Introduction
The earliest immigration into the New York began in the 19th century. There were over 33,000,000 immigrants who came into United States between 1815 to1915. Among these, three quarters of the immigrants came through the New York port.
There were two waves of immigration especially to the New York City. The first began in 1840’s and included the Germans and the Irish immigrants. The second immigration occurred by 1880’s and it included the immigrants from the Eastern and Central Europe such as the Russian Jews and the Germans. Others included Southern Italians, Greeks, Romanians, Chinese, Polish, Hungarians and Bohemians (Saywack, Fordham.edu).
The new immigrants that came from Eastern Europe are the Russia, Italy, Greece and Poland. The Asian locales were the China and Japan. These new immigrants suffered under the forces of corrupt politicians that were similar to Tammany Hall in the New York City which is ran by Boss Tweed. The political machines used the immigrants’ votes to dominate and ruin the political process through corruption.
There were social conflicts which resulted to discrimination of the new groups in the East Coast which hosted Irish and on the Western Coast which consist of Chinese/Asians (DeLorenzo, regentsprep.org).
The Italians immigration began in 1800s then it rose from 75,000 to over 200,000 (Citi-data.com). The Italians emigrated from their country due to overpopulation, natural disaster, and poverty. Italians government was led by northerners who made the southerners to suffer due to high taxes and tariffs which only protected the industrial goods of the northerners. They also suffered soil erosion, land scarcity, deforestation and unavailability of required iron and coal for the industry (Digitalhistory.uh.edu).
The Germans and the Irish had already established themselves both economically and politically in the City’s by 1909. They were no more seen as threatening what they referred to as American way.
Contributing factors of immigration into the New York
The immigrants’ arrival into the New York City between the years 1900 to 1925 was contributed by a number of factors which are discussed below.
Economic factors
The New York City was known to be an entrepreneurial city. It had abundance of the natural resources as well as its geographical location which was along the Hudson River and it also served as the port of Atlantic Ocean. All these factors made it to develop into the most important city.
The Jews were therefore attracted to remain in the New York City because they were entrepreneurs too. Since most of the Jews were educated, they worked as merchants, lawyers, teachers and money lenders. Those not educated worked as hop and grain dealers, artisans and peddlers
Similarly, the terrible economic condition in Italy made the immigrants to move to the New York City which the land of opportunity. They therefore immigrated in search of employment opportunities. Italians believed that at New York people always start at low levels and work towards becoming successful (Roberts, yale.edu).
Social factors
The European immigrants arriving to the New York found themselves a place in city due to its geographical location. Unless they found a predestined inland location, they settled in New York City which composed of people with same origin. The Jews mostly enjoyed the added advantage more than the other immigrants since they never compromised any of their traditions (Mapsite.net)
The Italians emigrated from their country in search of good education. In Italy, the poor were offered little schooling and majority could neither write nor read. Therefore they sent their children to elementary schools to be highly educated in the New York City (Classes Maxwell.Syr.edu).
Political factors
The other factors such as political factors made the Italians to settle in the New York City by 1920.The Italians during those years took position as mayors in the New York City and as a result stayed in the City.
The Ukrainian Jews and Russian immigrants sought refuge in the New York due to religious oppression from the governments in their home country.
Works cited
Auch, Mary Jane. Ashes of Roses. Random House Children’s Books, 2004. Web. 28 October 2012.
De Lorenzo, Joshua. The Era of “New’’ Immigration. New York High School, 2000. Web. 28 October 2012.
Jessica and Marissa. Russian Immigration. n.p., n.d. Web. 28 October 2012.
“Immigration in the early 1900s,” Eye Witness to History, 2000. Web. 28 October 2012.
“Italian Americans presentation’’n.p.web.28 oct.2012
“Italian Immigration” Digital History, 28 October 2012.Web. 28 October 2012.
“New York-Immigration.” Advameg, Inc., 2010. Web. 28 October 2012.
Powell, Kimberly. Ellis Island Immigration Centre. About.com, 2012.Web. 28 October 2012.
“Progressive Era to New Era, 1900-1929.” Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 28 October 2012.
Roberts, Clarence, Jr. Immigration into an Urban Industrialized North East: 1879-1914.Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, 2012. Web. 28 October 2012.
Saywack, Priam. Immigration in New York City. Fordham U, 2012. Web. 28 0ctober 2012.
“Why Jews stayed in New York’’ n.p, n.d. Web. 28 October 2012.
