Word Count: 982

Ethnic strategy

Introduction

Between 1850 and 1880, nearly 8 million immigrants arrived in the United States, and as a percentage of the population, the foreign-born rose from 9.7 to 13.3 percent. Immigration on that large a scale had important impacts, not only on the immigrants but also on American political, social, and economic life. This paper explores in what ways and how Italian Americans were able to employ (or not to employ) specific aspects of this ethnic strategy followed by Irish Americans, as illustrated by Ronald Takaki.

Major Components of Ethnic Strategy

Necessity and opportunity were the primary driving forces for immigration. From the 1830s, declining economic conditions led Irish farmers to immigrate to the United States. During the mid-1840s, the numbers of immigrants increased sharply after potato blights destroyed Ireland's primary source of food and commerce (Takaki, 131).

Concentration of Irish-American populations formed in the American Northeast and Midwest. They settled in urban centers including Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. In these locations, Irish Americans formed ethnic enclaves where residents could affirm their cultural identity and find refuge from native sentiments that resulted in discrimination and even violence against Irish Americans (Carnevale, 96). Major components of ethnic strategy adopted by Irish Americans, as illustrated in the chapter 6 of the text, is that Irish Americans promoted "Irish" solidarity in order to gain political power. They also dominated the skilled blue-collar occupations, often at the expense of the Black and Chinese people (Takaki, 151). Most of the urban Irish Americans belonged to working class and lower middle class, often over-represented in police and fire departments.

Irish Americans inextricably tied to the Roman Catholic Church and were central to the role of Catholics in American life (Takaki, 152). They acquired traditional blue-collar jobs, helping to end much of their cultural isolation.

Italian Group ...