August 26, 2024
Between the 17th and the 20th century, about 50 million Europeans migrated to the United States in several distinct waves:
Colonial Period (1600s to late 1700s): During the 17th and 18th centuries, European settlers, primarily from England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, and the Netherlands, migrated to the American colonies. By 1790, the U.S. population was about 4 million, with most people of European descent. The ratio of European settlers in the 13 American colonies varied over time, but the majority came from England, followed by smaller groups from Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
- England: The largest group of settlers came from England, making up about 60-70% of the European population in the colonies. These settlers included Puritans, Pilgrims, and other English religious and economic migrants.
- Germany: German settlers, particularly from the regions of the Rhineland and Palatinate, formed the second-largest group. They made up about 6-10% of the European population. Many settled in Pennsylvania, where they became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch (a corruption of "Deutsch," meaning German).
- Scotland and Ireland: Scots-Irish (Protestants from Northern Ireland with Scottish roots) and Scottish settlers made up about 5-7% of the population. They primarily settled in the Appalachian region.
- France: French Huguenots, who were fleeing religious persecution, made up a smaller percentage, around 3-5%. They settled in colonies like South Carolina and New York.
- Netherlands: Dutch settlers were primarily concentrated in New York (formerly New Amsterdam) and made up about 2-4% of the population.
These figures are estimates and can vary depending on the specific colony and time period. The overall population of the colonies was diverse, with many smaller groups contributing to the mix.
What were the social classes in the 13 colonies?
In the 13 American colonies, social classes were stratified based on wealth, occupation, and, to some extent, ethnicity and religion.
1. Gentry (Upper Class)
The gentry class consisted of the wealthy elite, including large landowners, plantation owners, and successful merchants. This group often held political power and influence in the colonies. These were landowners, wealthy merchants, lawyers, and colonial officials. The gentry class dominated colonial legislatures and held the most significant influence over colonial policies. Did someone say corruption?
2. Middle Class
The middle class was a broad group that included small farmers, artisans, shopkeepers, and tradespeople. They were farmers, craftsmen, blacksmiths, carpenters, and small-scale merchants. Members of the middle class were typically self-sufficient, owning their land or small businesses. They valued hard work and were able to live comfortably, though not as luxuriously as the gentry. The middle class had some political influence, especially in New England, where town meetings allowed broader participation in local governance.
3. Lower Class
The lower class included laborers, tenant farmers, apprentices, and indentured servants. This group had little wealth and limited social mobility. They were unskilled laborers, farmhands, apprentices, and those working for wages. They lived in modest homes and often struggled to make ends meet. Many in this class worked on the land owned by others or in trades where they were under contract. The lower class had minimal political influence, with limited access to voting and participation in governance.
4. Indentured Servants
Indentured servants were individuals who agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for passage to the colonies. After their service, they were supposed to receive "freedom dues," which sometimes included land, money, or goods. They worked on farms, in households, or in trade apprenticeships. Their living conditions were harsh, with limited freedom during their years of service. After their indenture, some joined the lower or middle class. Indentured servants had no political rights during their servitude and limited influence after gaining their freedom.
5. Native Americans
Native American tribes interacted with the colonies through trade, warfare, and diplomacy. They maintained their own social structures but were increasingly displaced and marginalized by European settlers. They were hunters, farmers, warriors, and traders within their communities. Their lifestyle varied widely depending on the tribe and region, but many faced displacement, loss of land, and cultural disruption due to colonial expansion. Native Americans had no formal political influence within the colonial governments, though some tribes engaged in treaties and alliances with colonial powers.
6. Free Blacks
A very small number of former African slaves had earned their freedom or had been born free, particularly in the North. They often worked as laborers, sailors, or small business owners, with very limited opportunities and facing outrageous discrimination and legal restrictions, though they had more freedom than enslaved Africans. Free Blacks had little to no political influence and were often excluded from voting and other civic rights.
7. Enslaved Africans
Enslaved Africans represented the lowest possible social class, basically treated like non-human animals without any human rights or freedoms. They were forced to work under brutal conditions, primarily in the Southern colonies on plantations. They were forced laborers, domestic workers, skilled artisans unpaid and under coercion. They lived in very poor conditions, subjected to severe restrictions including unusual and cruel punishments and denial of basic human rights. Enslaved Africans had no political influence and no legal rights. They were considered the personal property of their masters.
The social classes were very rigid at the top and bottom. There were a little fluid towards the middle between middle and lower classes. The class system in the colonies laid the groundwork for the social hierarchies that would continue to evolve in the United States.
Were the social classes in the 13 colonies different from the social classes in England?
Yes, the social classes in the 13 American colonies were different in several key ways from those in England. While the colonies were influenced by English social structures, the unique conditions of the New World led to some significant differences in how social classes were formed and functioned.
