The Social, Political, and Economic Impact of the Irish Immigration to the USA - Research Paper Example

The social, political, and economic impact of the Irish immigration to the USA This is a study about Irish immigration to the USA. Specifically, the study will examine the social, political, and economic effectsof Irish immigration to the USA. This study will give an in depth explanation of the values, practices and ideals that have been borrowed from these immigrants by the people of the United States. The study further highlights the reasons behind the movement of people from Ireland to the USA. Immigration has shaped the culture, politics, and economy of the United States. For a long period, the Irish have believed that the United States is the place to go for a better life. To them, America offered some benefits that were not available at home; land, freedom from control by the Britons, and numerous economic activities. The potato famine, which lasted from 1841 to 1851, was the major reason for the Irish to move to the United States. Thousands of people from Ireland moved to America during the famine and years immediately after the famine. The famine killed many people. As a result, the Irish had no choice but to migrate out of the need for more favorable conditions of life (Daniels, 1990 p69). The immigration of Irish to America would still have been high even in the absence of the potato famine. America had great economic opportunities and compared to Ireland. This prompted people from Ireland to migrate to the United States. Some of them had moved to America before the famine. They settled in cities such as Boston, New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia. Their relatives and neighbors who had already settled in these cities attracted some, while others went there for jobs. Irish men secured jobs as casual laborers and construction workers (Shaw, 1994 p18). The settlement of the Irish in the United States had an impact on the social, political,and economic aspects of the United States. Social impacts The migration of the Irish influenced the American society’s social conditions in a number of ways. Initially, when they went to the America,Irish immigrants were poor and could not afford proper and decent housing. Most of them worked as unskilled laborers, earning low wages. They therefore settled in slums where the conditions of living were poor. Because of their large numbers, the Irish felt more secure living together. Thus, they inhabited and settled in places that turned out to be the worst slums in the United States of America (Williams, 1996 p93). Irish immigrants lived in single-roomed houses, which had no ventilation and natural light. Sanitation was poor in the places they lived, and their housed were often flooded with sewer. They suffered from diseases such as pneumonia, cholera, yellow fever, and tuberculosis. Due to alcohol abuse, they encountered mental complications and a high number of them got admission to public hospitals. Thus, they had an impact health in the United States. Those of them who interacted with other Americans led to spread of diseases to the rest of the population (Daniels, 1990 p71). As more Irish immigrants settled in parts of the United States, intermarriage between people of Irish origin and those born in the United States became common. These intermarriages resulted into a sense of cohesiveness and American identity. There was widespread acceptance and recognition of the Irish as Americans. Americans ceased to discriminate the Irish on racial basis. The intermarriages made the Americans view the Irish as part of them. Thus, the huge ethnic differences that used to be there between the two cultures reduced. The assimilation of the Irish immigrants to the groups living in the United States resulted to the massive integration between these two groups (Daniels, 1990 p 70). Owing to the fact that they spoke English, the Irish became the first group of Catholics to arrive in large numbers in the United States. As such, they quickly controlled the Catholic Church in America. The Irish perpetuated catholic religious beliefs. They were able to convert many Americans to become Catholics. Their religious beliefs were the symbol of their identity as Americans as they stuck to the practices of Catholics. The popularity of Catholic religious beliefs in America is associated to the Irish Immigrants who were very active in spreading these beliefs in the places where they settled (Kevin 2008). With huge numbers of immigrants from Irish in the United States, the population of the United States increased. Nearly half of the immigrants in the United States were Irish. This was a large number considering that their country of origin is no larger than some states in America. As the population in the United States increased, the number of people in Ireland became fewer and fewer. The decline in the population in Ireland was caused by deaths resulting from the famine that had struck the country. Irish immigrants in the United States caused insecurity in the country. Because most of them were poor and they had no good jobs, they engaged in crime as a way of earning a living. They were disorderly and violent because of their drinking behavior. Irish men went to prison because of offensive acts that were against the law. Victims of these crimes were mainly well established Americans financially than the Irish. The government of the United States imprisoned most Irish men (Jensen, 2002 p 413). More Irish women than men migrated to the United States. The women had an added advantage