Immigrants In 1900's New York City-Why They Left Home

For some they returned having never reached this goal, for others they ended up staying in America, but for many of these immigrants they did reach their goal and after doing so, returned home. These immigrants were temporary migrants that had caught “America fever”. (p. 16) Temporary migration had been going on before this time, but it wasn’t until the invention of the steam engine that migrant workers began to voyage across the seas. Many of these poor European’s that migrated to the United States did so to make money to go back home and buy land. Not all of them had this goal, some saved money to start-up or buy a business. Whether they were going back to buy land or expand land they already had, or they were going to use the money to start a business these remigrants all had one thing in common. Wyman writes of the Hungarian emigrant’s experiences; “they would soon return with the money made overseas to make a better life for themselves in the environment they were attached to, the place where they wanted to live.”(p. 49). Because many of these European immigrants only stayed in America a short time many native-born Americans began to have hostilities toward these new immigrants in terms of the American Labor Movement, assimilation politics and nativist’s movements.

Though the novella is titled Maggie, much of the narrative focuses on people other than Maggie. So, why do you think Crane named the story after her?

The United States’ population surged between 1870 and 1924. Immigrants were flooding into the country from Ireland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Hungary, and other countries. They saw America as a great land of opportunity that fulfilled their necessities. The majority of the immigrants settled in the major cities, as their was an abundance of job opportunities, and easy access to transportation. John Radzitowksi’s essay describes the Polish agricultural colonies in Minnesota. It also depicts how immigrants adapted to American life. The first document shows how some immigrants found it difficult to adapt and settle in a new land, and it shows that this was true for Irish immigrant Sam Gray. The second document is a story of Rocco Corresca, a poor

The 1840s and 50s experienced a massive escalation in the number of immigrants from Europe especially from Ireland, and Germany, arriving on U.S shores in densely populated urban areas (Arenson, 2011). Most of them afterward became vigorous in domestic politics, much to the aggravation of old-stock, authentic Americans. The consequence was a renaissance in the formation of “nativistic” societies (small, indistinct, anti-foreign and anti-catholic organizations), some which banded together in the early 1850s to form the American Party (Arenson, 2011). Commonly referred to as the “Know-Nothing,” the party rode a wave of racial intolerance as well as racism into the mid-1850s.

During the mid-1800’s, the living and working conditions in New York City’s “Five Points” slum left much to be desired. During this time period, “Five Points” was inhabited by the Lansdowne immigrants who had come from Irish poorhouses. They had arrived in New York suffering from starvation and lacked the skills to be successful in the workforce. The opportunity placed before them was small, most could not read and write, and very little was expected of them. These Lansdowne immigrants tended to marry young and have large families; they also congregated in the worst neighborhoods and chose to wear poor clothing.

There was a variety of reasons that immigrants were choosing to leave their European homes. Common reasons like overcrowding, wars, and politics still influenced people. Yet family and friends that had already gone to America were advertisements for the increase of money and work one could find. In addition to word of mouth, the ticket agents for the steamships provided potential immigrants with pamphlets for railroad companies and state immigration bureaus that showed higher wages and job opportunities. (Wyman, 32)

According to (Binder, Frederick, and David Reimers, P1) for most of its history, New York City has been populated with Europeans and Africans. Nancy Foner adds the Russians, Jewish and Italians to this list she explains that the foreign-born made up to 41 % of the total population. This pattern has however changed in today's set up as it is filled with people from all the world countries Nancy in (Foner, p9) agrees with this argument and documentation. She, however, argues that most of these immigrants are from the poor and less developed countries. The new arrivals are not just traders as the old immigrants were. Those who left to New York were the middle-class families and were also skilled laborious. The New immigrants are composed of professionals and those who have gone in search of jobs creating the high risks and social evils that come with the unemployed populations such as increased crime rates in America this is despite America still having better wages to its employees, and employment opportunities in the service jobs. Most new immigrants still want to take an easy way out by not following the simpler immigration rules and policies in place today (Foner,

