AAS3862: American Immigration History

The United States has frequently been called a ?nation of immigrants,? yet despite this celebratory view of the U.S.?s immigrant origins, present-day immigration often provokes fear, anxiety, and resistance. Indeed, immigrants have rarely been truly welcomed in any historical era. This course will examine the history of immigration to, and migration within, the United States from the colonial era to the present, including forced migrations, such as the African slave trade. We will consider the full range of the migration experience, including what compelled or inspired people to leave their homelands, the means of their migration, and how they settled in their new homes. In addition, we will look at the cultural transformations precipitated by immigration including the creation of ethnic identities, assimilation, and transculturation. Various forms of nativist sentiment and practice will be addressed, as well as migrant and ethnic resistance to nativism, racism, and exploitation.

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