This key facts covers Immigration Restrictions within Intolerance and Prejudice for GCSE History. Revise Intolerance and Prejudice in America 1920-1973 for GCSE History with 12 exam-style questions and 16 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 4 of 14 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
🚫 Immigration Restrictions
The 1920s saw America effectively close its doors to "undesirable" immigrants:
| Law | What It Did | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Quota Act (1921) | Limited immigration to 3% of each nationality based on 1910 census | First major restriction — signalled change in policy |
| National Origins Act (1924) | Reduced to 2% based on 1890 census; total limit 150,000/year; banned ALL Asian immigration | Deliberately favoured "old" immigrants (Northern Europeans) over "new" (Southern/Eastern Europeans) |
Why the 1890 census? Before the wave of Southern/Eastern European immigration. This was DELIBERATE discrimination — the law was designed to keep out Italians, Poles, Russians, Jews, Greeks.
⚖️ Case Study: Sacco and Vanzetti (1920-1927)
This case symbolises 1920s intolerance:
Why it matters: The case shows how anti-immigrant and anti-radical prejudice could override justice. They were convicted partly because they were Italian, partly because they were anarchists — not because the evidence proved guilt.
Practice questions for Intolerance and Prejudice
Who led the government raids on suspected communists and radicals in 1919-1920 that resulted in over 6,000 arrests?
By 1925, approximately how many members did the Ku Klux Klan have at its peak?