Reference no: EM133535703

We have looked at immigration as both a fundamental human activity and a highly divisive issue in American society and politics. As a whole, activity and attitudes pertaining to immigration follow a strong pattern where native-born citizens tend to reject more recent immigrants. Those recent immigrants eventually assimilate into American culture, and become the group that projects nativist sentiments on the next group of immigrants.

In a well organized answer, describe how the pattern described above has manifested itself from the colonial period in American history to the 1980s. Be sure to include specific groups and events and policies that are central to history of American immigration.

Then, discuss whether or not you think there is a fundamental difference between immigrant groups of the past and current immigrants? Will the groups that are the focus on immigration law today (peoples from Mexico, Asia, Latin America, and South America) assimilate into American society just as the groups before them have? Do you think this pattern of immigration and reaction to immigration will persist into the future?

Finally, America has often been celebrated as a melting pot or mosaic of different cultures that is more than the sum of it's parts - an incredible culmination of cultures from immigrants who have chosen to call it home. Others have argued America is not a melting pot but a "garbage can" and, as Calvin Coolidge argued at the end of World War I "America must be kept American." Thinking about our studies this semester, which sentiment do you identify with more and why?