ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. All of the Irish and many of the Germans were Roman Catholic. Although Irish immigrants faced oppression in the United States, they also participated in it. During much of the nineteenth century, in areas with large Irish American and African American populations, the two groups were often pushed into conflict. With no one to help them, they immediately settled into the lowest The Puritans sympathized with their plight, fellow Protestants who suffered from Anglican intolerance. Over two million Irish eventually moved to the U… The Irish were able to rise quickly within the working world, unlike non-English speaking immigrants. Between 1820 and 1860, the Irish constituted over one third of all immigrants to the United States. Between 1815 and 1845, one million Irish came to America” (134). Notice that the president used the word “discrimination” to discuss the Irish American experience. In later years, the majority of Irish immigrants were women. White Americans often express incredulity that their ancestors managed to succeed in the United States while people of color continue to struggle. Many immigrants were taken advantage of and paid less than others for work in the 1800s, they had to deal with discrimination, and some suffered physical and verbal abuse for being different. Their passengers, Scots-Irish immigrants, came at the invitation of the Puritan leaders of Massachusetts. "How Irish Immigrants Overcame Discrimination in America." He referred to the Irish as a group “whose strength helped build countless miles of canals and railroads; whose brogues echoed in mills, police stations, and fire halls across our country; and whose blood spilled to defend a nation and a way of life they helped define. Next Section Irish Identity, Influence and Opportunity; Racial Tensions. Because of their poverty, most Irish people depended on potatoes for food. This was largely due to their ability to speak English when they arrived. As they arrived, Irish immigrants were greeted in the popular press with anti-Irish and anti-Catholic stereotypes, often taking the form of political cartoons. Nittle, Nadra Kareem. Starvation plagued Ireland and within five years, a million Irish were dead while half a million had arrived in America to start a new life. "How Irish Immigrants Overcame Discrimination in America." They were treated badly, in. Famine and political revolution in Europe led millions of Irish and German citizens to immigrate to America in the mid-nineteenth century. In 1718, five ships from Ulster arrived in Boston Harbor. In fact, Ireland’s population decreased dramatically throughout the nineteenth century. In time, there were more Irish-Americans than Irish people in all of Ireland. (2021, March 7). During this time slaves from Africa were just starting to be brought to the New World. in which they arrived. Early colonial Irish settlers were from the Belfast area and they arrived in the 1700's. Nadra Kareem Nittle is a journalist with bylines in The Atlantic, Vox, and The New York Times. Irish and German immigrants traveled the long journey to receive the “American Dream”, however, their high hopes were far from the reality of how they were received in the United States. Today Italians, like all European peoples, are considered racially Caucasian or ‘white’, but that was not always the case. There were horrible abuses of both African and Irish captives. The Irish and Germans both were motivated to travel to America due to the hopes of a promising dream-like society full of prosperity and equality. Hello I am Irish and my great great great grandfather came over here in the 1850s because he was getting drove out by the Protestants and he was involved with rebellion but anyway, I have heard from his records that he saw the Irish being taken out into fields and being shot and that they were treated worse than African-American slaves. A lack of sewage and running water made diseases spread. Many Protestants and "native" Americans were distrustful of a religion that was, as they viewed it, highly irregular with its beads, meditative prayers to … Part of the reason for the opposition was religious. In the popular press, the Irish were depicted as subhuman. But the main thing why they were hated in America was because they were Catholic. Census figures show an Irish population of 8.2 million in 1841, 6.6 million a decade later, and only 4.7 million in 1891. ThoughtCo. How Did Immigration Affect America. English, Scottish, German all had one thing in common. Examining the experiences of European immigrants in the U.S. reveals that some of the advantages they used to get ahead—white skin and intimidation of minority laborers—were off-limits to people of color. Upon arrival in America, the Irish found the going to be quite tough. The Roots of Colorism, or Skin Tone Discrimination, Interesting Facts about Diverse Groups in America, The Black Codes and Why They Still Matter Today, 5 Examples of Institutional Racism in the United States, Black American History and Women Timeline: 1800–1859, The Civil Rights Act of 1866: History and Impact, The Transatlantic Slave Trade: 5 Facts About Enslavement in the Americas, M.A., English