because they could get free food, shelter, and clothing while working as house helps. Women joined convents and thus played a key role in shaping future generations. Unmarried women devoted their lives to God by becoming nuns. The nuns built hospitals and founded schools. They taught the young generation both catholic and American values (Williams, 1996 p94). Immigration of the Irish to the United States had an impact on the American ways of life. For example, the traditional songs and dances from Ireland became part of entertainment in America. Musical instruments such as the fiddle can be associated with the Irish. American also copied their sports. The Americans borrowed the Irish step dance. Often, there was rivalry between the Black Americans and the Irish. This was triggered by the fact that blacks saw the Irish as threats to their jobs. When the Irish moved to the United States, they replaced blacks employed in places such as hotels and those who worked as house helps. Thus, there were huge differences between them and black Americans, as they were seen as intruders who had come to deny the blacks their chances of getting employment.The Irish faced discrimination from other races in the United States. Immigrants from Ireland used to go for low paying jobs since they were desperate. Factory fired workers in their favor. This worsened the hatred that other races had towards the Irish (Jensen, 2002 p 410). Political impacts Movement of the Irish into the United States affected the political situation in America. The Irish introduced two holidays in the United States that are widely practiced today. These are Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day. The Irish immigrants brought the customs of Halloween to the United States in the 1840s. St. Patrick’s Day marks the celebration of the Patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick. With time, the social status of the immigrants came to change. They were able to acquire property and get good jobs. Thus, they were in a position to support their families back home,and improve on their living conditions while in the United States (Kevin 2008). In urban centers, the Irish headed the municipal government; especially in the police and fire department. During the American Civil war, the troops were composed of Irish soldiers, most of them being residents of New York City. The Irish influenced the policies in the urban centers that they had settled. Their involvement in American politics was mainly because they had gained acceptance in the American society; and could be allowed to hold leadership positions (Shaw, 1994 p17). Irish immigrants were involved in drafting the United States constitution. Some of the delegates involved in coming up with the constitution of the United States were immigrants from Ireland. Thus, the Irish had great influence on the laws followed in America today. Some of them became political leaders, and elected as senators in the Congress. Due to adequate representation in the government, they were able to exert great political influence. There was equal distribution of resources to the Irish, and they had an opportunity to enjoy similar benefits as those accorded to American (Williams, 1996 p94). The Irish can be associated with the political ideals of the Democratic Party. The voting population from Ireland always sided with democrat Candidates. Politicians from the Democratic Party encouraged the Irish to get involved in the Civil war to avoid losing their jobs. Thus, the Irish voters supported the Democrat candidates; as they were fighting for their well-being. Most Americans of Irish origin became members of the Democratic Party and discarded the political ideals of Republicans. The Irish and Germans joined forces and the Democratic Party took the lead in Cities such as New Jersey (Fanning, 2000 p 124). Formation of labor unions is another way in which the Irish influenced American politics. When they came to America, majority were employed as construction workers; since they were not skilled to work in other industries. They had a strong sense of togetherness and community hence they formed labor unions to fight for better working conditions. Some led labor unions for carpenters, bricklayers, and plumbers. By forming unions, they were able to collectively bargain. Irish led numerous workers’ protests, making employers to realize the need for fair remuneration of employees with an Irish origin (Fanning, 2000 p124). Owing to their large numbers, the Irish were able to control politics in the areas where they lived. Politicians offered favors such as clothing, food, and social services to the Irish in exchange for votes from the Irish voters. As a result, the Irish were favored in the job market. The Irish who took various jobs, as police officers were corrupt. The Tammany hall in New York can be associated with the Irish immigrants. It is famous for political corruption and patronage.Thus, the Irish influenced the politics in the United States by perpetrating corruption in the government agencies (Fanning, 2000 p125). Irish immigrants played a key role during the American Revolutionary war. Just like the Americans, their aim was to end the British rule. As such, they joined the Americans in fighting against the Britons. This alliance with the Americans led to the recognition of the Irish as an important component of the American politics. Therefore, they shaped the future of American politics as most of them have been involved in political leadership of the Nation (Williams, 1996 p 95). Economic impacts Apart from influencing