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'''Americanization''' is the process of turning an immigrant into an American who shares American values, beliefs and customs. During the World War I period, the government and many private agencies gave high priority to Americanization projects, which usually were successful.  The Ford Motor Company had an especially well-publicized program.  Millions of recently arrived immigrants who had originally intended to return to the mother country were unable to return to Europe because of the wars 1914-1919. The great majority voluntarily changed their mind and decided to stay permanently in America. Instead of resisting Americanization they welcomed it, often signing up for English classes and using their savings to buy homes and bring over other family members.

'''Americanization''' is the process of turning an immigrant into an American who shares American values, beliefs and customs. During the World War I period, the government and many private agencies gave high priority to Americanization projects, which usually were successful.  The Ford Motor Company had an especially well-publicized program.  Millions of recently arrived immigrants who had originally intended to return to the mother country were unable to return to Europe because of the wars 1914-1919. The great majority voluntarily changed their mind and decided to stay permanently in America. Instead of resisting Americanization they welcomed it, often signing up for English classes and using their savings to buy homes and bring over other family members.

Between 1880 and 1924 over 25 million immigrants entered America, changing the composition of America's laboring population. This influx created a movement that aimed to Americanize these new immigrants and thus hasten their acculturation into mainstream America. But Americanization also suggests a broader process that includes the everyday struggle of immigrants to understand their new environment and how they invented ways to cope with it. The main target group included Catholics and Jews from southern and southeastern Europe.  Churches, unions and  charities attempted to Americanize the new immigrants both formally through structured programs and informally at work through the environment created by management. <ref> James R. Barrett, "Americanization From The Bottom Up: Immigration and the Remaking of the Working Class in the United States, 1880-1930." ''Journal of American History'' 1992 79(3): 996-1020. 0021-8723 </ref>

Between 1880 and 1924 over 25 million immigrants entered America, changing the composition of America's laboring population. This influx created a movement that aimed to Americanize these new immigrants and thus hasten their acculturation into mainstream America. But Americanization also suggests a broader process that includes the everyday struggle of immigrants to understand their new environment and how they invented ways to cope with it. The main target group included Catholics and Jews from southern and southeastern Europe.  Churches, unions and  charities attempted to Americanize the new immigrants both formally through structured programs and informally at work through the environment created by management.<ref>James R. Barrett, "Americanization From The Bottom Up: Immigration and the Remaking of the Working Class in the United States, 1880-1930." ''Journal of American History'' 1992 79(3): 996-1020. 0021-8723</ref>

==Other uses==

==Other uses==

The term also is used for the cultural transformation of areas brought into the U.S., such as Alaska<ref>Ted C. Hinckley, ''The Americanization of Alaska, 1867-1897'' (1972) </ref>, and on the changes of Native Americans.<ref>Francis P. Prucha, ''Americanizing the American Indians: Writings by the "Friends of the Indians," 1880-1900.'' (1973)</ref>

The term also is used for the cultural transformation of areas brought into the U.S., such as Alaska,<ref>Ted C. Hinckley, ''The Americanization of Alaska, 1867-1897'' (1972)</ref> and on the changes of Native Americans.<ref>Francis P. Prucha, ''Americanizing the American Indians: Writings by the "Friends of the Indians," 1880-1900.'' (1973)</ref>

The term has been used since 1907 for the American impact on other countries.<ref>Samuel E. Moffett, ''The Americanization of Canada'' (1907) [http://books.google.com/books?id=EJsOAAAAYAAJ&dq=intitle:americanization&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=1 full text online]; see also Ralph Willett, ''The Americanization of Germany, 1945-1949'' (1989) </ref>

The term has been used since 1907 for the American impact on other countries.<ref>Samuel E. Moffett, ''The Americanization of Canada'' (1907) [http://books.google.com/books?id=EJsOAAAAYAAJ&dq=intitle:americanization&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=1 full text online]; see also Ralph Willett, ''The Americanization of Germany, 1945-1949'' (1989)</ref>

==Further reading==

==Further reading==

* Cowan, Neil M. and Cowan, Ruth Schwartz. ''Our Parents' Lives: The Americanization of Eastern European Jews.'' (1989). 305 pp.

* Cowan, Neil M. and Cowan, Ruth Schwartz. ''Our Parents' Lives: The Americanization of Eastern European Jews.'' (1989). 305 pp.

* Bogardus, Emory Stephen. ''Essentials of Americanization'' (1920), by leading sociologist [http://books.google.com/books?id=bZ4OAAAAYAAJ&dq=intitle:americanization&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=1&source=gbs_navlinks_s full text online]

* Bogardus, Emory Stephen. ''Essentials of Americanization'' (1920), by leading sociologist [http://books.google.com/books?id=bZ4OAAAAYAAJ&dq=intitle:americanization&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=1&source=gbs_navlinks_s full text online]

* Brooks, Charles Alvin. ''Christian Americanization: a task for the churches‎'' (1919) 162 pages [http://books.google.com/books?id=n_LQAAAAMAAJ&dq=intitle:americanization&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=1 full text online]

* Brooks, Charles Alvin. ''Christian Americanization: a task for the churches‎'' (1919) 162 pages [http://books.google.com/books?id=n_LQAAAAMAAJ&dq=intitle:americanization&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=1 full text online]

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[[category:Ethnicities]]

[[Category:Ethnicities]]

[[category:Progressive Era]]

[[Category:Progressive Era]]