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 10 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 4 of 11 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 4 of 11
Practice
10 questions
Recall
12 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.