NEW FACES ARRIVE TO AMERICA
Approximately five million people immigrated to the United States from 1820 to 1860. Around 1.6 million of those were Irish immigrants, and nearly 1.5 million immigrants were German natives. The Irish were fleeing from the Potato Famine between 1845 and 1852. Ireland's economy greatly depended on potatoes however the potato blights destroyed it's primary crop for food and commerce. A quarter of the Irish population of seven million immigrated to the United States. This later became known as the Great Migration. They were in seek of a better standard of living and survival. The Germans chose to come due to the failure of revolutionary movements in 1830. In 1848., many more came due to the failure of European revolutions- known as Forty-Eighters. Though the Irish and Germans made up 60% of the migrated people in the 1830's, and 70% in the 1840's and 1850's, people from other countries came as well. A few Scandinavians, Canadians, European Jews, 80,000 Mexicans and 25,000 Chinese immigrants also joined the Irish and German.
What they brought with them
A hand full of the immigrants who traveled here were skilled craftsmen, professionally trained people, artists, journalists, shopkeepers, and political leaders. However, the majority of the Irish who fled here were farmers and manual laborers. They found work at low wages in construction sites, factories, canals, railroads, and textile mills. American industries preferred hiring immigrants to work for them simply because they were content with the pay they would receive.. This meant the work was being done for the factory owners in a fraction of the cost. Irish women would also work as domestic servants. On the other hand, immigrants from other nations (Germans & etc.) worked in light industries, in construction, or high-level machinery work.
Their effect on our nation
The Germans contributed their talents to our American way of life. They "became known for their ability ti provide various types of entertainment." One contribution was the "Mannerchor" in 1835 which was the first U.S. vocal music society. The German immigrants were responsible for America's classical music as well. In 1855 the conductor of the New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra was Carl Begmann (a German immigrant). They also made dance halls and beer gardens more popular. The Irish did not fall short in their contributions to our society either. Many of them developed an interest in politics and became experts in it. Andrew Jackson was the son of Irish immigrants who came to America before the Great Migration.
