During the 1800's, immigrants poured into the United States of America. The immigrants were
coming from other countries like Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Scandinavia, China, ect. They all came for
various different reasons. The reasons for immigration are divided into two
sections; push factors (reasons that push people from their native land)
and pull factors (reasons that pull people towards a new country). Some
of the push factors for coming to America are overpopulation, loss
of jobs, religious and/or political turmoil, debt, and crop failures. The
reason for the Irish immigrants had for coming to America was a push factor. At the
time people left Ireland there, the Irish Potato
Famine was putting the country in turmoil and America offered a better life then
what was in Ireland. On the other hand, some
pull factors for coming to America was abundant land,
affordable land, a chance at a new life, new markets, tolerance, freedom, and
economic opportunity.
When they arrived in America most immigrants flocked
towards cities in the north. These cities had a large amount of manufacturing
jobs open due to the Industrial Revolution. The south attracted fewer
immigrants because the economy was based off of slave labor and there were few
jobs offerings because of it. There were also aid groups for new immigrants
that other immigrants before them had formed. Besides the positives like job
openings and aid groups, immigrants were met with some difficulties. As a
result of the urban growth, cities didn't have space for all the newcomers.
Plus, the cities were unprepared to deal with all the people and crime that was
occurring. The immigrants were also met with opposition. Some native-born
Americans thought immigrants were too foreign to adapt to American living.
Others feared that immigrants would outnumber natives and some even were
skeptical of the new religions. Those who opposed immigration refused to
hire immigrants, formed secret societies and would not vote for Catholics and
immigrants. They even went as far as to form a know-nothing party that wanted
to ban immigration or at least make it near impossible to become a citizen.
