...Europe, the Americas have been historically viewed as the land of opportunity. No other migration story is more mythologized or popularized than that of the Italian-American immigrant experience. Following Italian Unification in 1870, a range of political, economic and social challenges befell many everyday Italians forcing them to reassess their socio-economic position in Italy and whether Italy could provide for their families. Although Italian Unification established the modern-day Italian nation-state, millions of Italians immigrated to the Americas in the latter part of the Nineteenth century because of the desperate...
Words: 1268 - Pages: 6
...Christina Sundin Eth 125 Ethnic Groups and Discrimination Italians 05/29/2011 From its earliest foundation, and through continuous development, immigration has been the driving force that has characterized the United States. Beginning from the colonial period until the present, Italians have irregularly migrated to the American Nation. Throughout modern history, Italy has been the source of immigration. In recent years, Italy’s population has stabilized and immigration to the United States has been minimal. When immigrants migrate to a new land, they not only become incorporated into a new society, but they also transform it. Italians first migrated to America in hopes to advance to a better life in a free society that is protected by a Constitution in which the rights of individuals are supreme. Immigrants from the 1880-1920’s were often characterized as extremely poor individuals with an illiterate educational background categorizing this culture as unskilled people. More currently, we can find that Italian immigrants are more stable, tend to commonly arrive by jet plane, are better educated, retain their language, and are proud of their national heritage. It was not always this easy for immigrants on a quest to find a better future. Historically, about three quarters of the immigrants who entered the United States between 1892 and 1924 started off going through the Ellis Island immigration station, which was built on a small island in New York Harbor. Shipping...
Words: 839 - Pages: 4
...for America Rendering on a large collection of bases, Hasia Diner's Hungering for America "explores how the memories of hunger and the realities of American plenty merged together to shape the ethnic identities of millions of American women and men from Italy, Ireland, and Jewish Eastern Europe" (p. xvii). Sensitive to the physical and the existing predicament of hungry people, Diner strengthens our understanding of the influence of American abundance on immigrants by arguing that culturally specific memories of the European past determined Italian, Irish and Jewish food ways in the U.S. In this essay I will discuss how the European Jewish immigrants and the Italian immigrants dealt with the issue of identity formation. For the Italians food was a significant factor in strengthening ethnic identity and community in the United States because to them food was very significant. Family and food play a large role in Italian life. Diner says, “The matrix of food family-sanctity served as an Italian peasant ideal, in part because it is so often lay beyond the grasp of the poor.” (p. 35). In other words, even the poor people of Italy found the appreciation of food to be a very important part of Italian culture. When the Italian immigrants entered America they impacted communities in the United States by the way of food. The most prominent Italian food is macaroni. Many macaroni factories were opened in America and represented the Italian culture. America changed Italian culture...
Words: 564 - Pages: 3
...As an Italian immigrant coming from Italy to America, I was not treated with the respect as the earlier generation before me (Drutchas, 2011). Furthermore, Americans seems to reverence the immigrants from the British Isles, Germany, and Scandinavia better; they feel as though they have more to offer to the United States than the Italians (Drutchas, 2011). Also, the Americans feel as though I’m not capable of producing the same amount of work; and that I’m not as intelligent as those from Germany and the British Isles (Drutchas, 2011). Additionally, being from Italy, I’m not given the same opportunities as the immigrants from Scandinavia (Drutchas, 2011). In fact, because I’m from Italy the Americans put me in a lower category. They feel as though I’m incapable of assimilating to the United States standard of living (Drutchas, 2011). Most importantly, I’m hesitant about pledging my loyalty to a political organization, when they...