1. Greater Social Mobility in the Colonies
There was more opportunity for social mobility in the colonies than in England. The middle class was larger and more influential in the colonies, as it included a wide range of small farmers, artisans, and tradespeople. Land was more readily available, and many colonists had the chance to improve their social standing through hard work, especially in agriculture and trade.
England had a more rigid class structure with limited social mobility. The aristocracy (nobility) held a significant portion of the land and wealth, and moving up the social ladder was virtually impossible. The lower classes, including tenant farmers and laborers, had fewer opportunities to improve their status.
2. Absence of a Hereditary Aristocracy in the Colonies
Unlike in England, the American colonies did not have a hereditary aristocracy. There were no titles of nobility, such as dukes or earls. The colonial gentry, though wealthy and influential, did not hold formal noble titles.
In England, the social structure was dominated by a hereditary aristocracy. Titles and lands were passed down through generations, and this class held significant power in both the government and society. The nobility's status was tied to lineage as much as to wealth.
3. Influence of Religion and Ethnicity
Religious affiliation played a significant role in colonial social structures, particularly in regions like New England, where Puritanism shaped societal norms. Additionally, the colonies were more ethnically diverse than England, with populations of various European backgrounds, enslaved Africans, and Native Americans, each occupying different social strata.
While religion was important in England, particularly in the division between Anglicans and Dissenters (non-Anglicans), it did not define social class to the same extent as in some parts of the colonies. England was significantly less diverse and more ethnically homogeneous than the colonies.
4. Role of Slavery
Slavery was a central part of the economy and social structure in the colonies, especially in the Southern colonies, creating a distinct class of enslaved people who were at the very bottom of the social hierarchy. This did not have a direct parallel in England, where there was white indentured servitude, but no African slavery in the same way.
While England was involved in the transatlantic slave trade, chattel slavery itself was not institutionalized within the country. However, there were cases of African slaves brought to England, though their status was legally ambiguous.
5. Economic Opportunities
For white Europeans, the abundance of land and resources in the colonies created economic opportunities that did not exist in England. This allowed many colonists to achieve a level of prosperity and independence that would have been impossible in England, where land was scarce and already controlled by the crown and the church state and the elite hereditary nobility. The economic structure in England was more developed but at the same time more restrictive. The establishment controlled all profitable industries. Political power and wealth, which always go hand in hand, were totally controlled by the established monarchy, the church, and the nobility.
There were also many similarities between the social structure in the 13 American colonies and England. Both the colonies and England had clear distinctions between social classes based on wealth, land ownership, and occupation. In both societies, the upper classes held most of the political power and social influence, though this was more formalized and entrenched in England. Social hierarchy was a significant aspect of life in both places, shaping access to education, opportunities, and social interactions.
In summary, while the social classes in the 13 American colonies were influenced by English models, they evolved differently due to the unique conditions of the New World. There was greater social mobility within the middle class in the 13 colonies due to the abundance of land and theabsence of a hereditary aristocracy. However, there was a nefarious bottom with African slavery in the 13 colonies that was not institutionalized in England.
Why are whites a majority in the United States? Genocide and Immigration Laws
In the Colonial Period (1600s to late 1700s), during the 17th and 18th centuries, European settlers, primarily from England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, and the Netherlands, migrated to the American colonies. By 1790, the U.S. population was about 4 million, with the vast majority of people being of European descent. Genocide and ethnic cleansing began to get rid of pre-existing populations of humans referred to as Native Americans. These were the descendants of migrants from Siberia who had crossed into the Americas 12,000 years ago.
By the early 19th Century (1800-1840s), the country received the first major wave of European immigrants, totalling about 600,000 immigrants, primarily from the England and Germany.
By mid-19th Century (1840s-1880s), mass migration really began, driven by factors such as the Irish Potato Famine, political unrest in Germany, and the word of mouth about the economic opportunities in the United States. An estimated 5 million Europeans, particularly English, Irish, and Germans, arrived during this period.
By the late 19th to Early 20th Century (1880s-1920s), the United States saw the largest influx of European immigrants, with over 23 million immigrants, primarily from Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe (Italy, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Poland, and others). By the 1920s, the U.S. enacted laws to restrict immigration.
Post-World War II (1940s-1960s), there was yet another big wave of European immigration, though on a smaller scale compared to previous periods. This included refugees and displaced persons from war-torn regions in Europe.
In total, these waves brought tens of millions of Europeans to the United States, profoundly shaping the nation's demographic and cultural landscape. For the most part, immigration from Asia, Africa, Mexico, or Latin America was prohibited by law. The intent was always to keep America white and of European descent.
