1. Irish Immigration to the United States
The Irish Famine

2. Immigration numbers reached their peak in the late 1850’s

3. European Immigration: 1840-1920
Europeans immigrated to the US in huge waves during these years
Old Immigrants: Western Europe
New Immigrants: Eastern Europe

5. II. Europe unequally affected by migrations
Economic migrations which increased with unemployment
e.g. Irish emigration after Great Famine

6. An Emigration of Poverty: Irish Emigration in the 19th Century
Ireland: Land of Exodus
1. Product of British colonization
Colonized in 17th Century by Great Britain and annexed to United Kingdom in 1800
Irish population majority Catholic
Colonizers from England and Scotland predominantly Protestant

8. 2. The Irish: A Tradition of Immigration
Middle Ages: religious migrations of monks to evangelize the continent
Modern Era migrations for religious and military reasons
18th century for economic reasons
Up to 1815, around 11,000 people per year emigrated to Great Britain but also towards America
Between 1815 and 1848, 1 million Irish cross the Atlantic and 500,000 leave for Great Britain – Beginning of the “great emigration of paupers”

9. 3. An Emigration of Paupers
Irish immigrants of first half of 19th Century : proletariats doing the hardest labor
(terracing, drainage, building mining galleries…) (e.g. Erie Canal in Great Lakes region)
Vast majority wind up in packed urban ghettos – their arrival is very poorly viewed by the Anglo-Saxon population (in U.S. and U.K.)

10. B. The Great Irish Exodus (1845-1890)
1. Why does emigration increase?
From , around 2.3 M left Ireland, more than 200,000/year for 5 yrs
Potato Blight (food staple of Irish population) caused a famine which led to 1 million deaths and incited more than a million Irish to emigrate to the U.S.

11. Potato Production during the Great Famine 1844-1857

12. Evictions Multiplied Tenants could no longer pay rents to the landlords who then proceeded to evict tenant families generating numerous departures which remained significant until the 1890’s.
Eviction of 300 tenants by Mrs. Gerrard from the village of Ballinglass, Co Galway, on March 13, 1846

13. The Irish Famine: a national phenomenon but mixed in its regional impact Which regions are most affected?

14. Immigration to the United States
Push and Pull Factors for the Irish
Few immigration restrictions
Famine
Unemployment
US industrialized in the late 19th century (= JOBS!!!)
Abundant land
Religious persecution of the Irish Catholics by the English (Protestants)
No social class restrictions
Oppressive governments in Europe
Write push or pull after each factor

15. Atlantic Voyage Steerage: cheapest “seats” on a steamship Ellis Island
Cramped disgusting quarters
14 day trip
Ellis Island
Inspection before entry to the US
Physical Examination
Questions
Politics???, Criminals???, Can You Work???, and Do You Have Some Money???
2% were denied admission
17 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island
71% of all immigrants
21% of Americans today can trace their ancestors to Ellis Island

17. How did the United States React?
1. Nativism
Favoritism towards native-born Americans
Socially acceptable discrimination against non- natives

18. 2. Irish Integration in U.S. society
Irish immigrants were the 1st to feel the impact of Nativism
They swelled the ranks of urban slums and their social ascension was slow
Poorly viewed by Anglo Saxon Protestants who rejected them

19. The Irish were accused of threatening the basis of the American nation because of their Catholic faith
loyalty to the Pope,
Political Machines (Democratic Party)

20. Irish Paupers populated urban slums called tenements where misery, lawlessness and poor hygienic conditions reigned

21. Dilapidated Golden Flats - Tenement* slum housing
*a run-down and often overcrowded apartment house, esp. in a poor section of a large city

24. Gangs of New York
Rioting in New York between “natives” and Irish newcomers

25. Irish Integration into U.S. Society today
Circa 1870 Irish immigrants settled in large Northern cities (New York, Boston, Chicago);
obtained social integration thanks to trade union movement and political life (Democratic Party)
In 1880, New York elected its first Irish Catholic mayor
Some success stories (e.g. Ford)
In 1960, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the first Catholic President descendant from Irish immigrants, was elected
Today million Americans have Irish origins