History before 1877 - Essay Example

Slaves who bore no rights were in high demand to provide for cheap labor. A large wave of Europeans immigrated to the United States of America in the 19th century (Wolff 56). The famous Potato famine in Ireland was also another factor that pushed these groups to migrate to the United States for greener pastures. Due to the economic depression accompanied by religious intolerance in Germany, many Catholics were obliged to migrate (Chang 124). The immigration of Europeans to the United States was of great benefit it spurred economic growth.

To start with, due to rapid industrialization, there was the need for cheap labor. Second, the United States began claiming land from the Spanish and the Northern America native people. Nevertheless, the populous immigration was a threat to certain groups of people as it was deemed to tamper with the peace and harmony of the citizens (Herron 307). Europeans remarkably made up the majority of migrants during the end of the twentieth century. However, this changed in the late twentieth century, when they were replaced by migrants from Latin America and Asia (Chang, 411).

A bulk of them came from Mexico, Philippines, China, Vietnam, Korean, India, and the Dominican Republic. Population growth and industrialization are the convulsive demographic and economic factors that attracted migrants to America: the land of opportunity and freedom (Chang, 411). Immigrants in the past and present have contributed to the American economy in different perspectives. However, it is evident that they have played a critical role in shaping the destiny of the country. No doubt, America will continue to grow, demand and attract the strong willing unskilled laborers for many years to come (Chang, 411).

With increased numbers of immigrants between 1860 and 1915, conflict arose due to competition for resources. It became necessary to regulate the