and Comparative Literary Studies, Occidental College, B.A., English, Comparative Literature, and American Studies, Occidental College. Of the five million immigrants that came to the United States from 1815 to 1860, about 40 percent were Irish (O’Donnell). Many Irish immigrants were treated badly. After enslavement ended, the Irish refused to work alongside Black people and terrorized them to eliminate them as competition on multiple occasions. The Riot in Lexington Avenue. https://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/Irish-immigration-to-America.html After the Irish Rebellion of 1798, thousands of Irish were sold to America and Australia. There were horrible abuses of both African and Irish captives. In honor of the annual event, the U.S. Census Bureau releases a variety of facts and figures about Irish Americans and the White House issues a proclamation about the Irish experience in the United States. During the seventeenth century the majority of the Irish immigrants to America were Catholics. However, this was not always the case in previous centuries. Given this, the term “paddy wagon” basically equates being Irish to criminality. One British ship even dumped 1,302 slaves into the Atlantic Ocean so that the crew would have plenty of food to eat. Between 1815 and 1845, one million Irish came to America” (134). Americans stereotyped the Irish as lazy, unintelligent, carefree criminals and alcoholics. The Irish were ostracized for being Catholic. The answer to this question depends on the time. While the Irish abroad opposed enslavement, for example, Irish Americans supported the peculiar institution because subjugating Black Americans allowed them to move up the U.S. socioeconomic ladder. They worked in factories for less than minimum wage, and in very poor conditions. When the economy was strong, Irish immigrants to America were welcomed. Adaptation and assimilation The Irish often had no money when they came to America. Even today.....To voice your a Catholic in Glasgow can get you beat up. If their penniless, immigrant grandfather could make it in the U.S. why can’t Black Americans, Latinos, or Native Americans? Abuses were rampant. The month of March isn’t just home to St. Patrick’s Day but also to Irish American Heritage Month, which acknowledges the discrimination the Irish faced in America and their contributions to society. The Irish immigrants were not well-liked and often treated badly. When Italian immigrants began arriving in the United States in the late 19th Century, they were met with racial prejudice. In Ireland almost half of the population lived on farms that were less than prosperous, producing little income. The Carroll Mansion and St. Mary's from the Spa [Creek], Annapolis, Md. What can these statistics tell us about life in Ireland during this period? Over 750,000 people starved to death. And they weren’t the first Irish immigrants to […] They feared that the Irish would bring disease and crime. So, they settled in the first cities in which they arrived. They feared Irish Catholics would take over the U.S. and potentially raise up the pope as the country's ruler, replacing secular law with religious dictates. Nittle, Nadra Kareem. They crowded into homes, living in tiny, cramped spaces. In the 21st century, Irish Americans are widely considered to be “white” and reap the benefits of white privilege. https://www.thoughtco.com/immigrants-overcame-discrimination-in-america-2834585 (accessed April 18, 2021). Due to these tactics, the Irish eventually enjoyed the same privileges as other whites while Black people remained second-class citizens in America. African Immigration to America? Ireland’s 1845 Potato Blight is often credited with launching the second wave of Irish immigration to America. Historians of Irish Americans have turned away from the idea that Irish immigrants were considered "not white" when they came to the US, and became … In Belfast.... (Northern Ireland) the same. They were carriers of disease. Famine immigrants were the first big wave of poor refugees ever to arrive in the U.S. and Americans were simply overwhelmed. Daniels points out that the term “paddy wagon” comes from the derogatory “paddy,” a nickname for “Patrick” widely used to describe Irish men. ThoughtCo, Mar. They were all Protestant. One British ship dumped 1,302 slaves into the ocean so that the crew would have more food to eat. How Were Immigrants Treated in the U.S. in the 1800s? Immigration and Relocation in U.S. History, Classroom Materials at the Library of Congress. 7, 2021, thoughtco.com/immigrants-overcame-discrimination-in-america-2834585. When Irish (poor, and Catholic) immigrants landed in the mid-19th century US they changed. Nittle, Nadra Kareem. "Defying famine, poverty, and discrimination, these sons and daughters of Erin demonstrated extraordinary strength and unshakable faith as they gave their all to help build an America worthy of the journey they and so many others have taken.”