American Dream: Irish and Italian Americans

The Irish were one of the first ethnic groups to come to the Americas. The first set of Irish were working for English colonists in the 1650s (Feagan, 85). Shortly after, more Irish began to migrate to the United States. One of the main reasons they came was due to a famine in Ireland, “known as the Irish Famine of the 1840s…a potato blight caused a massive failure of that crop, and many people died of starvation or hunger-related diseases”(Feagan, 86). Which led to another reason why their move was voluntary. “North America, which was portrayed, in exaggerated terms, as the land of golden opportunity” (Feagan, 86).

Although it seemed like a promising opportunity and guaranteed future of possibilities, not many Irish were able to see America for they had died in route. They traveled on boats, but because of the famine most died from starvation. Some Irish traveled as families and others by themselves. Once they landed in America they had “clustered in small, dispersed settlements within cities” (Feagan, 86). Racial ethnic segregation did not seem like an issue in the beginning due to the fact that the “English leaders advocated emigration to the United States as a solution from the famine” (Feagan, 86). The men and women worked, and sent their children to school who would later join them. Some wives were either housewives, white-collar workers, or servants. Majority of the Irish women were single and worked as white-collars and servants to be seen as independent and self-sufficient. The married Irish women were seen as “being very important in their communities” (Feagan, 86).

To help raise the children and to keep them grounded in books and soon in the workforce. The Irish men worked in mines, factories, docks, etc. Irish Americans were faced with different kinds of oppression, but it was mostly segregation. The Anglo-Protestants began stereotyping the Irish with “words such as temperamental, dangerous, quarrelsome, idle, and reckless” (Feagan, 86). As more Irish emigrated over, caricatures were being created to symbolize their features and characteristics. They were even considered “ape-like”. “The ape-like image of the Irish was imported from England. With the rise of debates over human evolution in England. The Irish poor had been viewed by many in England and the U.S. as the ‘missing link’ between the gorilla and the human race” (Feagan, 87). “They also had to compete for low-income jobs against African Americans” (Feagan, 89). Which is why they did not want African Americans moving up North and was against them being free because economically they would not be able to compete and survive. The Irish resisted oppression by siding with the Anglo-Protestants on conflicting with other ethnicities. “They had been known to start racial or ethnic conflict” (Feagan 88). “To secure their ‘place in the sun’, Irish Americans have struggled vigorously against many groups, from established Anglo-Protestants (over political-economic issues) to Native Americans (over land)” (Feagan, 88).

After the “Whiskey Rebellion and the Regulation Movement, to relieve domination and expand their political power. The Irish were encouraged to settle in frontier areas to shield the dominant Anglo-Protestant interests from indigenous Americans” (Feagan, 88). Which is where scalping came from. Next, they were in conflict with the African Americans. They basically had to compete to see who was best fitted to be drafted in the military which led to the “’Draft Riot’-the most serious riot United States history” (Feagan, 89). “Between the 1850s and 18890s, most Irish American came to see themselves as white and, as a rule, began to develop the anti-Black prejudices and framing shared by other whites” (Feagan, 89).

The Irish Americans believed that once they joined with the “superior which race” that all their problems with the Anglo-Protestants would go away because they had deemed themselves worthy of the status quo. Contributions that the Irish have made over time have definitely been history, culture, music, entertainment, St. Patrick’s Day, the idea of having good luck with a three-leaf clover, and many more. “They became political and religious leaders. They used their drive and charm (and their "way with words") to achieve special success in journalism, entertainment and sports. Popular perceptions of the fierce Irish temper, introduced such terms as "Paddy Wagon," "Donnybrook" and "Fighting Irish" to the American language. Among the early immigrants to the United States, the Irish are now assimilated in all aspects of this nation, but they still retain pride and identity in their Irish heritage”(Teacher Resources - Library of Congress.com).

Italians on the other hand have migrated from Italy to the United States since the 1820s. They traveled in groups, mostly from the same villages or towns. The Italians left pretty much for the same reason the Irish left, “land and agricultural problems” (Feagan, 98). Along with “low income, poor soil, a feudal system, unreasonable taxed, and government corruption were important push factors at the point of origin” (Feagan, 98). Unlike the Irish, some Italians saw the move to America as temporary. What attracted them to the United States is the “exaggerated image of the United States as a place of expanding opportunity…” (Feagan, 98). The Italians traveled by boat and usually with their villages or families. Which made the transition not as difficult because “migration along kinship networks, typical for countries, lessened the pain of resettlement” (Feagan, 98). “In the larger cities, many immigrants settled in ethnic enclaves-residential, social, and economic niches where fellow visitors already resided-often called ‘Little Italies’” (Feagan, 98). Which made their transition a lot more smoother than others. Both spouses in the Italian families worked. “Most worked as unskilled laborers, often on transportation systems such as canals and railroads and on water and sewer systems. Pay was low, and individuals as well as families were usually poor” (Feagan, 98). “Women were often employed in low-paying trade occupations” (Feagan, 105).

Italian Americans faced a lot more oppression than the Irish, and it lasted way longer. Ethnic discrimination about all, along with stereotypes such as the mafia, poor IQ test scores, poor test scores for the draft, always being seen as the “inferior race”, and having to do more than the Irish Americans did to become part of the white race. Which was to start conflict among other ethnic races including the Anglo-Protestant. The Italians seemed like they got along just fine with the Africans Americans, but because of the constant discrimination and stereotyping that they were receiving from the Anglo-Protestants, they felt like they had to choose sides. They even tried to “buy their way into the racist system, thereby accepting a place in the ‘white race’ and on orientation that weakened their earlier strong commitments to multiracial democracy” (Feagan 103).

The Italian Americans were able to fight it off for a while because once they conformed the “white race” they still had to fight for a positive representation of their ethnicity. They eventually was no longer seen as the same as an African Americans. Structural assimilation was pertinent in order for the Italians to be seen as equal as the English. The Irish Americans had to experience the same in order to progress through life, and as a people.

Contributions that the Italians have made to America over time have been their history, culture, music, entertainment, strong family bonds, loyalty, food, literature, film, television and theater, and much more. “Italian Americans have most certainly staked their claim in the American Dream. They have risen up the social ranks from the disadvantaged and impoverished, to wealth, and opportunity providers. Some of the most notable, and beloved entertainers are of Italian decent. However, as time has changed, the basic values of family, unity, and hard work prevail. These values are a source of pride and dignity that link Italian Americans of today to their ancestors that first came to this country so many years ago”.