WI: All American Immigration Through DC

A much bigger city, for starters.

Also even MORE multicultralism in the city as well.

Perhaps more to the city than 'the capital of America?'
 

Jasen777

Donor
When is this instituted? Because D.C. can't handle it (anytime really). Unless immigration is greatly reduced.
 
Even if they had to come in through DC, they would still go to other places where there are actually jobs for them. DC might be a little bigger, but most of the immigrants would still end up either settling in cities like New York and Chicago or farms in the midwest and great plains.

DC might have more rail links to the rest of the country, just to carry new immigrants from the city to other parts of the USA.
 

katchen

Banned
Alexandria would stay part of DC as DC's port instead of being given back to Virginia along with Arlington. DC would be much more diverse with much less of a preponderance of African-Americans and much larger (probably 5-6 million people. Greater DC might even extend in built up area all the way to Annapolis and Baltimore.
Probably more of a rag trade in DC too, between the larger amount of cheap labor and proximity to southern textile mills. More Jewish people in DC and suburban Maryland, particularly Montgomery County. Maybe in Loudun County VA too.
Perhaps a ship canal across the Delmarva Peninsula from the mouth of the Potomac giving DC direct access to the open Atlantic.
 
My first thought is fewer immigrants.

I think everybody recognized the Statue of Liberty as an iconic part of coming to America. Taking that out of it might make it less compelling.


Edit: I just looked up to see what kind of ports are near DC.

It would take some work, wouldn't it! Unless you worked it through Annapolis or Baltimore, you're going up the Potomac.

DC Annapolis Baltimore.JPG
 
Looking at the map, the Hampton/Newport News area might be a more natural port of entry for immigrants than Washington DC, which is pretty far from the ocean.
 
Looking at the map, the Hampton/Newport News area might be a more natural port of entry for immigrants than Washington DC, which is pretty far from the ocean.
Now, instituting anything like that after the Civil War would definitely have huge consequences! Among the many ideas floated during Reconstruction, one was to attract foreign immigrants to the South - depending on the speaker's side, either to dilute the old planter influences, or to replace the blacks as a plantation labor force. Nothing came of it, however, because hardly any immigrants actually wanted to go to the South. But, if Hampton Roads actually does become a major center of immigration, the effects on Virginia might be very significant!
 
Now, instituting anything like that after the Civil War would definitely have huge consequences! Among the many ideas floated during Reconstruction, one was to attract foreign immigrants to the South - depending on the speaker's side, either to dilute the old planter influences, or to replace the blacks as a plantation labor force. Nothing came of it, however, because hardly any immigrants actually wanted to go to the South. But, if Hampton Roads actually does become a major center of immigration, the effects on Virginia might be very significant!



It's an amusing thought.

"Say, Dago/Jewboy/Ivan, come with me and pick cotton!"
 
... Among the many ideas floated during Reconstruction, one was to attract foreign immigrants to the South - depending on the speaker's side, either to dilute the old planter influences, or to replace the blacks as a plantation labor force. Nothing came of it, however, because hardly any immigrants actually wanted to go to the South. ...

It's an amusing thought.

"Say, Dago/Jewboy/Ivan, come with me and pick cotton!"

Post 1918 there was a effort to recruit Italians to work on Mississippi farms. a few hundred families did so in the 1920s, far fewer than hoped for. Complaints about conditions caused the Italian ambassador to discourage any further recruiting, and legal aid was provided to help the immigrants break their contracts. Catholic Italians were not very popular among the 1920s Klansmen either.
 
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