the political and social conditions, the Irish also had great impact on the economy of the United States. Most of the Irish immigrants came to America in search of a better life and employment. As such, they were employed in various industries. The immigrants played a key role in economic development. They provided the labor needed in the construction industry. Thus, their services were very crucial to the growth of the United States economy (Daniels, 1990 p70). The growth of some cities and urban centers is associated with the Irish immigrants. The immigrants from Ireland led to numerous developments in the cities they settled. Since they moved in large numbers to the United States, the government was obliged to develop the infrastructure of the States where they occupied. For example, in New Jersey where most of them moved to grew considerably to accommodate the high population. Thus, the immigration was very instrumental to the development of urban centers (Shaw, 1994 p18). Immigrants from Ireland brought with them skills and knowledge that was not available in America before. For instance, the immigrants introduced the Irish potato. They therefore had great impact on the farming patterns of the United States. American farmers were able to grow a variety of crops on their farms. The Irish brought unique farming skills and technologies. As a result, the produce from agriculture increased and the farmers were able to earn more income from farming activities. There was high revenue from exports due to the increased production and availability of farm labor from the Irish (Shaw, 1994 p17). Factories and industries increased their production. Irish immigrants were desperate for jobs and hence demanded low wages than the rest of the Americans. Thus, employers favored them. Industries were therefore in a position to make great profits by having Irish workers. The government increased its revenues by levying taxes to the industries, since the industries could pay good taxes from the high profits. Although the Irish immigrants encountered exploitation in their work places, they greatly contributed to growth of the economy (Kevin 2008). Economic status of the Irish immigrants improved with time. With the end of the discrimination against them, the immigrants accessed jobs that had similar pay to those done by their fellow Americans. Their status had to change and they were able to own homes in expensive suburbs. The negativity associated with their poverty ceased. This status mobility contributed to the economic growth, as most of the people were not poor. Today, Irish Americans are among the most prosperous ethnic groups in the United States. They have been educated and moved up the occupational ladder (Williams, 1996 p96). To some extent, the Irish were to blame for economic problems in the United States. The great numbers of workers from Ireland made Americans work for lower wages. In response to the rise in population, there was need for additional services such as schools, health amenities and the police. The government raised the taxes. All the citizens of the United States felt this effect. Their income was compromised as much of it was taxed, leading financial hardships. This meant that most of the workers could not be in a position to cater for most of their needs due to the high cost of living (Kevin 2008). Immigration of the Irish to the United States led to the rise of a category of unskilled laborers. Irish immigrants were uneducated, without any skills. This meant that the labor market witnessed categorization of worker as skilled and unskilled. There were sections of the economy that primarily depended on the skilled American laborers while others depended on unskilled Irish laborers. Thus, the Irish are associated with the division in the labor market in America. The immigrants suppressed American resources, and consequently the economy. An increase in population meant that the more resources were required to satisfy the entire population. Widespread competition between the immigrants and the inhabitants of America occurred. In order to settle the immigrants, there was need for more land. Irish immigrants bought land belonging to the Americans. They settled in American lands where they cultivated crops such as potato. Irish women working in the United States contributed to further suppression of the economy with the remittances they made back home (Daniels, 1990 p68). In conclusion, movement of the Irish to America resulted from the great potato famine, which claimed the lives of many people in Ireland. The people of Ireland went to the United States in search of better opportunities. The immigration of the Irish to the United States had some considerable impact on the United States as a whole. Some cultural aspects, political ideals, and economic activities of the Irish became part of the American society. Work cited: Daniels, R. Coming to America: A History ofImmigration and Ethnicity in American Life. HarperCollins.(1990). pp 68-72. Fanning, C. The Irish Voice in America: 250 Years ofIrish-American.University Press of Kentucky, Edition 2. (2000). pp124-125. Jensen, R. " No Irish Need Apply: A Myth of Victimization." Journal of Social History 36, no. 2 (2002):pp 405–429. Kevin, K. Irish immigrants in the United States.2008. Retrieved 5 November 2011 www.america.gov/st/diversity.../20080307131416ebyessedo0.6800043.html Shaw, D.V.Immigration and Ethnicity in New Jersey History.Trenton. (1994). pp17-18. Williams, W. H.It was Only an Irishman’s Dream. University of Illinois Press. (1996). pp 90-98. Read More