From 1750–1900 large-scale migration reshaped societies in predictable ways on the AP exam: most migrants were male, which changed gender roles at home as women took on new economic and household responsibilities. Migrants formed ethnic enclaves (Chinese, Indian, Irish, Italian) that preserved culture, aided chain and transnational migration, and spread cultural diffusion and acculturation. Receiving societies often responded with prejudice and legal restrictions (Chinese Exclusion Act, White Australia Policy), increasing border enforcement and debates over citizenship. Migration also fueled urbanization and population redistribution, sent remittances back home, and sometimes caused brain drain or labor tensions—leading to guest-worker systems, circular migration, and return migration. For DBQs/LEQs, connect these effects to broader industrialization causes and provide specific examples named in the CED. Review the Topic 6.7 study guide on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw), the Unit 6 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6), and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Most migrants were male because employers and governments recruited men for wage labor, indenture, and seasonal work—jobs like railroad-building, plantation labor, and mining were seen as physically demanding and risky, so recruiters targeted men. Men also had fewer family-care responsibilities at home and could more easily afford (or be compelled) to travel under contract or as single laborers. Women left behind often took on formerly male economic and social roles: running farms or businesses, managing households, handling remittance finances, and caring for extended kin. That increased responsibility sometimes shifted gender norms and gave women more economic say, but it also meant heavier workloads and social strain from skewed sex ratios. Over time chain and return migration, plus remittances, reshaped family life and communities (keywords: remittances, chain migration, immigrant enclaves). For AP review, see the Topic 6.7 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

An ethnic enclave is a neighborhood or area where a concentrated group of migrants from the same ethnicity live, work, and keep cultural institutions (churches, shops, language schools). They formed for practical and social reasons: migrants clustered where job opportunities and networks existed (urban ports, plantations, mining towns), used chain migration to bring family and friends, and relied on mutual aid to find housing, work, and send remittances. Enclaves helped transplant culture (food, religion, language), encouraged acculturation and cultural diffusion, and sometimes arose because receiving societies discriminated or restricted immigrants—so migrants kept together for safety and economic support. On the AP exam, mention chain migration, immigrant enclaves, and impacts like urbanization and cultural diffusion (CED Topic 6.7). For a quick review, see Fiveable’s Topic 6.7 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Chinese migrants built communities abroad by creating ethnic enclaves, using chain migration, and keeping strong economic and cultural ties to home. In Southeast Asia (and port cities in the Americas) Chinese merchants, laborers, and entrepreneurs clustered in Chinatown-style neighborhoods where they ran businesses, temples, schools, and clan associations—institutions that reproduced language, kinship networks, and Confucian rituals. Chain migration meant early migrants sent remittances and letters that encouraged relatives to join, so enclaves grew and maintained cultural continuity (acculturation often happened within the enclave rather than by full assimilation). Those networks also helped migrants succeed economically (trade, credit, middleman roles) but faced racial prejudice and state limits—e.g., the Chinese Exclusion Act in the U.S. Limited rights and discrimination shaped enclave strategies and return migration. For AP review, this maps directly to Topic 6.7 (immigrant enclaves, chain/circular migration)—see the topic study guide for examples and exam practice (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw). For extra practice, try Fiveable’s question banks (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Receiving societies often resisted immigrants for a few clear reasons: economic anxiety (immigrants were seen as competition for jobs and downward pressure on wages), cultural and religious differences that fueled xenophobia and racial prejudice, and fears about public health or social order. Governments responded with legal restrictions and border enforcement—examples in the CED include the Chinese Exclusion Act and the White Australia Policy—which shows how states regulated migration. Immigrants forming enclaves also made natives worry about acculturation and transnational ties. For AP writing, use these causes as analytic categories (economic, cultural, political) in short answers or DBQs and cite specific policies/events as evidence; connect to keywords like immigrant enclaves, remittances, and border enforcement (see the Topic 6.7 study guide for examples) (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw). For more practice, try Fiveable’s AP World practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Short answer: both groups faced prejudice, but the scale and state responses differed. Chinese migrants were racialized and legally targeted—examples include anti-Chinese mob violence, local exclusion laws and the U.S. Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) that barred Chinese laborers from immigrating and becoming citizens. That’s an example of formal border enforcement and state regulation. Irish migrants also faced strong nativist and anti-Catholic prejudice in places like the U.S., often confined to poor urban jobs and forming Irish enclaves, but because they were white they could eventually gain political power (city machines, labor unions) and faced fewer national immigration bans. In short: both experienced ethnic stereotyping and enclaves, but Chinese faced institutionalized legal exclusion and racialized immigration controls while the Irish encountered social discrimination that was easier (over decades) to overcome politically and legally. For more AP review, see the Topic 6.7 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history). On the exam, comparisons like this are good for SAQs/LEQs—use specific laws and examples.

The Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) was a U.S. law that specifically banned most Chinese laborers from immigrating and made it much harder for Chinese residents to become citizens. It was the first major U.S. law to restrict immigration based on nationality and race. Effects: it strengthened racial prejudice, encouraged local and federal efforts to police borders, hurt Chinese families (many men couldn’t bring wives), and pushed Chinese communities into tight ethnic enclaves for safety and economic survival. It’s a key example of how receiving states tried to regulate migration in the 1750–1900 era (CED Topic 6.7, “regulation of immigrants”). For AP exam use: cite it as an illustrative example when explaining state responses to migration on short-answer or essay prompts. For a quick review, see the Topic 6.7 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw); broader unit review (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6) and extra practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

The White Australia Policy was a set of laws and practices, formalized by the 1901 Immigration Restriction Act, designed to stop non-European (especially Asian and Pacific Islander) immigration to Australia. It used measures like a discretionary “dictation test” to exclude undesired migrants. It existed because white settlers and politicians wanted to protect wages and jobs from cheaper immigrant labor, maintain a perceived cultural/racial “homogeneity,” and respond to xenophobic and nativist political pressure—ideas reinforced by late-19th-century racial theories and nation-building goals. For AP World, it’s a key example of state regulation of migration and racial prejudice in the 1750–1900 era (Topic 6.7), comparable to the Chinese Exclusion Act in the U.S. Use the Fiveable Topic 6.7 study guide for quick review (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history) to prep for short-answer or essay prompts.

More people could help the economy, but governments regulated immigration for political, social, and cultural reasons. Receiving societies feared job competition (especially among unskilled workers), perceived threats to wages and public resources, and reacted with ethnic and racial prejudice. Nativist ideologies and racial theories (e.g., “white” nationalism) led to laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act and the White Australia Policy—states used border enforcement, quotas, and residency rules to limit flows. Governments also argued they needed to protect public order, cultural homogeneity, or public health, and politicians responded to voter pressure from working- and middle-class groups who wanted limits. For AP purposes, remember to connect causes (economic anxiety, racism, politics) to specific policies and to use examples/enclaves as evidence on short-answer or DBQ responses. Review Topic 6.7 on Fiveable for examples and practice (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw) and try practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Start with a clear thesis that links migration patterns (who, where, why) to social effects (gender roles, enclaves, prejudice/regulation, urbanization). Contextualize: Industrialization, labor demand, and imperial networks (1750–1900). In the 15-minute reading period, annotate each doc for: claim, evidence, author POV/audience, and how it shows a social effect (e.g., remittances, male-dominant migration changing women’s roles; immigrant enclaves/transnationalism; nativist laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act or White Australia Policy). Use at least four documents to support your argument, add 1+ specific outside facts (Great Migration? guest-worker systems? remittance flows?), and explicitly analyze POV/purpose for two documents. Structure: intro/thesis, contextualization paragraph, 2–3 body paragraphs each tying documents + outside evidence to a social effect, brief sourcing analysis woven in, then a conclusion that shows complexity (both cultural diffusion and backlash/coercive regulation). For topic review use the Fiveable study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw) and practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Ethnic enclaves had lasting effects on both senders and receivers. Sending societies gained remittances, which boosted local economies, and saw demographic shifts (many migrants were male), so women often took new roles at home; long-term brain drain sometimes hurt skilled sectors but return migration also brought new skills and cultural diffusion. Receiving societies benefited from immigrant labor that fueled industrialization and urbanization and from cultural diffusion (food, religion, languages), but enclaves could slow full acculturation and provoke racial/ethnic prejudice → restrictive policies (e.g., Chinese Exclusion Act, White Australia Policy). For AP evidence, use examples like Chinese communities in North America, Indians in East Africa, and Irish in the U.S. in your SAQs/DBQ/LEQ to show continuity/change, migration causes, and state responses. See the Topic 6.7 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history) for source-ready examples.

