Irish Immigration 19th Century

Irish Catholics arriving in America were faced with the most prejudices. They were seen as unskilled, illiterate, immoral troublemakers who were stealing jobs from other workers. Many were given low paying jobs or unable to gain employment at all due to discrimination. Poverty led to gang formation, violence and crime. Alcoholism was also a problem as many emigrants became saloon owners, since bars and whiskey were a big part of their Irish heritage. As the number of immigrants grew, so did the increase in crime and alcoholism which perpetuated the Philadelphians’ feelings of mistrust of the Irish. Philadelphia newspapers that neglected to include information that was important and of interest to the Irish, were diligent in reporting negative stories or in degrading Irish immigrants. There were also great misgivings concerning the Irish Catholics. Massa (2016) notes that the evangelical Christian Protestants of the era perceived the Catholic faith as

In the early 1800s the German and Irish were suffering from unemployment, famine, civil unrest and many other hardships. Through these hardships, not having food or jobs they decided to congregate in an area that could provide this for them. From 1820 to 1870 hundreds of thousands of German and Irish immigrants ended up emigrating to the United States in search of jobs and opportunities. Burgeoning companies took in anyone that was looking for a job, the immigrants would end up taking almost every labor enduring job in the country. The immigration of the German and Irish immigrants would end up affecting and changing many American lives.

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

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

In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s many immigrants came to the United States for a better way of life. I chose this particular question because I am first generation American.

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 analyzing events or people, an important factor to consider is the historical context revolving the object of interest. Historical context provides reasoning and rationalization on why certain events occurred, what caused people’s action, among many other examples. When discussing the dominant-minority group relationship and condition of entry in relations to immigration of certain ethnicities, the historical context provides almost all understanding necessary to provide insight on what happened during these times. In this essay, the Irish Immigration in 1845 and, later, the immigration of the Japanese in the 1880’s will be examined through historical context such as what brought the group to the United States, what roles did they play

From 1815 to 1850, five million Europeans immigrated to the United States, and three of those five million arrived within just a decade from 1845-1854. This was the largest immigration America had seen compared to its total population. Most of the immigrants were either Irish or German, but they all had one thing in common: they wanted better lives for their families. In their home countries, they often experienced religious persecution or had little economic opportunity. Many heard the exaggerated stories of the abundant American farmland and widespread freedom, making them more eager to settle there.

In the early 19th century many Irish people immigrated to the United States. There were several reasons why Irish people came to live in America. During the American Industrial Revolution, many immigrants from all over, including Ireland, came to The New World to find new opportunities. There were also great religious opportunities from the largely Roman Catholic influence in Irish culture to the various Protestant religions here. All was well and good as Americans and immigrants worked together to expand the railroad and canals in the New England States, primarily New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York (Irish American Journey). In 1819, 43 percent of immigrants to America were Irish (Immigration). In Ireland at the time, most people were farmers and lived off potato crops for

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.

Irish had often lived in unhealthy and unclean tenements. Then when they arrived in America they too had faced discrimination. They had many organizations conspired against them to ensure the immigrants could not vote, or hold office (Baker 262). “In 1844 controversy arose in Philadelphia over whether Catholic children in public schools could be allowed to read from the Catholic version of the Bible rather than the King James version and other issues”(Baker 262). This caused a violent reaction of the people who were against the Irish and Catholics (Baker 262). “Catholic churches and priests were the most frequent nativist targets” (Baker 262). The Americans had thought that the Irish Catholics had used the U.S voting system to elect followers of the pope so the pope could have some power in the United States. The nativist did not just have conspiracies about the Irish but many other immigrants too (Baker 262).

Ireland was going through difficult political and economic turmoil in their home country that people began to look for a way out desperately in order to survive. Many chose to move to the U.S. in search of labor and to provide for their families, but their migration was seen as exile and banishment rather than a quest of opportunity like other immigrants (Kenny 124). As the Irish began to settle in the U.S., they tended to go to cities as they were young and could find work in urban cities easier. However, they noticed that the further west they went, the more success they had in looking for jobs. There was a heavy demand for Irish unskilled labor as they provided cheap, expendable labor for the U.S.’s emerging industrial and urban infrastructure. Not only did the Irish begin to find work, but Irish female immigrants began to work as domestics, filling 80 percent of positions in many cities. The Irish were successful in finding work, but still faced discrimination due to their “banished” migration and low-wage jobs (Kenny 129). The Irish were not the only racial group to search for labor and be discriminated against as more ethnicities would begin to arrive in the U.S. and receive harsher

                              Ireland has a great history of war, famine, despair, and hardship. Throughout the years the Irish have come from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. In this paper I will give a history of the Irish people before coming to America, what it was coming here, how they were welcomed to their new home, and how they are faring now. I will also expose many of the stereotypes that the Irish have pinned to them and the reason that they are there.

In the mid-1860s, over half of the population of Ireland immigrated to United States. This