Ever since the dawn of history, man has been on the move, restlessly seeking new environments in an effort to satisfy his physical and other needs. In the main, his wanderings have been local in character, highlighted by occasional mass migrations which have had a marked effect upon the history of the world. Among such mass migrations may be cited the migration of the Israelites from Palestine to Egypt, of the Germanic tribes into the Roman Empire, of the Saxons and Danes to England, of the Moors from the north of Africa to Spain, and of the Mongols and the Tartars from the Orient to Central Asia.

Great as these migrations were and important as their effect was on the course of history, they did not compare with the stream of humanity that began to flow to this country early in the seventeenth century—a stream that assumed flood proportions toward the close of the nineteenth century.

Not only did the movement of peoples to our shores differ in magnitude from other migrations, it also differed in character. Whereas earlier mass migrations had consisted of the movements of tribes and distinct racial groups, the migration to the New World consisted of men of all races, nations, and creeds—a pageant of all the nations.

Great Historic Freedoms

What motives impelled these people to uproot themselves from their homelands and to transplant themselves to a country where it was necessary to adjust themselves to a new environment and culture pattern? Many came for the love of adventure, answering the challenge of the unknown. Some were mercenary soldiers seeking new exploits. Others came because they were friendless down-and-outers and “ne’er-do-wells,” seeking a chance to begin life anew. There were still others, like the Negroes, who although the majority did not come of their own free will, nevertheless contributed toil and labor to the making of America.

Commercial enterprise and the hope of economic gain have, of course, been important factors in the peopling of our country. So also has the search for freedom. In fact, the cherished moral ideals and objectives of the immigrants laid the foundations of our democratic ideals. These great historic freedoms include:

The search for human freedom can be advanced, with historical warrant, as the basic reason for the presence in this country of about 130,000,000 people. Without question, this is the common denominator of our democracy.

Religious Liberty

The vanguard of those seeking refuge from religious persecution arrived on the Mayflower and settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts. John Winthrop founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony as a refuge for Puritans. Maryland, later on, became the haven for persecuted Catholics. Rhode Island was founded by Roger Williams and his group of independent, religious free thinkers. Here, the Quakers found a ready welcome and the Jews, driven out of Europe, were allowed to build their synagogues. Toward the end of the seventeenth century, William Penn and his Quaker followers settled in Pennsylvania and cultivated the most friendly relationships with Indians, colonists, and new settlers alike.

To Manhattan Island and South Carolina came the French Huguenots, a group of French Protestants, whose guarantee of religious liberty had been revoked by the Edict of Nantes. During the nineteenth century, one of the early acts of the Mormons after settling in Utah was to contribute money toward building a Catholic church.

Personal and Political Liberty

To escape political tyranny and oppression, thousands of people left their homes and crossed the Atlantic. Following their unsuccessful rebellion against the English, the Irish came in large numbers. So did the Germans when the Revolution of 1848 failed. Likewise, the Jews left Russia toward the close of the nineteenth century in order to escape intolerable conditions.

Among the great champions of personal liberty has been Thomas Paine, who turned the tide of victory during the Revolutionary War when he declared, “This is the cause for which we are ready to suffer and to die—Freedom for ourselves and the rest of the world.” Another outstanding champion of personal liberty was Carl Schurz, one of the German forty-eighters, who supported men of principles and worthy causes regardless of political affiliations.

Economic Liberty

Coupled with other motives, the newcomer has almost always been imbued with the hope of making a livelihood or of making profits for himself or for his employers. The first permanent settlement was established at Jamestown by the London Company to profit from gold mining and trade. New Hampshire was founded by Georges and Mason for the purpose of profit from trade and farming. The Carolinas were founded by a group of nobles for the same purpose. It was a similar motive which led the Swedes to settle on the Delaware, the Netherlanders to settle on Manhattan, the English to conquer New Amsterdam, and Berkeley and Carteret to settle New Jersey.

It was the hope of gain which brought the French to Louisiana and the Spaniards to Florida, New Mexico, and California. Likewise, at the close of the nineteenth century, it was the high wages and high standards of living which attracted the tide of people who poured in from south and eastern Europe.

Intellectual Liberty

The fight of man to establish freedom of opinion, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly is as old as man himself. For the last two hundred years, his fight for the freedom of the press has been equally important. Peter Zenger, who founded the New York Weekly Journal in 1733, registered a great triumph for the freedom of the press when he won his fight against Governor Cosby of New York. Men of strong principles and ideas have always clashed with those who would mold them to a definite pattern and so enslave their minds. In this country, the thoughts and ideas of all men may be expressed freely and analyzed by everybody.

Cultural Liberty

The United States has been greatly enriched as the result of cultural liberty. Here, the immigrant has often found the opportunity to practice and pass on to others those customs and traditions which have been handed down to him by his ancestors. The Christmas tree, Easter bunny, and New Year festivities are German in origin. Many of the festivals in California and the rodeo are Spanish in origin. Singing societies, folk dancing, games, cookery, and home life have been enriched by customs introduced from other lands.

Immigration has indeed proved to be a “wind that blows democratic ideas through the world.”