| Description |
Foreign immigrants from around the world have played an important function in Utah's total growth. South American immigrants, in recent times, have become increasingly more prominent. This study pursues four definite objectives that contribute to further knowledge about our neighbors from South America: (1) to discover why the South American left his native country; (2) to investigate the spatial distribution both before and after immigration to Utah; (3) to explain the relationship between the South American immigrant and the L.D.S Church; and (4) to measure the influence of the Church on number and source of immigrants.These objectives were accomplished principally by means of personal interviews with a large sample of the native-born South Americans in Utah. It was concluded that economic factors were the most important cause for the South American immigrants to leave their native countries. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter0day Saints, by an important margin, was the principal reason why the majority of these immigrants came to Utah. The relationship between length of L.D.S. Church activity in South America and the number of South American immigrants to Utah proved to be very closely correlated. The distribution of these immigrants parallels that of the many other immigrants to the State along the Wasatch Front. This was easily comprehended because of the overwhelming economic opportunity and social activities in that area. The conclusions are by no means final, but they represent the most comprehensive attempt to date to study the South American in Utah. |
