Immigration to the United States: The German Immigrants Essay

In 1848, California struck gold at Sutter's Mill, California. Chinese immigrants now had yet another incentive to go west in search of their fortune. For the most part, these immigrants were young male peasants who came in

During the late 1800s, inhabitants from all parts of the world made the decision to leave their jobs and homes to immigrate to the United States. They fled rising taxes, famine, crop failure, land and job shortages, to come to the United States. Perceived to be one of the greater countries for economic opportunity, many sought freedom from religious and political persecution. Around twelve million immigrants arrived in the United States between 1870 and 1900. Before the Civil War, the majority of immigrants were from Germany, Ireland, and England. There would be a drastic change in the next three decades. After the Civil War, immigrants

In the 1850’s there was a mass immigration to America from Germany (CN). At that time Germany was beginning to industrialize (CN), causing a uptick in unemployment among farmers. Most germans came to America looking for economic opportunity, landing in New York (Barkin). The journey to America wasn’t easy, most Germans were too poor for first or second class tickets, so during their journey they lived in

         During the 1920’s there were many controversial issues.  There was a concern about declining moral and ethical values, which led to restrictions such as prohibition for example.  The concern about these issues seemed most intense when they pertained to religion.  In situations like these it always seems necessary to place the blame somewhere.  One particular group on which this blame was emphasized happened to be the immigrants.  Irish Catholic immigrants were a main focus of discrimination in many ways.

Many people made the journey of their own across the Atlantic Ocean to this New World. As colonies and territories turned into a sovereign-nation it attracted its own immigrants under a host of reasons. During the 19th century a major wave of immigration came mostly from northern and western Europe. Roughly one-third came from Ireland, which experienced a massive famine in the mid-19th century. Also in this time, the United States received numerous German immigrants. Many of them traveled to the present-day Midwest to buy farms or massed in such cities as Milwaukee, St. Louis and Cincinnati. The mid-1800s brought a significant number of Asian immigrants who also settled in the United States – enticed by news of the California gold rush; approximately 25,000 Chinese had migrated there by the early 1850s. In modern times, immigrants are mainly Mexicans, Chinese, Indians, and Filipinos, and still seek opportunity for wealth and better life. From history to the present, immigration has been a huge component of America. (Immigration Timeline 2015)

German immigration began in 1816 due to famine and the European economy failing. Unlike most other groups, the Germans were skilled craftsmen by tradition and made a better living despite having less than average pay for an American citizen. Their cultural traditions remained with them for over a century

Throughout the 1930s, Germany went under the control of the anti-Semitic Nazi Party and its leader, Adolf Hitler. “I could see the danger, being so close to Hitler and the Nazi's in Munich. Many of my school friends, former school friends, were becoming big Nazi's.” (Lowen) Most Germans did not agree with this form of ideology and could see the danger that would come of it so, in strong opposition to the system, they left the country. The Germans who opposed to the changes or the country but didn’t leave were either, forced to leave, held in concentration camps, or put to death. The transition for Germans from Nazi Germany to America--in obligation to the fact that they were German-- was fairly easy, even with the lowering exception of

Immigrants from German speaking areas began coming to the United States during colonial times, making them one of the earliest non-English groups to arrive here. (It is necessary to say “from German speaking areas” because Germany was not a united country until

The beginning of Chinese immigration to the United States first started in the 19th century, the political unrest and economic pressures in China and the Gold Rush era in California prompted thousands of Chinese immigrants to migrate to the United States to search for temporary work, and to seek for the dreams of gold in the 1850s. Many of them arrived in America hoping to acquired wealth to send money back to support their families and hoping to return back to their home after a few years with wealth, but some of them entered the United States for freedom.

No matter their religion, language, or struggles they faced upon arrival in America throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the one thing all Irish had in common was their reason for leaving Ireland; the English. Whether Catholic from southern Ireland or Presbyterian from the Ulster region, the Irish were systematically oppressed by the Anglican Church of England. For those who could afford the passage, America meant freedom to worship as they chose and for the Ulster Presbyterians; recognition that their church was valid. For the southern Irish, unfortunately, during the 1800’s America was a heavily Protestant country that harbored severe suspicions of Catholics and rumors the Pope was plotting to destroy their country. This meant

There were several international problems that prompt the arrival of immigrants, and thus, the nativist groups that strongly opposed the Irish Immigrants but not as much the Germans. The Irish came to the United States because of the Potato Blight, and the Germans came in because of the revolution in the fragmented nation states in modern day Germany. The Irish come into America at extraordinarily high levels, and immigration increased 4 times the amount it was in the 1820’s by the 1840’s. There were 143,000 people each year coming into the United Sates, and from 1820- 1870, over 7 million immigrants come into the United States. Because of the large amount of people, it was clear that these population were going to drastically affect America,

Writers from colonial times referred to the German immigrants as honest to the bone, frugal with their money and hard working past sunset. In fact, German businessmen on William Penn's new land seldom kept track of accounts. As sure as the moon would rise, their neighbors would settle their accounts in fair time. Many Germans understood the power of discipline and logic. They transformed waste lands into productive farms; a new country rose from the forests. The German immigrants never preached violence, considered injustice a moral failure and worshiped god in their frontier churches.

During the 18th to 20th century, the Chinese people faced many obstacles. Many would come in to America seeking education, work, and to get away from the famine. When they came, there got more than they bargained for. Abundant of Chinese immigrants came to American in three different time periods. They first came in 1849-1882 when they heard of the gold being found in California. The second wave of Chinese immigrants came in 1882-1965. And the last one would be in 1965 to now, present day.

The Chinese traveled to the US in the time of the gold rush because they needed to come and make a fortune and return home. Many Chinese wanted to stay in the United States, but the US made it very difficult. One example of that is that in 1879 California passed a constitution that said no one could legally employ Chinese people. They even had a national holiday for anti-Chinese demonstrations. One more act they passed was called the Cable Act. It stated that if any American married a Chinese person (women in particular), they would lose their American citizenship.

Refers to the rules established by the federal government for determining who is allowed to enter the country, and for how long.