Which policy reflects 1920s nativist backlash?

Which policy reflects 1920s nativist backlash?

• A. civil rights expansion
• B. urban redevelopment
• C. anti-immigration legislation
• D. labor regulation

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is how nativist sentiment in the 1920s translated into policy. Nativism during that era centered on protecting native-born Americans from perceived threats posed by immigrants, especially those arriving from diverse regions, and it sought to curb immigration to preserve cultural and economic dominance. Anti-immigration legislation best fits this think­ing. It directly embodies the nativist impulse by creating laws that limit who can come to the United States and how many can arrive. In the 1920s, this led to concrete measures like quotas that favored settlers from certain Western European countries and restricted others, reflecting the era’s fear of cultural change and job competition. These statutes—driven by fears about assimilation, labor competition, and the influence of radical ideas—are the clear policy expression of the nativist backlash. By contrast, civil rights expansion aims to extend protections and opportunities to marginalized groups; urban redevelopment concerns city growth and planning; and labor regulation focuses on workers’ rights and conditions. While important, none of these mirror the era’s xenophobic impulse to restrict immigration.

The main idea being tested is how nativist sentiment in the 1920s translated into policy. Nativism during that era centered on protecting native-born Americans from perceived threats posed by immigrants, especially those arriving from diverse regions, and it sought to curb immigration to preserve cultural and economic dominance.

Anti-immigration legislation best fits this think­ing. It directly embodies the nativist impulse by creating laws that limit who can come to the United States and how many can arrive. In the 1920s, this led to concrete measures like quotas that favored settlers from certain Western European countries and restricted others, reflecting the era’s fear of cultural change and job competition. These statutes—driven by fears about assimilation, labor competition, and the influence of radical ideas—are the clear policy expression of the nativist backlash.

By contrast, civil rights expansion aims to extend protections and opportunities to marginalized groups; urban redevelopment concerns city growth and planning; and labor regulation focuses on workers’ rights and conditions. While important, none of these mirror the era’s xenophobic impulse to restrict immigration.