Words: 690 - Pages: 3
...Immigration Experience HIS/125 My Home in Italy was becoming hard to live in, especially with the news of the opportunity that existed in America; I had seen a poster that was created by the railroad and steamship companies that portrayed this method of travel as the most affordable way to travel. Many of the steamship lines offered their tickets to be all inclusive to make it a more affordable package to travel to America. With all the stories of opportunity this was the way I wanted to travel to reach my opportunities. The price of the tickets for the steerage or third class was about $25 which was almost three weeks of works pay. There was protocol to follow if you were taking a trip on these steamships, those protocols were as followed: I was expected to reach the port that I would depart from approximately one day prior to the day I would depart for America. This was so that I could go through an extensive medical examination to assure that I had no lice and that I was as well as my luggage be disinfected and fumigated so that I would not transport any disease with me. I was also vaccinated. The trip by ship took us almost 12 days. My quarters that I would sleep and spend most of the trip in were in the steerage class, which were on the lower decks of the ship very close to the engine rooms. I was given a mattress of burlap stuffed with hay and a life preserver that was to be used as my pillow. The beds in my quarters were like bunk...
Words: 1881 - Pages: 8
...migration. The Italians settled in New York City, so we will be looking at the tenement housing, working condition, and the journey from Italy to American. The attitudes of the Americans about the immigrations will also be examined. From 1906 to 1915 almost two million Italians migrated to the United States. Many Italians migrated to the United States because Italy there weren’t any jobs. Overpopulation and poverty was another reason Italians migrated to the United States. They believed that the United States was the land of opportunity and that they will find better jobs and housing. The poverty rate in Italy included lack of medical care, lack of schooling, and poor housing conditions. When they decided to come to America it was a way to escape from these things. The bad economy and the shortage of land caused Italian immigrants to leave Italy. The Majority of the immigrants settled in New York City when they got to the United States. Some of them migrated because of political reasons or because of the dream of one day of returning to Italy with enough money to buy land. Political hardship was also a factor in the Italians migrating to America. In the 1870s the government took measures to repress political views such as anarchy and socialism (Alexander Molnar, 2010). The Italian immigrants became part of what was known as the “New Immigration.” This was the third largest group of immigrants from Europe, which was a combination of Slavs, Jews, and Italians. Most...
Words: 1027 - Pages: 5
...Italian Culture in America John Smith Psych 105 Dr. Diop Spring, 2012 Italian Culture in America America is known to be the country where most people from outside immigrate to, not only bringing their families but also their traditions with them. “According to the 2000 U.S. Census, almost 16 million Italian Americans live in the United States” (Quagliata, 2011, p. 1). Most immigrants that come to America lose their heritage; however, that is not the case for the Italian culture. Not only did Italians incorporate a style of living in America, they also brought their traditions into the country as well. Some of the customs they brought with them include their food, their game of bocce ball, their religion, and their way of greeting one another. Italian Food When thinking of the Italian culture, the first thing that comes to mind is their food. Cinotto (2000) states, “Since food is a cultural artifact, imbued with meanings and values, the cross-cultural consumption of Italian cuisine is a significant marker of the way in which others see and imagine Italy and the Italians” (p. 1). Pasta, parmesan, and cannoli’s are probably the most popular and most known Italian foods. With the way many Americans fell in love with the Italian food, it soon became part of the American culture as well. The Italian immigrants brought over their historical foods and formed new eating habits for the Americans, and most of the Italian food was shaped in Little Italy where the...
Words: 1253 - Pages: 6
...2011 ADRIENNE CRISTE Sicilian Americans The ethnic group I have always identified with more is my Sicilian/Italian side. Even though I am only a 1/4 Sicilian, I still feel like I belong to that side more. My grandmother on my dad’s side was full-blooded Sicilian and her parents were immigrants to the United States. The Sicilians have been in America for over 300 years. In the late 17th century, two brothers sailed to what is now New York and were in charge of the Onondaga fort. On the west coast, it is recorded that a Sicilian priest was in charge of converting he natives to Christianity. He was later killed by the natives in 1695. Immigration of the Sicilians was slow until the late 1880s. In 1906, over 100,000 Sicilians came to the United States in that year alone. Most Sicilian immigrants never planned to stay in the US permanently. There is even a special phrase that was coined for Sicilians: "Birds of Passage" since their intent was to be migratory laborers. Even though about 75% of Sicilian immigrants were farmers in Sicily, they did not wish to farm in the US (as it implied a permanence that did not figure in their plans). Instead, they headed for cities where labor was needed and wages were relatively high. Many Sicilian men left their wives and children behind because they expected to return (and many, many did). In any event, for many Sicilian immigrants, migration could not be interpreted as a rejection of Sicily. In fact, it is a defense of the Sicilian way of...