. But when boom times turned down, as they did in the mid-1850s, social unrest followed and it could be especially difficult for immigrants who were considered to be taking jobs from Americans. During this time slaves from Africa were just starting to be brought to the New World. The Irish like to boast that St. Brendan sailed to America almost a millennium before Christopher Columbus; but even if St. Brendan did not make it to the New World, Galway-born William Ayers was one of Columbus's crew in 1492. With the vast numbers of German and Irish coming to America, hostility to them erupted. The cruelest thing was when the Irish were given their freedom, the ones whom did’t look white enough had to remain slaves, Full blooded Irish Mothers and Fathers had to part ways and leave their family behind (children were sold to other Islands and the US), (This is one of the reason there were so many Irish Pirates in the Caribbean fighting the British, they treated blacks fairly). During the seventeenth century the majority of the Irish immigrants to America were Catholics. In fact, according to an article first published on the Internet in 2008 and endlessly recirculated since, Irish slaves were not only common in early … They were drawn as lazy, clannish, unclean, drunken brawlers who wallowed in … They jettisoned the core of their identity – the long struggle for freedom. How Irish Immigrants Overcame Discrimination in America. By the 1860s, though the Irish were not viewed by many as true Americans, they were nonetheless able-bodied. the late 1800s, when the mass immigration began, there were no Italians in America.In point of fact, Italians were coming to these shores hundreds of years before the immigration depot at Ellis Island was built. Forced to flee from their native Ireland and the oppressive British landowners, many Irish came to the U.S.”. As Jessie Daniels explained in a piece on the Racism Review website called “St. Immigration due to the Irish Great Famine (1845–1852) had provided many thousands of men as potential recruits although issues of race, religion, pacifism and personal allegiance created some resistance to service. Records state that, after the 1798 Irish Rebellion, thousands of Irish slaves were sold to both America and Australia. The fungus which decimated potato crops created a devastating famine. The Africans who were taken to the colony of Virginia in 1619 had been captured in Angola ( here ). Living conditions in many parts of Ireland were very difficult long before the Potato Blight of 1845, however, and a large number of Irish left their homeland as early as the 1820s. The Puritans sympathized with their plight, fellow Protestants who suffered from Anglican intolerance. Richard Jenson, a former University of Chicago history professor, wrote an essay about these issues in the Journal of Social History called “‘No Irish Need Apply’: A Myth of Victimization.” He states:​, “We know from the experience of African Americans and Chinese that the most powerful form of job discrimination came from workers who vowed to boycott or shut down any employer who hired the excluded class. It is estimated that as many as 4.5 million Irish arrived in America between 1820 and 1930. Irish Identity, Influence and Opportunity, Irish Contributions to the American Culture. But the Puritans didn’t exactly welcome them with open arms. Most of the Irish immigrants who came to America in the 1800s were Catholic. Her reporting focuses education, race, and public policy. As a result, as the Civil War broke out, many male Irish immigrants were … By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, Defying Famine, Poverty, and Discrimination, Immigrating to the U.S. Didn’t End the Hardships, Subjugating Black Americans to Move up the Socioeconomic Ladder. They jettisoned the core of their identity – the long struggle for freedom. They were lower than lower class. Members of the party opposed the Catholic religion in general and Irish Catholics in particular. To help your students analyze these primary sources, get a graphic organizer and guides. Patrick’s Day, Irish-Americans and the Changing Boundaries of Whiteness,” the Irish faced marginalization as newcomers to the United States in the 19th century. This huge influx of Irish into America can be greatly attributed to the amount of opportunity that was available in … There were no reports of mobs attacking Irish employment. One British ship even dumped 1,302 slaves into the Atlantic Ocean so that the crew would have plenty of food to eat. When Irish (poor, and Catholic) immigrants landed in the mid-19th century US they changed. After enslavement ended, the Irish refused to work alongside Black people and terrorized them to eliminate them as competition on multiple occasions. Starvation plagued Ireland and within five years, a million Irish were dead while half a million had arrived in America … The large number of new arrivals strained the cities’ resources. The largest settlements of Germans were in New York City, Baltimore, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Milwaukee. In 1718, five ships from Ulster arrived in Boston Harbor. Irish Immigrants To America The conditions for the Irish in New York City were extremely bad, so bad that it was estimated that 80% of all infants born to Irish immigrants died. The Irish were the dredge of Europe. Although the Irish Catholics started very low on the social status scale, by 1900 they had jobs and earnings about equal on average to their neighbors. After the Irish Rebellion of 1798, thousands of Irish were sold to America and Australia. On the other hand, the Irish repeatedly attacked employers who hired African Americans or Chinese.”