Short answer: it did both—migration helped some sending countries and hurt others, depending on who left and why. Benefits: remittances sent home boosted household income and local markets; return migrants sometimes brought skills and new ideas (cultural diffusion, transnationalism). Costs: when lots of educated or skilled people left, source countries suffered “brain drain,” hurting long-term development. Social effects: mostly male migration forced women into new household and economic roles; communities changed as populations redistributed or shrank. Politically, large outflows could ease pressure on governments but also weaken labor forces or create refugee crises. For AP World, link this to Topic 6.7 learning objective H (use examples like Chinese/Indian diaspora, remittances, guest-worker programs, and brain drain). Review examples and practice Qs on the Topic 6.7 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw) and try practice problems (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

Both groups formed ethnic enclaves, sent remittances, and faced discrimination—but their contexts and roles differed. Indian migrants in East Africa (indentured laborers, merchants, clerks) often arrived as part of British imperial labor networks; many stayed as middlemen communities (traders, shopkeepers) that sometimes provoked racial tensions and state regulation (e.g., restrictions on settlement). Italian migrants to the Americas were mostly voluntary economic migrants seeking industrial and agricultural work; they often clustered in urban neighborhoods (Little Italy), filled low-wage industrial jobs, and sent remittances home. Gender imbalance affected both (more men migrated), shifting family roles back home. On the AP exam, compare cause, migrant roles, reception, and effects (ethnic enclaves, remittances, state regulation) to earn points for comparison and contextualization. For a quick review, see the Topic 6.7 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw) and try practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

States tried to control who could immigrate because migration affected economics, society, and politics. Governments feared job competition and wage pressure from newcomers, so they limited labor migrants to protect native workers and labor markets. Racial and ethnic prejudice also drove laws (e.g., Chinese Exclusion Act, White Australia Policy) as elites used border enforcement to preserve a preferred national identity. States worried about public health, crime, or political radicalism—so they screened arrivals. Colonial powers and nation-states also used immigration rules to manage social stability, limit cultural change, and prevent perceived security threats. These controls show themes on the CED: border enforcement, ethnic prejudice, and urbanization from migration. On the AP exam, you could use these causes as evidence in a short-answer, LEQ, or DBQ about migration’s effects (see Topic 6.7 study guide for examples and primary sources) (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw). For more practice questions, try Fiveable’s practice bank (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).

When men migrated for work (often as single laborers or in chain migration), women in the sending communities picked up many roles that had been male-dominated. They managed households as de facto heads—controlling money (including sending and using remittances), running farms and plantations, and taking on wage labor or small-scale commerce. Women also organized local food production, maintained kin networks and immigrant correspondence (helping with chain and circular migration), and led community institutions—churches, mutual aid groups, or local protests. These shifts increased female economic responsibility and sometimes social authority, though legal/political rights didn’t always follow. On the AP exam you can use this as social-change evidence for an SAQ or LEQ about migration’s effects (Topic 6.7, LO H). For a quick review see the Topic 6.7 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6/effects-migration-1750-1900/study-guide/7SxejDhc2Y4mqflaIAIw) or the Unit 6 overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-world-history/unit-6). Practice with 1000+ questions here: (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-world-history).