Immigration in Industrial America

Millions of women and men from around the world have immigrated to the United States. Like many other settler societies, the United States, before it achieved independence and afterward, relied on the flow of newcomers from abroad to people its relatively open and unsettled lands. Immigration played a key role not only in making America’s development possible but also in shaping the basic nature of the society.

In every era of U.S. history, from colonial times in the 17th century through the early 21st century, women and men from around the world have opted for the American experience. They arrived as foreigners, bearers of languages, cultures, and religions that at times seemed alien to America’s essential core. Over time, as ideas about U.S. culture changed, the immigrants and their descendants simultaneously built ethnic communities and participated in American civic life, contributing to the nation as a whole.

- Hasia Diner, Professor of History at New York University in New York City

Instructional Resources for Immigration in Industrial America

Elementary Instructional Unit

High School Instructional Unit

The Freedom of My Speech (Digital Story by Magda Kahn)