Immigration Act of 1924
Introduction: The following multimodal notes will aid you in your understanding of the events leading up to the Immigration Act of 1924. You will also learn about how this legislation restricted immigration from certain countries.*Please note that Blue underlined text are links to interesting sites that will help you in your quest for knowledge.
What was the Immigration Act of 1924?
The Immigration Act of 1924 was a law that attempted to reduce the number of immigrants from certain areas such as Southern and Eastern Europe as well as Asia. The intent of these restrictive quotas was to reduce the threat of communist and anarchist ideology in the United States.
The illustration below shows the effectiveness of the Immigration Act of 1924. The blue portion represents Southern and Eastern European immigrants. Prior to the 1920s, Southern and Eastern Europeans increased at a significant rate. After the Immigration Act of 1924, Southern and Eastern Europeans decreased significantly.
WHAT IS THE MAIN IDEA?! Immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe decreased as a result of Immigration Act of 1924.
Trivia question: Can you find the flaw in this diagram??? Hint: what color is associated with immigrants from South-Eastern Europe? See the bottom of the notes for the answer.
Let’s look at a map of immigration prior to the 1920s
Immigrants prior to 1920s are coming mostly from three regions.
1.) North and Eastern Europe which consists mostly of immigrants from Great Britain and Ireland. These were the desired immigrants.
2.) Southern and Western Europe which consisted of Russia, Italy, and other European countries. These were the immigrants that the U.S. wanted to restrict. Why? These immigrants represented a danger of increasing danger to the U.S. Government through the spread of Communism and Anarchy.
3.) Asia also had a fair amount of immigration which the U.S. wanted to restrict.
Why did the Immigration Act of 1924 decrease immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe??
The Red Scare: The Bolshevik Revolution in Russia following WWI led to Communist ideology in Russia which spread throughout Eastern Europe. Communism in Russia removed people’s right to own business and property. This radical ideology frightened many people in the United States because of our free market economy. This fright people felt towards a communist revolution in the United States was known as the “Red Scare.” It only makes sense to be called the “Red” Scare because Red is the color associated with communism. In order to solve the Red Scare problem, the United States created immigration laws that would restrict the flow of undesirable South and Eastern European people to the United States. Immigration laws are an example of nativism, when laws were passed that favored the interests of U.S. citizens over those of immigrants.
Effect: Quotas were set to limit immigration from certain countries. This is another example of the 1920s policy of isolationism.
What were other reasons for the Immigration Act of 1924?
The shifty looking individual below represents a European anarchists who entered the United States following World War I. Anarchy is the idea that society would function better without governmental authority. The bomb and knife he is carrying represent the perceived threat anarchy poses to the United States.
How did the Red Scare affect the United States?
Sacco and Vanzetti
Xenophobia, also known as the fear of foreigners, led to large scale Police raids and investigations as a result of the Red Scare. Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were sentenced to death following conviction for armed robbery and murder. Their death sentence is believed to be a result of their involvement in labor strikes, political agitation, and antiwar propaganda as well as their anarchist beliefs. Sacco and Vanzetti’s conviction and death sentence is an example of the fear people felt towards the growing population of Southern and Eastern European immigrants. The Red Scare increased the fear and mistrust of Communists and Anarchists within the United States. This xenophobia (fear of foreigners) resulted in quotas that restricted immigration and oppression of ethnic groups such as Italians, Germans, and Russians.
Check for Understanding: Answer the following 10 questions to check for your understanding of the Immigration Act of 1924.
Please use the cartoon below to answer question number 1.
1.) This cartoon from the 1920s shows the United
States government’s attempt to deal with
(1) foreign trade
(2) transportation gridlocks
(3) immigration
(4) migrant workers
2.) What was one effect of the Bolshevik Revolution
(October 1917) on the United States?
(1) Nativism increased, leading to the Red Scare.
(2) Federal courts banned anti-immigrant
groups.
(3) The Allied powers needed fewer United
States troops.
(4) Immigration laws were changed to allow
refugees from Russia.
3.) In the 1920’s, the Immigration Act of 1924 and the Sacco-Vanzetti trial were typical of the
(1) rejection of traditional customs and beliefs
(2) acceptance of cultural differences
(3) increase in nativism and intolerance
(4) support of humanitarian causes
4.) Which feature of the immigration laws of the 1920’s was different from prior laws?
(1) Quotas were set to limit immigration from many countries
(2) Preference was granted to Chinese immigrants
(3) Refugees from war-torn Europe were encouraged to enter the United States
(4) Efforts were made to stop illegal immigration from Latin America
5.) During the period 1840–1920, from which area did the largest number
of immigrants come to the United States?
(1) Asia (3) Germany
(2) Canada (4) Great Britain and Ireland
6.) Which action is an example of nativism in the 1920s?
(1) widespread violation of Prohibition laws
(2) efforts to improve living conditions for Native American Indians
(3) passage of laws restricting immigration
(4) provision of credit to farmers
 7.) The data in the chart support the idea that the immigration laws of 1921 and 1924 were primarily designed to (1) stop illegal entry into the country (2) admit skilled workers (3) encourage immigration from southern Europe (4) reduce immigration from specific regions |
8.) The quota system, established as part of United
States immigration policy in the 1920s, was
mainly designed to
(1) limit the number of immigrants from certain
nations
(2) increase the total number of immigrants
(3) allow an equal number of immigrants from
every country
(4) attract skilled workers and business investors
Base your answers to questions 9 and 10 on the chart below and on your knowledge of social studies.
| Immigration Before and After Quota Laws | From Northern and Western Europe | From Southern and Eastern Europe and Asia |
| Average annual number of immigrants before quotas (1907–1914) | 176,793 | 685,531 |
| Emergency Quota Act of 1921 | 198,082 | 158,367 |
| Quotas in Immigration Act of 1924 | 140,999 | 21,847 |
Source: Thomas A. Bailey et al., The American Pageant, Houghton-Mifflin (adapted)
9.) What was an effect of the immigration laws of 1921 and 1924?
(1) reduction of immigration from southern and eastern Europe and Asia
(2) establishment of equality among ethnic groups seeking entrance to the United States
(3) increase in the total number of immigrants allowed to enter the United States
(4) removal of restrictions from the nations of northern and western Europe
10.) One reason for the passage of the laws shown in this chart was to
(1) limit economic growth
(2) protect the jobs of workers in the United States
(3) improve working conditions in American factories
(4) promote non-European immigration
Trivia Question Answer: If you guessed Red, you are right! South-eastern Europeans were associated with Communism. Red associated with Communism following the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia.