Calvin Coolidge, Presidential Proclamation on Immigration Quotas (1924)
A Proclamation
Whereas it is provided in the act of Congress approved May 26, 1924, entitled "An act to limit the immigration of aliens into the United States, and for other purposes" that "The annual quota of any nationality shall be two per centum of the number of foreign-born individuals of such nationality resident in continental United States as determined by the United States Census of 1890, but the minimum quota of any nationality shall be 100 (Sec. 11 a). . . .
. . .
Now, therefore I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States of America acting under and by virtue of the power in me vested by the aforesaid act of Congress, do hereby proclaim and make known that on and after July 1, 1924, and throughout the fiscal year 1924–1925, the quota of each nationality provided in said act shall be as follows:
COUNTRY OR AREA OF BIRTH QUOTA 1924–1925
[selected countries]
China–100
France (1, 5, 6)–3,954
Germany–51,227
Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1, 3, 5, 6)–34,007
Greece–100
Hungary–473
Japan–100
GENERAL NOTE. The immigration quotas assigned to the various countries and quota-areas should not be regarded as having any political significance whatever, or as involving recognition of new governments, or of new boundaries, or of transfers of territory except as the United States Government has already made such recognition in a formal and official manner. . . . Calvin Coolidge.
(a) In 1–2 sentences, explain how this excerpt reflects domestic challenges faced by the U.S. government in the 1920s.
(b) In 2–3 sentences, explain the significance of the differences in the country quotas.
(c) In 2–3 sentences, explain how these country quotas reflected broader American opinions and prejudices about certain immigrant groups in this period.
a) This excerpt reflects domestic challenges faced by the U.S. government in the 1920s related to controlling immigration and limiting the number of foreigners entering the country.
b) The differences in the country quotas reflect the U.S. government's perception of each country's economic and social value and their potential impact on American society.
c) These country quotas reflected broader American opinions and prejudices about certain immigrant groups in this period, as some nations were given significantly higher quotas than others despite having similar numbers of residents already in the United States. This demonstrates how prejudice and national identity influenced U.S. immigration policy during this era.
(a) This excerpt reflects the domestic challenges faced by the U.S. government in the 1920s regarding immigration. The passage highlights the passage of the 1924 act that aimed to limit the number of immigrants by establishing quotas based on nationality, indicating the concerns and debates surrounding immigration at the time.
(b) The significance of the differences in the country quotas lies in the varying numbers assigned to each nation. These quotas were determined based on the number of foreign-born individuals from each nationality residing in the continental United States as of the 1890 census. The higher quotas for countries like Germany and Great Britain indicate a preference for immigrants from Western European countries, while smaller quotas, such as those for China and Japan, reflect discriminatory attitudes towards Asian immigrants.
(c) These country quotas reflected broader American opinions and prejudices about certain immigrant groups in the 1920s. The higher quotas for Western European countries, such as Germany and Great Britain, reflect a more favorable view of these immigrants due to their perceived cultural similarity to Americans. On the other hand, the lower quotas for countries like China and Japan reflect the prevailing racist attitudes and discriminatory policies towards Asian immigrants at the time. These quotas were a reflection of the nativist sentiment and desire to restrict non-Western immigration in the United States.
(a) This excerpt reflects domestic challenges faced by the U.S. government in the 1920s through the enactment of strict immigration quotas, aimed at limiting the number of immigrants entering the country. This was a response to rising fears and concerns about the impact of immigration on American society and the economy.
(b) The significance of the differences in the country quotas lies in the fact that they were determined based on the number of foreign-born individuals from each nationality present in the United States as of the 1890 census. This meant that countries that had a larger number of immigrants already residing in the country, such as Germany and Great Britain, were allocated higher quotas compared to countries with smaller immigrant populations, like China or Greece.
(c) These country quotas reflected broader American opinions and prejudices about certain immigrant groups in this period. The lower quotas for countries like China and Japan reflected the nativist and anti-Asian sentiments prevalent at the time, fueled by fears of economic competition and cultural differences. The higher quotas for countries like Great Britain and Germany, which were deemed more desirable by Americans due to their perceived similarities in language, culture, and ethnicity, reflected existing biases and preferences for immigrants from Western Europe.