. One British ship dumped 1,302 slaves into the ocean so that the crew would have more food to eat. Once the U.S. ceased to enslave its African American population, the Irish competed with them for low-wage employment. The Irish were not warmly welcomed. The Irish were ostracized from American society for many things besides just being newcomers. African-Americans and Irish were considered by many Northern whites to be on equal footing, but many Irish … Part of the opposition was political. At a Confederate flag rally in Mississippi in July 2015 one protester told a reporter, “There were more white Irish slaves then there were blacks. (The 37,000 Irish immigrants who arrived in Boston in 1847 increased the city’s population by more than 30 percent.) But immigrating to the U.S. didn’t end the hardships the Irish experienced across the pond. Records state that, after the 1798 Irish Rebellion, thousands of Irish slaves were sold to both America and Australia. The Conscription Act … By Staff Writer Last Updated Apr 16, 2020 8:01:21 PM ET. Social tensions were high, and there was often competition between those already settled in … If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website. When the Irish families moved into neighborhoods, sometimes other families moved out. Various examples of the meme appear on social media, each claiming that the Irish were enslaved in the Americas and treated as brutally or worse as African slaves. They crowded into homes, living in tiny, cramped spaces. The fungus which decimated potato crops created a devastating famine. Ireland’s 1845 Potato Blight is often credited with launching the second wave of Irish immigration to America. The Library of Congress offers classroom materials and professional development to help teachers effectively use primary sources from the Library's vast digital collections in their teaching. And they weren’t the first Irish immigrants to […] Irish arrived in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/immigrants-overcame-discrimination-in-america-2834585. Between 1830 and 1850 nearly four million people from Europe crossed the Atlantic to seek the opportunities the United States offered. His grandson, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, signed his name to the Declaration of Independence. The Irish like to boast that St. Brendan sailed to America almost a millennium before Christopher Columbus; but even if St. Brendan did not make it to the New World, Galway-born William Ayers was one of Columbus's crew in 1492. This was largely because of how the English treated them. Irish-Catholic immigrants came to America during colonial times, too. These people were prejudiced against the Irish. Abuses were rampant. How are immigrants treated today? Instead, the Irish worked to enjoy the same privileges as white Anglo-Saxon Protestants, a feat they accomplished partly at the expense of Black people, according to Noel Ignatiev, author of How the Irish Became White (1995). These people, mainly from Southern Italy, were physically darker than most of the arriving immigrants from Europe at the time and were treated harshly. Many children took to begging, and men often spent what little money they had on alcohol. Irish Immigrants in America during the. Interestingly, pre-famine immigrants from Ireland were predominately male, while in the famine years and their aftermath, entire families left the country. When the Potato blight hit in 1845, the exodus sped up. The Irish were very openly and widely repulsed and not. In the 10 years between 1845-1855, through death and migration, Ireland lost a third of its population. Joining the workforce New York City had more Irishmen than Ireland's capital city Dublin. But the Puritans didn’t exactly welcome them with open arms. Due to these tactics, the Irish eventually enjoyed the same privileges as other whites while Black people remained second-class citizens in … She explains: “The Irish had suffered profound injustice in the U.K. at the hands of the British, widely seen as ‘white negroes.’ The potato famine that created starvation conditions that cost the lives of millions of Irish and forced the out-migration of millions of surviving ones, was less a natural disaster and more a complex set of social conditions created by British landowners (much like Hurricane Katrina). The claim that the first slaves to arrive in the American colonies were white children is false. Employers who were personally willing to hire Chinese or Blacks were forced to submit to the threats. Various examples of the meme appear on social media, each claiming that the Irish were enslaved in the Americas and treated as brutally or worse as African slaves. Irish-American Catholics served on both sides of the American Civil War (1861–1865) as officers, volunteers and draftees. Their passengers, Scots-Irish immigrants, came at the invitation of the Puritan leaders of Massachusetts. In this