Immigration: Canada and the United States History of Immigration in Canada History of Immigration in the United States United States has always been viewed as the destination point for a steady flow of immigrants. Immigrants from around the world settled in the United States with the goal of achieving the American dream. Immigration history in the United States has also had 4 waves that almost mirrored the Canadian immigration waves. During the colonial period most migrants came from northern European countries, but their numbers declined with the start of the Revolutionary War during the 1770s. Immigration later picked up strongly again during the 1840s and 1850s. New arrivals came from several European countries during this period, Ireland, England and Germany, where devastating potato crop failures forced many residents to leave their homelands. Many settled in New York City, more than half of the city 's population at that time was immigrants and their American-born children. After the Civil War, United States’ growing industrial based economy required the many more workers than the population can provide, this need was filled once again by immigrants arriving from Europe, this time from southern and eastern European countries such as Italy, Poland and Russia instead. Like their predecessors, most of these new arrivals were poor and uneducated. Many were peasants from rural regions who were being pushed out by Europe 's industrial revolution. The events of WWI and WWII caused immigration to decline dramatically, and remained low throughout the Depression era of the 1930s and the World War II years of the 1940s. Immigration numbers started to increase again during the late 1940s, and has risen steadily since then. Today 's immigrants arrive from all parts of the world. The latest phase of immigration history began in 1965, when quotas based on nationality were eliminated. In 1978, the United States annual world quota was 290,000, and this quota was raised…