Midterm 2

Midterm 2

Part 1

Chinese Six Companies

Chinese Exclusion Act

The Irish and Democratic Party

Abraham Cahan and The Forward

Triangle shirtwaist Factory fire

Immigration Act of 1924

Paper Sons

Virgin of Guadalupe

Mendez Case

Part 2

Irish Americans

The Irish presence in the United States stretches back to the 1600s and reflects a diversity based on time of entry, settlement area, and religion. Irish Americans have been visible positively, as playing a central role in U.S. life; however, like many other immigrant groups, they also been victimized at certain historical periods (Pfaelzer, 2008). The Irish were the first immigrant group to encounter prolonged organized resistance. Strengthened by continued immigration and facility with the English language, and building on strong community and family networks and on familiarity with representative politics, Irish Americans became an integral part of the United States, as described in this entry.

Becoming White

Ireland had a long antislavery tradition including practices that prohibited Irish trade in English slaves. In 1841, some 60,000 Irish signed a document known as the Irish Address in 1841, which urged Irish Americans to join the abolitionist movement in the United States. Many Irish Americans already opposed to slavery applauded the appeal, but they were soon drowned out by fellow immigrants who denounced or questioned the authenticity of the petition (Parrenas, 2007).

The Irish immigrants, subjected to derision and menial jobs, sought to separate themselves from the even lower classes, particularly Black Americans and especially slaves. The Irish were not truly “White” during the antebellum period because the Irish as a group were seen as inferior by Whites. Irish character was rigidly cast in negative racial typology. Though the shared experiences of oppression could have led Irish Americans to ally with Black Americans, instead they grasped for “Whiteness” at the margins of their life in the United States. Direct competition between the two groups was uncommon (Lee, 2007). In 1855, for example, Irish immigrants made up 87% of New York City's unskilled laborers, but free Blacks accounted for only 3%.

As Irish immigration continued in the latter part of the 19th century until the Irish gained independence from British crown in 1921, Irish immigrants began to see themselves favorably and as superior to the initial waves of Italian, Polish, and Slovak Roman Catholic immigrants. More frequently, Irish Americans began to assume leadership positions in politics and labor unions. Still, loyalty to the church played a major role. By 1910, the priesthood was the professional occupation of choice for second-generation men. Irish women were more likely than were their German and English immigrant counterparts to become schoolteachers. In time, the occupational profile of Irish Americans diversified, and they began to experience slow advancement. They were gradually welcomed into the White working class as their identity as “White” overcame their status as “immigrant.”

With mobility came social class distinctions within Irish America. As the immigrants and their children began to move into the more affluent urban areas, they were derogatorily referred to as the “lace-curtain Irish.” The lower-class Irish immigrants they left behind, meanwhile, ...