- Joined
- Apr 4, 2017
- Location
- Denver, CO
The number of immigrants arriving in the US after 1844 was very sensitive to the strength of the US economy. When work was scare, letters home were less encouraging and contained less money.
The decline in immigration from 1857-1861 was most likely due to the end of the Gold Rush and a financial crash in the US.
If the new immigrants felt that slow down, its evidence that the US citizens felt it too. While the cotton boom went on in the south, and they continued to support their wing of the Democratic party, nothing like that protected the northern states' economy.
The behavior of immigrants probably is a clue of the real issue that northern voters could feel at work and on their farms. Low wages, scare work, and low commodity prices must have been a big factor working against Douglas in the north. The voters probably felt the Democrats had been given a chance, and by 1860 it was the Republicans turn.
The issue of slavery was important in the election. But it was important with respect to getting out of the west, getting western expansion going and getting the investment cycle booming again.
Immigrants produce the evidence.
The decline in immigration from 1857-1861 was most likely due to the end of the Gold Rush and a financial crash in the US.
If the new immigrants felt that slow down, its evidence that the US citizens felt it too. While the cotton boom went on in the south, and they continued to support their wing of the Democratic party, nothing like that protected the northern states' economy.
The behavior of immigrants probably is a clue of the real issue that northern voters could feel at work and on their farms. Low wages, scare work, and low commodity prices must have been a big factor working against Douglas in the north. The voters probably felt the Democrats had been given a chance, and by 1860 it was the Republicans turn.
The issue of slavery was important in the election. But it was important with respect to getting out of the west, getting western expansion going and getting the investment cycle booming again.
Immigrants produce the evidence.