Irish American Culture Essay

In 1844, Ireland had a populace of around 8.4 million, however by 1851 their populous dropped to 6.6 million. One million kicked the bucket as a result of starvation amid the Great Potato Famine and one million moved to different nations, yet a large portion of the Irish moved to North America and settled basically amongst Boston and Baltimore and the vast majority of the Irish workers were Protestants. The Irish went to America basically on the grounds that there were more employments, more terrains and more open doors. There is many positive things that came from the immigration such as things like the large portions of the Irish workers that came into North America that were single men, which were imperative to the United States economy at the time since they were utilized as work. These Irishmen dug the Erie Canal in the 1820s and the New Canal in New Orleans in the 1830s. Ethnic and ANTI-CATHOLIC RIOTING happened in numerous northern refers to, the biggest happening in Philadelphia in 1844 amid a time of financial misery. Protestants, Catholics and nearby volunteer army battled in the

After the arriving of Chinese immigrants during the gold rush in California, the sate required every foreign miner to pay tax.

While America was known at the time as a place for accepting immigrants, this was not the case for most Irish immigrants. Irish Catholics were targeted on the grounds that Catholics could not be trusted to remain loyal to anyone but the Pope, if another war were to arise. However, the Irish remained strong willed and assimilated into American society by working as farmers and building machines.

Nativists feared immigrants due to the fact that they might out-populate natural-born Americans, out-vote natural-born Americans, and overwhelm the United States in general. Also, during this time, these immigrants refused to let go of their culture; German immigrants continued speaking German and Irish immigrants continued speaking Gaelic, even though they spoke English as well. Nativists eventually formed the group “Order of the Star-Spangled Banner”, which evolved into the American party, the “Know-Nothings”. The “Know-Nothings” promoted violence against immigrants and advocated for much anti-immigrant restrictions and policies. Hence why both German and Irish immigrants faced much opposition and hatred from Americans, even when they primarily arrived in the United States.

The book, “The Irish Way” by James R. Barrett is a masterpiece written to describe the life of Irish immigrants who went to start new lives in America after conditions at home became un-accommodative. Widespread insecurity, callous English colonizers and the ghost of great famine still lingering on and on in their lives, made this ethnic group be convinced that home was longer a home anymore. They descended in United States of America in large numbers. James R. Barrett in his book notes that these people were the first group of immigrants to settle in America. According to him, there were a number of several ethnic groups that have arrived in America. It was, however, the mass exodus of Irish people during and after the great

Immigrants came to America seeking opportunity, land, and freedom. In addition, immigrants also came to escape from things in their homelands such as oppression, high taxes, and the Potato Famine. These were all known as push and pull factors. This explained why you should leave your country and come to America(doc 2). The Potato Famine was a rough era in Ireland. Due to a blight, all of the potatoes rotted right before being ready to be

These immigrants can be divided into two groups: the old and new immigrants. The old immigrants came from Northern and Western Europe from 1800 to 1880. Most of these people were Protestant. The Irish came here to escape the poverty and starvation brought about by the Irish potato famine. Other immigrants came to America to have a voice in government, escape political turmoil, or to seek economic opportunity.

During the 18th century the Irish slowly began their migration to America. Centuries of oppression from Protestant English rule had forced them to live very poor lives under strict rules, in some cases having to renounce their Catholic beliefs and having to abandon their Gaelic

When many think of the times of immigration, they tend to recall the Irish Immigration and with it comes the potato famine of the 1840s' however, they forget that immigrants from the Emerald Isle also poured into America during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The assimilation and immigration of the Irish has been difficult for each group that has passed through the gates of Ellis Island or South Boston. Like every group that came to America, the Irish were looked down upon; yet, in the face of discrimination,

When many think of the times of immigration, they tend to recall the Irish Immigration and with it comes the potato famine of the 1840s' however, they forget that immigrants from the Emerald Isle also poured into America during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The assimilation and immigration of the Irish has been difficult for each group that has passed through the gates of Ellis Island or South Boston. Like every group that came to America, the Irish were looked down upon; yet, in the face of discrimination, political, social and economic oppression, the Irish have been a testament to the American Dream as their influence in

The life of Irish immigrants in Boston was one of poverty and discrimination. The religiously centered culture of the Irish has along with their importance on family has allowed the Irish to prosper and persevere through times of injustice. Boston's Irish immigrant population amounted to a tenth of its population. Many after arriving could not find suitable jobs and ended up living where earlier generations had resided. This attributed to the 'invisibility' of the Irish.

I learned that the Irish people were in a scurry to leave their homeland for reasons that were comparable with the Chinese. Some of these push factors included their government being influenced by the British and also the great famine of Ireland called the ‘Potato Blight’ that drove many to seek shelter in America. Other reasons were the pull factors that drew Irish men and women to the America. Almost identical to that of the Chinese, the Irish saw a chance to start a new life by grasping the supposedly high paying jobs. But like the Chinese, their hopes did not turn out the way they intended it to. The Irish acquired jobs in the railroad industry as well as in the steel factories, and coalmines. Expected, even though they had a true unity with each other, both the Chinese and Irish had to work together in the similar environment of the railroad. Also the Irish government was being manipulated by Britain. Which caused war that lead to an economic degradation. This unappealed many of the Irish people and pressured them to migrate. This situation resemble that of the Chinese.

As they began to immigrate to the United States, the Irish population suffered from various racism. They were categorizes as dangerous, aggressive, temperamental, along other derogatory words. However, with the introduction of new ethnicities, as well as the conformity Irish Americans dealt with, the stereotypes and discriminations regarding this immigrant group often diminished. As many other ethnicities have done, the Irish Americans found themselves conforming to American cultures and beliefs. This process of conformity has been adapted by many immigrating ethnicities, giving up most of their culture and identity to fit the image of what an ideal American is. In the case of Irish immigrants, many of them encountered hostility because of

Irish immigration started in the 1800’s. tens thousands of Irish people left Ireland because of bad conditions in Ireland. Here are the reason Irish people left Ireland the first reason they left Ireland is because there was a mass starvation in Ireland and there was not enough food for everyone they fled in mass numbers to Canada in hope to find a better life. Second reason they were drove out of ireland is there was a massive sickness going around that was sweeping the Irish population and there was no antidote. The final main reason the Irish people left Ireland was they were trying to rebel against Britain and the irish men did not want to go into war so they and their families fled to Canada.

"America's bounty -- the abundance of the fields, the beauty of the landscape, the richness of our opportunities -- has always attracted people who are in search of a better life for themselves and their children. Our democracy owes its success in great part to the countless immigrants who have made their way to our shores and to the tremendous diversity this Nation has been blessed with since its beginnings. In March, when communities all across the country celebrate St. Patrick's Day, our nation honors the rich heritage of the millions of Americans who trace their lineage to Ireland." (Clinton 2003) This was, in part, a proclamation given by our former President William J. Clinton, on February 23, 1995.