"Asylum for mankind"

by Marilyn C. Baseler

Marilyn C. Baseler shows how the New World's role as a refuge for the victims of political, religious, and economic oppression gradually devolved on the thirteen colonies that became the United States. She traces immigration patterns and policies to show how the new American Republic became an "asylum for mankind.". Baseler explains how British and colonial officials and landowners lured settlers from rival nations with promises of religious toleration, economic opportunity, and the "rights of Englishmen," and she identifies the liberties, disabilities, and benefits experienced by different immigrant groups. She also explains how the exploitation of slaves subsidized the living standards of Europeans who came by choice. Baseler's work defines the historical context for current attempts by municipal, state, and federal governments to abridge the rights of aliens.