Summary of the Law During the1800s and early 1900s, there was an influx of European and Asian immigrants to the United Sates. Due to increase of immigration, Legislation passed the Immigration Act of 1924 to limit the number of immigrants migrating to the United States from each country. It set a quota for each country on how many immigrants can acquire visas. Reasons led up to the 1924 Act was urban overcrowding, preserving the “American” ways, limited labor supply, and to prevent new immigrants in radical political movements. (Cawthorne, 2015) During the 1920s, after the World War I, there was fears and speculation of new immigrants taking jobs from the Americans and the work force not being “Americanized.” (“Immigration Act of 1924,” 2005) There were limitations to the Immigration Act of 1924. The Act favored European groups due to similar racial characteristics and religious patterns. Countries like in the Middle East, Africa, and parts of eastern Asia had extremely small quotas. The Act banned certain immigrants to enter the United States like Chinese and Japanese while western hemisphere countries in Latin and South America are excluded from the Act. The Immigration Act of 1924 was racially and ethnically bias and prejudiced. It discriminated against religion as well as disability. Those who fit the categories were faced with more limitations and restrictions. The 1924 act was the result of culmination of a previous laws aimed at curbing the rapid influx of immigrants. Due to these laws, immigrants cannot enter the United States if they could not read, were mentally unstable or physically ill, and were found to be political radicals (such as anarchists) who might pose a threat to the stability of the U.S. government. The Immigration Act lasted up to 1965. It was replaced by Immigration Act of 1965 that increased quotas for each country and removed all restrictions including racial, ethnic, disability, and religion limitations. (“Immigration Act of 1924,” 2005)
Impacts of the Law in Education There was a great impact on Education while the Act was enforced between the 1920 -1940. Teachers had to acquire training specifically teaching adults and students of different cultural backgrounds. They had manuals and guidelines for teaching American culture. For the students, there was a pressure for immigrants to assimilate to American culture to keep the “American Ways.” When the Act passed and due to decrease of immigrants, there was an agreement that students can keep their culture while learning the American standards and English in school. (Ray, 2013) Education became broader due to a melting pot of cultures in the United States. Since the Immigration Act of 1965, there were influx of minority races and ethnicities making United States a multicultural setting.
What does that mean for education today? Teachers:
•Because of influx of different cultures after the replacement of the Act, teachers need to recognize and become aware of different culture entering the United States.
•Teachers need up-to-date training on how to teach individuals of another culture.
Students:
•Students are allowed to practice their own culture while learning English.
•Students are allowed to have a bilingual education.
Education:
•The Immigration Act in 1924 tries to preserve a homogeneous society. They try to enforce assimilation on immigrants. Since amendment and changes to the Act, education is no longer homogenous but a mixture of culture and ethnicities. Today, we laws and support to accommodate newly immigrants coming to the United States while preserving their culture. Education are more acceptable to different cultures today than it was back in the 1920s.
References
•Cawthon, E. A. (2015). Immigration Act of 1924. Salem Press Encyclopedia.
•Immigration Act of 1924. (2005). Flash Focus: Equal Rights Under Law (pp. 199-200). US: Lakeside Publishing Group, LLC.
•Ray, B. (2013). ESL Droids: Teacher Training and the Americanization Movement, 1919-1924. Composition Studies, 41(2), 15-39.
During the1800s and early 1900s, there was an influx of European and Asian immigrants to the United Sates. Due to increase of immigration, Legislation passed the Immigration Act of 1924 to limit the number of immigrants migrating to the United States from each country. It set a quota for each country on how many immigrants can acquire visas. Reasons led up to the 1924 Act was urban overcrowding, preserving the “American” ways, limited labor supply, and to prevent new immigrants in radical political movements. (Cawthorne, 2015) During the 1920s, after the World War I, there was fears and speculation of new immigrants taking jobs from the Americans and the work force not being “Americanized.” (“Immigration Act of 1924,” 2005)
There were limitations to the Immigration Act of 1924. The Act favored European groups due to similar racial characteristics and religious patterns. Countries like in the Middle East, Africa, and parts of eastern Asia had extremely small quotas. The Act banned certain immigrants to enter the United States like Chinese and Japanese while western hemisphere countries in Latin and South America are excluded from the Act. The Immigration Act of 1924 was racially and ethnically bias and prejudiced. It discriminated against religion as well as disability. Those who fit the categories were faced with more limitations and restrictions. The 1924 act was the result of culmination of a previous laws aimed at curbing the rapid influx of immigrants. Due to these laws, immigrants cannot enter the United States if they could not read, were mentally unstable or physically ill, and were found to be political radicals (such as anarchists) who might pose a threat to the stability of the U.S. government. The Immigration Act lasted up to 1965. It was replaced by Immigration Act of 1965 that increased quotas for each country and removed all restrictions including racial, ethnic, disability, and religion limitations. (“Immigration Act of 1924,” 2005)
Impacts of the Law in Education
There was a great impact on Education while the Act was enforced between the 1920 -1940. Teachers had to acquire training specifically teaching adults and students of different cultural backgrounds. They had manuals and guidelines for teaching American culture. For the students, there was a pressure for immigrants to assimilate to American culture to keep the “American Ways.” When the Act passed and due to decrease of immigrants, there was an agreement that students can keep their culture while learning the American standards and English in school. (Ray, 2013) Education became broader due to a melting pot of cultures in the United States. Since the Immigration Act of 1965, there were influx of minority races and ethnicities making United States a multicultural setting.
What does that mean for education today?
Teachers:
- •Because of influx of different cultures after the replacement of the Act, teachers need to recognize and become aware of different culture entering the United States.
- •Teachers need up-to-date training on how to teach individuals of another culture.
Students:- •Students are allowed to practice their own culture while learning English.
- •Students are allowed to have a bilingual education.
Education:References
Additional Sources
Lesson plan Resource:
http://www-tc.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/pdfs/tna3_immpolicy.pdf