The Role of Immigration Laws
The history of immigration laws in the United States reflects the country's changing attitudes and policies towards immigration, influenced by economic, social, and political factors. Here's a timeline highlighting key immigration laws and events from 1776 to the present:
18th and 19th Centuries
1790: Naturalization Act
The first immigration law, it allowed free white persons of good moral character to become citizens after two years of residence. This law set the precedent for excluding non-white immigrants from citizenship.
1798: Alien and Sedition Acts
These laws allowed the president to deport any foreigner deemed dangerous and extended the residency requirement for citizenship from 5 to 14 years.
1862: Anti-Coolie Act
Aimed at Chinese laborers, this California law imposed a tax on employers who hired Chinese workers, reflecting growing anti-Chinese sentiment.
1864: Immigration Act
Established the position of Commissioner of Immigration and encouraged immigration to meet labor demands, especially during the Civil War.
1875: Page Act
The first federal immigration law, it prohibited the entry of Chinese women suspected of being prostitutes and convicts from Asia.
1882: Chinese Exclusion Act
The first significant law restricting immigration based on ethnicity, it banned all Chinese laborers from entering the U.S. for 10 years, later extended and made permanent until 1943.
1891: Immigration Act of 1891
Established the federal government’s authority over immigration and created the Bureau of Immigration. It excluded certain classes of immigrants, such as the diseased and those likely to become public charges.
20th Century
1907: Gentleman’s Agreement
An informal agreement between the U.S. and Japan, where Japan agreed to restrict the emigration of its citizens to the U.S. in exchange for the U.S. ending its segregation of Japanese children in San Francisco schools.
1917: Immigration Act of 1917 (Asiatic Barred Zone Act)
Created a "barred zone" extending from the Middle East to Southeast Asia, from which immigrants were excluded. It also imposed a literacy test on immigrants.
1921: Emergency Quota Act
Established national quotas based on the 1910 census, limiting the number of immigrants to 3% of the number of residents from each country already living in the U.S.
1924: Immigration Act of 1924 (Johnson-Reed Act)
Further restricted immigration by establishing national origin quotas based on the 1890 census, favoring immigrants from Northern and Western Europe. It also effectively banned immigration from Asia.
1942: Bracero Program
An agreement between the U.S. and Mexico that allowed millions of Mexican men to come to the U.S. to work on short-term, primarily agricultural, labor contracts.
1943: Repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act
The Magnuson Act repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act, allowing a small quota of Chinese immigrants and granting them the right to naturalization.
1952: Immigration and Nationality Act (McCarran-Walter Act)
Codified and consolidated previous immigration laws but retained the quota system. It excluded immigrants based on their political beliefs, particularly targeting communists.
1965: Immigration and Nationality Act (Hart-Celler Act)
Abolished the national origins quota system, establishing a new immigration policy based on reuniting immigrant families and attracting skilled labor to the U.S. This law significantly changed the demographic makeup of immigrants, increasing numbers from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
1986: Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA)
Granted amnesty to approximately 3 million undocumented immigrants who had entered the U.S. before 1982 and established penalties for employers who knowingly hired unauthorized workers.
1990: Immigration Act of 1990
Increased the total number of immigrants allowed into the U.S. each year and created the Diversity Visa Program, which aimed to increase the number of immigrants from underrepresented countries.
1996: Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA)
Introduced measures to strengthen border enforcement, made it easier to deport immigrants, and imposed bars on reentry for those who had been unlawfully present in the U.S.
21st Century
2001: USA PATRIOT Act
Passed in response to the September 11 attacks, it expanded the government's ability to detain and deport immigrants suspected of terrorism-related activities.
2002: Homeland Security Act
Created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which assumed responsibility for immigration services and enforcement, replacing the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).
2012: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
An executive order by President Barack Obama, DACA allowed certain undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. as minors to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility for work permits.
2017: Executive Orders on Immigration
President Donald Trump issued executive orders that, among other things, temporarily banned entry to the U.S. from several predominantly Muslim countries, reduced the number of refugees admitted, and increased enforcement against undocumented immigrants.
2021: U.S. Citizenship Act
Proposed by the Biden administration, this bill seeks to create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, reform the asylum system, and address root causes of migration, though it has not yet been passed by Congress.
Without the immigration laws and policies above, the demographic composition of the United States would be significantly different. Population and immigration are dynamic and in constant flux. European migration into the United States is not as popular today as in the past. Current minority groups in the United States are growing at a faster pace than Americans of European descent. It is projected that by 2045, the majority of the United States will be nonwhite or of non European descent. The current changes and projected ones are already making impacts in elections and the economic growth of our Nation. The country is gradually returning to its brown roots before the European immigration wave that began in the 1600s.
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