The Early National Period - 1789- 1860
In the 1840s the immigration rate tripled and then quadrupled in the 1850s. The immigration rate increased so much because Irish immigrants were fleeing from the potato famine and the Germans also had crop failures. Between 1830 and 1860 two million Irish immigrants and 1.5 million German immigrants arrived in America. Immigration rates went up because of the Gold Rush in 1848.
In 1825 the Erie Canal opened which carried cargo along the rivers. It carried items like grain, stone, flour, salt, produce, manufactured goods, lumber, and passengers.
| Gold Rush The Gold rush was during the Early National Period from 1848 to 1858. Many Americans moved to California to find gold. There were also immigrants coming on boat from South America and Panama. The American migrants traveled over the California Trail on a 2,000 mile journey. Over 300,000 people seeking gold came to California by 1850. With immigrants coming from Mexico, Russia, Europe, and also Americans, California became a very diverse population with many different religions, languages, and social customs. |
Citations
"California Gold Rush." Immigration to the United States . N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jul 2012. <http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/immigration/goldrush.html>.
"Erie Canal." Nation Canal Museum. N.p., 2005-2010. Web. 24 Jul 2012. <http://www.canals.org/researchers/Canal_Profiles/United_States/Northeast/Erie_Canal>
"Facts About Immigration." The Immigrant. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jul 2012. <http://www.path.coe.uh.edu/seminar2002/week2/immigrant_facts.html>.
