A Nation of Immigrants

by Susan F. Martin

• ISBN13: 9780521734455
• ISBN10: 0521734452
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-11-08
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Immigration makes America what it is and is formative for what it will become. America was settled by three different models of immigration, all of which persist to the present. The Virginia Colony largely equated immigration with the arrival of laborers, who had few rights. Massachusetts welcomed those who shared the religious views of the founders but excluded those whose beliefs challenged the prevailing orthodoxy. Pennsylvania valued pluralism, becoming the most diverse colony in religion, language, and culture. This book traces the evolution of these three models of immigration as they explain the historical roots of current policy debates and options. Arguing that the Pennsylvania model has best served the country, the final chapter makes recommendations for future immigration reform. Given the highly controversial nature of immigration in the United States, this book provides thoughtful analysis, valuable to both academic and policy audiences.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. vii
Introduction	p. 1
"Gentlemen, Tradesmen, Serving-men, Libertines"	p. 11
"A City upon a Hill"	p. 27
"The Seed of a Nation"	p. 44
Immigration and the Formation of the Republic	p. 60
Building a Nation: 1830-1880	p. 84
The Golden Door: 1880-1917	p. 105
The Triumph of Restrictionism: 1882-1924	p. 132
Turning Inward: 1924-1964	p. 152
"A Nation of Immigrants": 1965-1994	p. 183
A Nation of Refuge	p. 220
The Pennsylvania Model at Risk: 1993-2009	p. 251
Looking Ahead	p. 287
References	p. 311
Index	p. 329
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