Words: 812 - Pages: 4
...xxxxxxxxxxxx ETH/125 February 11, 2011 xxxxxxxxxxxx Although I am Italian American I do not know much about my heritage. This had been a delightful learning experience finding out where I am from, how my ancestor got here and why they came. I have always had interest in my heritage and finding out more about Italian American culture but have not had the time. I have been forced to find information and research about who I am and I could not be more delighted. Christopher Columbus and Giovanni da Verrazzano were the first Italians to come to the New World and make discoveries. Columbus did the majority of his discoveries in what is now known as South America in the 1490’s, while Verrazzano sailed to North America in the early 1500’s. He landed in present day North Carolina and ventured up the coast to New York, Cape Cod, Maine and Nova Scotia. Both of these men are recognized for their accomplishments through National Holidays, statues, landmarks, and artifacts displayed in museums. They both were trying to find a passage to the east to make it easier to get needed spices and supplies for their country, but found that there voyages were unsuccessful. They returned to their countries and told of their discoveries. They did not stay in the Americas and colonize because they were in look for something that they did not find, the east passage, and there intent was to return to their home land. (Meehan, T. 1912). Italians stayed in their country for quite some time after Columbus and...
Words: 1007 - Pages: 5
...practices towards Italian immigrants. During and after WWI, the sweeping immigration of Italians was met with white backlash surrounding their ethnic and national backgrounds, with many whites branding Italians as swarthy, illiterate, and ragpickers.” Furthermore, fiction novels of the early twentieth century portrayed Italians as distinctly non-white. While the Immigration Act was well received by white nativists behind such xenophobic actions, heavily biased mathematical engineering behind the quota system inadvertently spurred the consolidation of an Italian ethnic identity through geo-national pride. While the Immigration Act of 1924, influenced...
Words: 1664 - Pages: 7
...I am half Italian and half Irish. Most people only associate me as Italian and the Irish fades into the back ground. More Italians have migrated to the United States than any other group from Europe (digital history, January, 22 2012). Most of the immigration occurred in the 20th century during the years of 1880-1960(digital history, January, 22 2012). Several Italian immigrants originated from southern Italy without much of an education. The foremost reason for Italian immigration was due to the meager financial conditions in Italy during the 20th century. The Italians established themselves in areas where they could network with each other and not be around other ethnic groups. The Italians from southern Italy were not educated greatly so most of them performed manual labor. Most of the Italians were farmers in Italy but, when they immigrated they moved to the cities. Italians faced much prejudice and racism. The Italians in the United States were a very much hated group. News clippings from the 19th century named Italian immigrants as a sub-human race (Italians in America: From Discrimination to Adoration, Racial Discrimination, October 5th, 2009). They were thought of as clannish because they were known to stick with their family. The Italians were also discriminated against for their Catholic beliefs. They were exposed to anti-immigrant discrimination. There were even acts of violence such as lynching and hanging. Some of the immigrants sought to come to America to earn money...
Words: 754 - Pages: 4
...Introduction Italian immigrants migrated into the US together with many of their Europeans neighbors. When they first came to US most of the migrants had a very hard life. Arriving in a new country, the Italian migrants mostly had very little money and had no idea of their new place apart from US being the land of opportunity. The lack of resources and contacts in the new country prompted many of these immigrants to settle down in the place the first set down. These immigrants came from various parts of Italy they were scattered all around the US. This paper will look at the common menu of those Italian migrants and look at how it has involved in the community that is now known as the Italian-American. This essay will mainly try to address the significant issues of the process of ethnic identity. This paper will argue that the role of family is very important in advocating ethnic identity. The influence of a very rigid and traditional family institution helped the Italian immigrants whom in the end were known as Italian American to maintain their identity. This is fascinating because despite undergoing changes from generations to generations their tradition is still very much alive and important to them. The paper will further argue this point by looking, the transmission of ethnic consciousness amongst the Italian American. Last but not least we will look at the maintenance of ethnic group boundaries and most importantly, the role of food in such process. Overall...