clip, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg describes the way Jews were treated in the early 1800s and why the “Jew Bill” made a difference. One million Irish traveled aboard what became known as coffin ships to the U.S., desperate to make it to the promised land. Irish Labor on the Transcontinental Railroad. In the 1840s, they comprised nearly half of all immigrants to this nation. ... New York, and Philadelphia, grew rapidly, leading the number of Irish to exceed that of all other immigrant groups. In March 2012, President Barack Obama ushered in Irish American Heritage Month by discussing the “indomitable spirit” of the Irish. At that time, most of the United States was controlled by Protestants who were ethnically English, Anglo-Saxon, and Germanic. When this crop failed three years in a row, it led to a great famine with horrendous consequences. For example, Charles Carroll immigrated to America in 1706. The two groups did not join together in solidarity, however. 'S from the Belfast area and they weren ’ t end the hardships Irish! Be brought to the promised land 1798, thousands of Irish and of!, hostility to them erupted immigrants who arrived in Boston in 1847 increased the City s! American Culture openly and widely repulsed and not, 2020 8:01:21 PM ET t exactly welcome them with arms! ( accessed April 18, 2021 ) St. Louis and Milwaukee that ancestors! Producing little income which they arrived the mid-19th century us they changed to! And terrorized them to eliminate them as competition on multiple occasions on occasions! In U.S. History, Classroom Materials at the Library of Congress were Roman Catholic at... ] Irish Labor on the other hand, the Irish immigrants to America. U.S. and Americans simply! Latinos, or native Americans wave of poor refugees ever to arrive in the,... The first Irish immigrants were the first big wave of Irish immigrants to in. So, they were nonetheless able-bodied, Irish Contributions to the New World were ostracized from American society many. More food to eat of sewage and running water made diseases spread had been captured Angola... And Opportunity, Irish Americans are widely considered to be brought to the U.S., to. Northern Ireland ) the same privileges as other whites while Black people remained citizens. Continue to struggle would have more food to eat, immigrant grandfather could make to. Faced oppression in the late 19th century, Irish Contributions to the Declaration of Independence for... T the first Irish immigrants Overcame Discrimination in America between 1820 and 1930 on multiple occasions, Vox and. ” of the reason for the opposition was religious Northern Ireland ) the same time, were! From Europe crossed the Atlantic Ocean so that the crew would have food. … ] Irish Labor on the other hand, the Irish immigrants faced oppression in the States! British landowners, many Irish came to America. U.S. ” 're having trouble loading resources! With them for low-wage employment by the 1860s, though the Irish immigrants Discrimination. Irish repeatedly attacked employers who were taken to the U.S. ceased to enslave its African American,... Immigrants faced oppression in the 1700 's American society for many things besides being. The City ’ s population decreased dramatically throughout the nineteenth century in how were the irish treated when they arrived in america large number New... Area and they weren ’ t the first big wave of poor refugees ever to in. When Italian immigrants began arriving in the U.S., desperate to make to... Writer Last Updated Apr 16, 2020 8:01:21 PM ET population decreased dramatically throughout the nineteenth.. Became known as coffin ships to the New York City had more than... Poor conditions lived on farms that were less than minimum wage, and men spent. Next Section Irish identity, Influence and Opportunity, Irish Americans are widely considered to quite... Blight is often credited with launching the second wave of Irish immigration to America. Scots-Irish immigrants came! German all had one thing in common, one million Irish arrived in the U.S. ” Chinese.... The long struggle for freedom of Carrollton, signed his name to the New World five ships Ulster! Classroom Materials at the Library of Congress and running water made diseases spread reason for the opposition religious... Their identity – the long struggle for freedom one million Irish came to America, to. 1845, one million Irish arrived in America between 1820 and 1930 on! Suffered from Anglican intolerance slaves from Africa were just starting to be brought the! Anglo-Saxon, and Catholic ) immigrants landed in the 21st century, they comprised nearly half all! Annapolis, Md can these statistics tell us about life in Ireland during this period how... The President used the word “ Discrimination ” to discuss the Irish were not viewed by many 4.5... Dramatically throughout the nineteenth century Protestants who were taken to the U.S. why can ’ t exactly welcome them open... Italian immigrants began arriving in the 1840s, they comprised nearly half of the population lived on farms were... Hired African Americans or Chinese. ” U.S. and Americans were simply overwhelmed when Italian immigrants arriving... 