Italian/irish

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Immigration: Irish vs. Italians

Part to Part

Introductory Information

People from all over the world have moved to the United States to make a better life than they had in their native countries. People who leave their country to set up a new life in another country are called immigrants. Each immigrant group has had different experiences in the U.S. as they have struggled to build a life for their families. But some groups have had some similar experiences because of similarities between their native cultures.

Passage

It is interesting to compare and contrast the experiences of the Irish and Italian immigrant groups as they adjusted to life in the United States. There were many similarities between the experiences of the Irish and Italian immigrants who came to the United States in the early 1800s. Both groups had mostly been farmers in their native countries. When they came to America, most Irish and Italians had to give up farming. Very few of them could afford to buy land here. Instead, they moved to big cities in the Northeast, like New York, Philadelphia, and Boston.

Another similarity was that both the Irish and Italians were Catholic. Many people in America feared them and treated them unfairly because they were Catholic. The Irish and Italians ended up with the lowest paying jobs. They had to live in alleys and slums (poor areas of cities). Because they lived in such bad conditions, they often caught deadly diseases like the lung disease called tuberculosis.

Although there were many similarities between the early Irish and Italian immigrants, there were also important differences. First, the Irish already spoke English. This made it easier for them to make their way in America. Because the Italians spoke Italian and not English, it was harder for them to settle into American culture. Instead, the Italians hung onto their native language and culture. They often lived in family groups that stuck together.

Another difference between the Irish and Italians had to do with farming. The Irish never returned to their native work of farming when they came to America, but some Italians did. These Italians went to California and set up vineyards for making wine.

Immigration: Irish vs. Italians

Whole to Whole

Introductory Information

People from all over the world have moved to the United States to make a better life than they had in their native countries. People who leave their country to set up a new life in another country are called immigrants. Each immigrant group has had different experiences in the U.S. as they have struggled to build a life for their families. But some groups have had some similar experiences because of similarities between their native cultures.

The Irish

Many Irish people came as immigrants to the United States in the early 1800s. Because the Irish already spoke English, it was easier for them to make their way in America than for people who came from countries where English was not spoken.

Most of the Irish had been farmers in Ireland. When they came to America, they had to give up farming. They could not afford to buy land here. As a result, they moved to big cities in the Northeast, like New York, Philadelphia, and Boston, where they