The lack of immigration restrictions in the 19th century was due to labor demand, less concern about cultural assimilation, and generally open attitudes. Immigrants traveled primarily from northern and western Europe, drawn by opportunities for work, land, and avoidance of political disruptions. The first major restrictions were put in place in the early 20th century as attitudes and social pressures changed.
The immigration restrictions in the United States were fewer during most of the 19th century due to a demand for labor, lack of concerns about cultural assimilation, and open attitude towards immigrants. Many immigrants from northern and western Europe migrated to the United States prior to 1890, drawn by the promise of employment, land, and avoidance of political unrest from their home countries.
Immigrants brought along their foods, customs, and religions, offering cultural diversity and causing the US to experience a never-before-seen increase in immigration rates at the end of the 19th century. The Johnson-Reed Act came into place in 1924, setting a quota on the total number of immigrants allowed to enter the U.S., allowing far more English, Irish, and German people than Italian, Polish, or Russian Jewish people. Immigration from Asia was banned, excluding U.S. territory of the Philippines.
It was only with the National Origins Act of 1924 that numerical limits on European immigration were introduced for the first time in U.S. history. The Act significantly reduced the share of eligible southern and eastern Europeans, who had only started to migrate to the United States in large numbers in the 1890s. Despite these restrictions, many immigrants did manage to settle into the U.S., often forming communities where others from the same country already resided, preserving their cultural legacy and keeping their traditions alive.
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