed below.

 

http://www.missouri.edu/~socbrent/immigr.htm

 

  1. In between what years did the U.S. receive the most immigrants?
  2. In between what years did the U.S. receive the least immigrants?
  3. Why do you think the immigration rate to the U.S. dropped between 1930 and 1950?
  4. Why do you think immigration rates soared in the 1980s and 1990s?
  5. Where do you think most of the immigrants to the U.S. came from in the past twenty years?
  6. Do you think that more Americans were foreign born at the start of our nation or today?

 

(Part Two):

Now, we want to take a look at how immigration has affected the population make-up of the U.S. over its history.  Visit this site and take a look at the chart and answer the following questions.

 

http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/shared/aboutus/statistics/308.htm

 

  1. What percentage of the U.S.’s population were immigrants in 1900?
  2. What percentage of the U.S.’s population were immigrants in 1990?
  3. At what time was the percentage of Americans who were foreign born the highest?
  4. At what time was it the lowest?
  5. Where do you think most of the immigrants to the U.S. come from in the present day?