Why did people migrate to America?

Answer 1

Immigration has been a critical part of the history of the United States. Throughout history, people have migrated to the U.S. for many reasons.

From the 17th to 19th century, the main reasons for immigration were:

• Political freedom
• Religious tolerance
• To escape poverty and start a better life
• Forced immigration, as part of slavery

Beginning in the early 20th century, the reasons evolved to:

• To seek religious freedom (particularly Jews)
• The availability of jobs in the U.S.
• America was seen as the "land of opportunity"

Answer 2

This question has a particularly complex answer, but let me take a whack at it.

The Pilgrims, who are often referred to as the first colonial immigrants, came partly to escape religious persecution in England. They were Puritans, and England was under Catholic rule at the time (King James I, who was also King James VI of Scotland, son of Mary Stuart Queen of Scots. He succeeded Queen Elizabeth I.). England had a shaky religious foundation at the time, as King Henry VIII had broken with the Roman Catholic Church and started the Church of England nearly 100 years before. For more information on this, a general search for Henry VIII and Katharine of Aragon or Anne Boleyn on Google will tell you all you need to know :-). Either way, both Catholics and Protestants (which Puritans were considered) had been persecuted off and on at different times, and a group of Puritans chose to sail into the unknown rather than burn at the stake for heresy.

In the 1700's America was divided between English colonies, French lands, and Spanish (Mexican) territories [which is a simplification as there were Dutch areas as well]. People from these countries were moving to the regions for the same reasons that people might move from city to city or state to state today-- new jobs, more space, more land, better opportunities. After the Revolution and the signing of the Constitution, people immigrated to be a part of a country that had no King, which was nearly unheard of at this time.

The 1800's and early 1900's are famous for immigration. There was a potato famine in Ireland that caused many, many people to make the perilous journey to the Land of Opportunity. It was said that American streets were paved with gold, and the American Dream was that any man could find a fortune here. European immigrants poured in, many of them people who would have little to no future on the small family farms back home. The Industrial Revolution was happening, so factories were opening in the cities in England and in America; this led to much more work, especially for women who may not have been able to find conventional jobs before this time. A young woman in Ireland whose family farm was failing because of the famine could sail to America and find work in a factory, live in a boarding house, and send money back home to feed her family (and this often happened, although the factories had APPALLING work conditions).

The later 1900's and the new millennium saw a rush of refugees and immigrants from countries with tyrannical political regimes or horrible corruption. There was an outpouring of people from these sorts of countries seeking sanctuary in The Land of the Free, where their family would not be in danger every day. I personally have a friend that escaped to California from Kenya, where her father intended to have her female-circumcised and then potentially married to one of his older friends. I imagine this trend will continue in the near future.

Answer 3

People moved to or immigrated to the united states because there were more jobs here and better payment. (Better salary)

Answer 4

To live and survive, eventually evolve. Also for religious freedom and oppurtunity and a new start in a new land.