The Italian Americans Essay Example for Free

The Italian the Statesns EssayThe dream of America has always been a powerful beacon of desire for people of other countries searching for a better life. The Irish came in droves to escape starvation, the Jewish came to seek safety, the Russians looking for improved living conditions. Regardless of the reasons, millions have sacrificed everything at the incident for something better. It is the same for the Italians. The real immigration of Italians didnt start until the early 1900s when the number of immigrants mushroomed from 70,000. This figure changed to resolve to four million who arrived between 1880 and 1914. (Davison, 1998) The reasons for immigration are varied and include overpopulation, a scarcity of jobs and the hope for better economic opportunity. Italy at that time was fairly agricultural with most of the land cosmos possess by a small group of wealthy families. Many of the immigrants that came to America during this period continued their usance for growing and cultivating things and some sold the small crops they grew in their little gardens. And many Italians came temporarily, working and sending coin back to family in Italy. Regardless of the reasons, the Italians had one and only(a) strong trait in common, they came to work.Although they were a predominantly agri society, many found work here using the various skills and trades that they brought with them from Italy. Oftentimes, however, they changed what they did to fit into the new life they were creating. As they arrive in port towns they spent their time recreating the country from which they came and commonly segregated themselves in this way. The c at one timept of paesani, or little villages, was kept in tact by blocks of Neapolitans sticking together, and blocks of Calebrese living together. This tradition of paesani helped with the cultural engrossment that many Italians found toilsome.During the rush of immigration the greatest number of Italian immigrants focused on America and Brazil. However, because the English language, family values and traditions, and religion were very much different from their own, .. The Italians in New York confronted significantly great cultural differences. (Italain American Civil Rights, 2007) These cultural differences reared their heads in a variety of different forms. Religious persecution was one of them. When the immigrants arrived they found that the predominant religion was white Protestantism as opposed to the Catholicism they came from.However, things became even more difficult when the Irish, who also practiced Catholicism, found the Italian from of practicing their same religion unsatisfactory. They began to be attacked for being prejudiced against blacks and for being super patriotic hard hats with little sophistication or with connections to the Mafia. (Bailey, 1999) Tensions rose quickly as the once disparaged Irish were now replaced by newly immigrated Italians. A common thread of prejudice b egan to grow and immigrants that were not of an Anglo-Saxon decent were looked at as less than human.There are many factors that aided this prejudice. matchless of the most important was the issue of racism. In the summer of 1989 a sixteen year old African American was shot and killed during an argument by a group of youth in an Italian neighborhood. Although the club was aghast and all applauded the severe punishment of the boys, the Italians were labeled racists. This is both interesting and strange because at the same time in the south the Italians were a threat to white solidarity as they were more apt to font with black rights.This so enraged the southern whites that it was not uncommon for Italians to be hung for their beliefs. It was obvious then that American had found a new scape goat. Since then, the stereotype of the Italian American-as-bigot has become accepted by the frequent public, thanks in large part to the U. S. entertainment industry, which routinely portrays its fictional Mafia characters as racists. (Faegin, 1978) In addition to trouble with racism, and false stereo-typing, Italians found problems with class walls. They were portrayed by the media as illiterate and diseased, and the general public accepted this view.It was not helpful that Italians seemed to like to stay close to the city centers, often as home owners, and they blame for crime and other offenses also began to be laid at their feet. However, it was shown that, this mafia establish criminality blame was also unfounded. Italian Americans had relatively low crime rates, close to those for all native Americans. (Faegin) However, regardless of the facts, these myths provided difficulties for Italians to overcome in all facets of society. Nevertheless, overcoming them is exactly what they did.Italian Americans today continue to play an alert and vital part in American society. They continue to hold strong family and cultural ties, and to work deep down the fabric of Ame rica to make it a better place.BibliographyBailey, S. (1999). Immigrants in the Land of Promise. Ithaca Cornell University. Davison, B. (1998, May 2). Italains Immigrating to Maryland. Retrieved March 17, 2007, from www. oriole. umd. edu Faegin, J. (1978). racial and Ethnic Relations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice-Hall. Italain American Civil Rights. (2007). Retrieved March 18, 2007, from Order of the Sons of Italy www. osia. org