Words: 3263 - Pages: 14
...The United States of America is made up of several different races, religions, and ethnicities, as well as men and women of different ages, and sexual orientations. This makes the United States one of the most diverse nations on earth. It is estimated between the years 2010 to 2050 minorities will increase from 36% to 54% of the population. (Schaefer, p. 4, 2012)(p.4). Immigration is the main reason for this estimate. It is estimated that in 2050, 67 million people will be immigrants and another 47 million people will be the children of immigrants. (The "Pew Research Center") (2012). While there are benefits of such a diverse nation, the United States still faces many challenges, because of prejudice and discrimination. With the rising population of immigrants, the population of people living in poverty will also rise. With the rise of people living in poverty, there will also be a rise in crime. The reason for this is, people who live in poverty have less access to high paying jobs are more likely to participate in illegal activities, such as dealing drugs to make money. Minorities and immigrants are statistically paid less than whites, for doing the same jobs. So this is what leads to poverty. The rising crime rate among minorities and immigrants also leads to the separation of families. Many children in poverty ridden neighborhoods are raised by single parents. The rising number of crimes in these neighborhoods leads to more parents, mostly men put in prison...
Words: 1386 - Pages: 6
...Introduction Italian immigrants migrated into the US together with many of their Europeans neighbors. When they first came to US most of the migrants had a very hard life. Arriving in a new country, the Italian migrants mostly had very little money and had no idea of their new place apart from US being the land of opportunity. The lack of resources and contacts in the new country prompted many of these immigrants to settle down in the place the first set down. These immigrants came from various parts of Italy they were scattered all around the US. This paper will look at the common menu of those Italian migrants and look at how it has involved in the community that is now known as the Italian-American. This essay will mainly try to address the significant issues of the process of ethnic identity. This paper will argue that the role of family is very important in advocating ethnic identity. The influence of a very rigid and traditional family institution helped the Italian immigrants whom in the end were known as Italian American to maintain their identity. This is fascinating because despite undergoing changes from generations to generations their tradition is still very much alive and important to them. The paper will further argue this point by looking, the transmission of ethnic consciousness amongst the Italian American. Last but not least we will look at the maintenance of ethnic group boundaries and most importantly, the role of food in such process...
Words: 2902 - Pages: 12
...place for the immigrants ever since its early history. But these reasons have kept on changing from time to time. Initially the main reason for immigration during the early periods 1830-1890 was the fact that land remained plentiful, and fairly cheap. There were plenty of jobs available for everyone. The labor was rare in those days just as today which attracted huge inflows of immigrants from all around the world. Remember, remember always, that all of us... are descended from immigrants and revolutionists. [Franklin D. Roosevelt] Other factors that increased and reinforced this inflow were the decline in the birthrate as well as an increase in industry and urbanization in the United States. The United States, in the 19th Century, remained a strong magnet to immigrants, with offers of jobs and land for farms. Earlier immigrants considered that in America, the streets were, "paved with gold," and at the same time as well as offerings of religious and political freedom. A German immigrant to Missouri wrote home about: "[The] abundance of overbearing soldiers, haughty clergymen, and inquisitive tax collectors..." During the years 1890-1924 the reasons for the immigration had a change from the past trends. The kinds of immigrants also changed. Jews came for religious freedom, Italians and Asians came for work and Russians came to escape persecution from the powers in their home country. The reason that America had jobs was still prevalent in this period. America had religious...
Words: 1166 - Pages: 5
