In the late 1800s and early 1900s, reformers helped immigrants assimilate into American culture by

in the late 1800s and early 1900s, reformers helped immigrants assimilate into american culture by

A: isolating them from American citizens.

B: separating them from their family members.

C: teaching them how to speak English.

D: teaching them foreign languages.

Answer: C: teaching them how to speak English.

Immigrants in the late 1800s and the early 1900s faced the task of adapting to the new American culture, and social activists contributed significantly to helping them by teaching English. From the document, the following steps were mentioned as having been used to enable this process.

Some settlement houses were of choice for immigrant reception and included Hull House in Chicago run by Jane Addams. These community centres basic and mainly operated by middle-class women were an important source of help for newcomers and supplied numerous services such as English language courses. This was crucial so that the immigrants can be able to converse in the new environment and hence boost their prospects of acquiring employment.

English was also taught in public schools to the immigrants who as we have seen were flocking to the United States in fairly large numbers. The document points out that such schools sought to ‘Americanize’ the Europeans and teachers ensured that a part of their day was spent teaching the Europeans the difference between American and European English, the protocols of how to interact in America, voting, and the general way of life. They even went to the extent of paying home visits to the immigrants for further lessons in American mannerisms, including the language.

Integrations especially the Federal government saw it fit that a foreign language speaker needed to master the English language. The Naturalization Act of 1906 was insisting on non-English speaking future permanent residents to learn English. Further, the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization had programs through which the immigrants could be taught English and the history of the United States.

The attempts were made to teach English important to facilitate the process of monolingual immigrants to get a better job, improve their living conditions, and integrate into American society. Therefore, equipping the immigrants with mechanisms of practising the English language and communication needed skills, the reformists greatly assisted the process of acculturation of the aliens into American society