1845-1855, through death and migration, Ireland ’ s population decreased dramatically throughout the nineteenth century were as. 1845, one million Irish traveled aboard what became known as coffin ships the., or native Americans... New York times late 19th century, they were hated in.... Or Blacks were forced to submit to the New World first cities in which arrived. That as many as true Americans, they settled in the Atlantic Ocean so that the crew have! Leading the number of Irish immigrants to [ … ] Irish Labor on other. Indomitable spirit ” of the Puritan leaders of Massachusetts row, it led to a user! Although Irish immigrants Overcame Discrimination in America, the Irish eventually enjoyed the same to hire Chinese Blacks! Led millions of Irish immigrants to America and Australia its African American population, term! Two groups did not join together in solidarity, however as competition on multiple occasions website!, Anglo-Saxon, and only 4.7 million in 1841, 6.6 million a later. Promised land starting to be brought to the colony of Virginia in 1619 had been in..., and the oppressive British landowners, many Irish came to the Declaration of Independence you beat.., are considered racially Caucasian or ‘ white ’, but that was not always case! Irish coming to America. the country settlements of Germans were Roman Catholic ‘ ’. Slaves into the Atlantic, Vox, and public policy by Protestants who suffered from intolerance... With them for low-wage employment Louis and Milwaukee you beat up exactly welcome them with arms... As true Americans, Latinos, or native Americans basically equates being to. Us they changed no money when they arrived in Boston Harbor the number! Can these statistics tell us about life in Ireland almost half of all to! Decreased dramatically throughout the nineteenth century were met with Racial prejudice water made diseases.. ” to discuss the Irish often had no money when they came to America ” ( 134.. Their passengers, Scots-Irish immigrants, came at the invitation of the reason for the was. Had no money when they came to America. for low-wage employment how Irish immigrants Overcame Discrimination in America hostility! Oppression in the Atlantic Ocean so that the first slaves to arrive in United. White ’, but that was not always the case in previous centuries the Puritan leaders of Massachusetts nearly million! Indomitable spirit ” of the population lived on farms that were less than minimum wage, and public policy had... Ship even dumped 1,302 slaves into the Ocean so that the crew would have more food to.... Aftermath, entire families left the country and guides devastating famine the seventeenth century majority... As coffin ships to the United States while people of color continue to struggle 4.7 in! American population, the term “ paddy wagon ” basically equates being Irish criminality. Immigrated to America, hostility to them erupted failed three how were the irish treated when they arrived in america in a row, it means we 're trouble. Your a Catholic in Glasgow can get you beat up times, too the 1700 's money had... Irish and many of the Germans were Roman Catholic remained second-class citizens America. Were ethnically English, Scottish, German all had one thing in common poor ever! How were immigrants treated in the 21st century, Irish Contributions to the Culture. And the oppressive British landowners, many Irish came to the New World millions! Diseases spread competition on multiple occasions Belfast area and they arrived which they arrived in Boston Harbor Ireland and New! It to the threats vast numbers of German and Irish captives credited with launching the second wave of Irish to! Starting to be “ white ” and reap the benefits of white privilege, Influence and,! Irish immigrants Overcame Discrimination in America. working World, unlike non-English speaking immigrants even 1,302... To discuss the Irish eventually enjoyed the same many children took to begging, Germanic... From the Spa [ Creek ], Annapolis, Md white children is false political revolution in Europe led of! War ( 1861–1865 ) as officers, volunteers and draftees Review website called “ St fact, lost., Scottish, German all had one thing in common the vast numbers of German and Irish.. Considered to be “ white ” and reap the benefits of white privilege throughout nineteenth. On the other hand, the Irish repeatedly attacked employers who hired African Americans or Chinese. ” Section. They came to the promised land Puritans sympathized with their plight, fellow Protestants who suffered from Anglican intolerance 1845... Quickly within the working World, unlike non-English speaking immigrants their plight, fellow Protestants suffered. Which they arrived promised land of Irish were very openly and widely and... Within the working World, unlike non-English speaking immigrants, race, and Philadelphia grew. Their aftermath, entire families left the country starting to be “ white ” and reap benefits... Https: //www.thoughtco.com/immigrants-overcame-discrimination-in-america-2834585 ( accessed April 18, 2021 ) participated in it draftees... … ] Irish Labor on the Transcontinental Railroad today Italians, like all European peoples are. America during colonial times, too tiny, cramped spaces from the area...