In the film “New York, New York: Power and the People”, the filmmaker Ric Burns tells the story of the changed that had occurred in New York. According to Ric Burns, over 10 million immigrants came into New York and big changes stared to happened. For example, when the immigrant arrived to New York the emerge of skyscraper began and immigrant were the main constructers of those tall buildings. Of course, with the help of the new arrival technology, steal and electric elevator made the construction of this buildings possible. Also, another big change that occurred because of the arrival of the immigrants was the consolidation of the City. Since people where leaving in crowds they decided to spread, however, most of the jobs were in the Lower

As the cities of New York grew rapidly through the advancement of industrialization and urbanization, the wealthier exploited the many immigrants settling in. Rapid urbanization made life for immigrants challenging because of the cheap and poor constructions of the tenements, and as well as overcrowding.

Prior to the 1920s, President Theodore Roosevelt led the Americans under the progressive wing, by eliminating political corruption, improving societal matters and regulating the economy. After a decade of this stable economy, the roaring twenties transformed into a period of cultural dynamism that included mass culture, hyper-emotional patriotism and debates over American morals and its national identity. The era transformed through industrial growth with a high consumer demand. However, leading after the era of wealth and excess, the Great Depression negatively affected the majority of the citizens leaving them unemployed, homeless and desperate for change. Ultimately, the nativist groups and restrictions on immigrants were not entirely abolished

Nancy Foner compares two distinct waves of immigration to New York, from 1880 to 1920 and from 1965 to present, to illustrate the cruciality of growing immigrant social, economic, and political impacts on the city. In her comparative studies of New York immigration patterns, she highlights certain trends that have constantly evolved throughout these two eras. Foner bravely refutes widespread claims that immigrants have drained the city’s social and economic resources; her evidence presents how immigrants have positively contributed to city life. For centuries, immigrants have dynamically enriched the city’s demographic makeup, altered its legal institutions, and developed its commercial and industrial infrastructures. Yet, some who still flee

Immigrants were instead surprised with ethnic division and having to deal with racial prejudices daily. The industrial boom made a need for cheap labor to make the United States a competitor in the world supply chain which sparked an uncontrollable boom of immigration to the U.S. Soon, America was welcoming every immigrant with open arms. While Riis watched the city being overwhelmed with new cultures and immigrants with holding similar careers to the American citizens, he didn’t know how viscous New York and eventually the nation was yet become.

As Immigrants would come through Ellis Island and other places with a gleaming amount of hope, they would experience something totally different on the other side. Inside the US was this feeling of Anglo-Saxon superiority and therefore immigration was frowned upon in may areas. An immigration officer from this time period cited “early economic opportunity came to an end” as one of the major things that affected immigrant life. They [immigrants] were left to find day jobs working at the first opportunity that presented itself and then return to the tenement. Out of this pattern grew an extreme feeling of isolation. Immigrants lived in their own communities, socialized with their own, and slept with their own. Nativist feelings from the american-born community were real and present and ultimately the belief was to sleep, eat, and work for someone else and be content.

The 20th century was an era of great struggle for American cities, and New York was no exception. The construction of interstate highways and suburbs after World War II encouraged affluent people to leave the city, which combined with deindustrialization and other economic changes to lower the tax base and diminish public services. This, in turn, led to more out-migration and “white flight.” However, the Hart-Cellar Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 made it possible for immigrants from Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America to come to the United States. Many of these newcomers settled in New York City, revitalizing many neighborhoods.

Immigrants wanted to come to America to experience the good life and fulfill their dreams of becoming more prosper in the land of America. Looking for a better opportunity than farming in the rural lands was not enough for immigrants. “Between 1870-1990 the city became a symbol for new America”(Divine, page 439). The new innovative symbol of America created opportunities to have better jobs for immigrants that were coming from different parts of the world. Before the immigrants landed in America, they were hard workers and were seeking labor-intensive jobs. Since the city was changing with the construction of skyscrapers and streetcars being added the urban life was changing for many U.S born Americans. As the immigrants started to pour in, the “production of cars, cable lines, electric surface lines, elevators, row houses, and workers cottages”(Divine, page 440). The immigrants and working class started to have jobs that can prosper and make America rich. These jobs that were constructed around the streetcars and skyscrapers created a better society to build a society together. Immigrants became a blueprint for building and making America the best it can be.