The Irish were one of the first ethnic groups to come to America. The first Irish worked for English settlers in the 1650s (Feagan, 85). Soon after, more Irish began to emigrate to the United States. One of the main reasons they came was the famine in Ireland, "known as the Irish Famine of the 1840s...a potato plague caused a massive failure of that crop, and many people were died of hunger or hunger-related diseases” (Feagan, 86). Which led to another reason why their decision was voluntary. “North America, which has been described, in exaggerated terms, as the land of golden opportunity” (Feagan, 86). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Although it seemed like a promising opportunity and a guaranteed future of possibilities, few Irish people got to see America because they died on the way. They traveled on ships, but due to famine, most died of starvation. Some Irish traveled with family, others alone. Once they arrived in America, they “grouped together in small colonies scattered within the cities” (Feagan, 86). Racial and ethnic segregation did not appear to be a problem at first due to the fact that “English leaders advocated emigration to the United States as a solution to famine” (Feagan, 86). Men and women worked and sent their children to school who would join them later. Some wives were either housewives, white-collar workers, or servants. The majority of Irish women were single and worked as white-collar workers and domestic servants to be seen as independent and self-sufficient. Married Irish women were considered “very important in their community” (Feagan, 86). They helped them raise their children and keep them grounded in books and soon in the job market. Irish men worked in mines, factories, docks, etc. Irish-Americans faced different types of oppression, but primarily it was segregation. Anglo-Protestants began to stereotype the Irish with “words such as capricious, dangerous, quarrelsome, idle, and reckless” (Feagan, 86). As more and more Irish emigrated, caricatures were created to symbolize their traits and characteristics. They were even considered “monkeys”. “The apelike image of the Irish was imported from England. With the rise of debates about human evolution in England. The poor Irish were seen by many in England and the United States as the 'missing link' between the gorilla and the human race” (Feagan, 87). “They also had to compete with African Americans for low-income jobs” (Feagan, 89). This is why they did not want African Americans to move to the North and were opposed to their freedom because economically they would not be able to compete and survive. The Irish resisted oppression by siding with the Anglo-Protestants in their conflicts with other ethnicities. “They were known to start racial or ethnic conflicts” (Feagan 88). “To secure their 'place in the sun,' Irish-Americans fought vigorously against many groups, from established Anglo-Protestants (on political-economic issues) to Native Americans (on the land)” (Feagan, 88 ). After the “Whiskey Rebellion and regulation movement, to relieve domination and expand their political power. THEIrish were encouraged to settle in the borderlands to protect the dominant Anglo-Protestant interests of the Native Americans” (Feagan, 88). This is where scalping comes from. Then they were in conflict with African Americans. They essentially had to compete over who was best suited to be drafted into the military, leading to the "'Draft Riot' - the most serious riot in U.S. history" (Feagan, 89). “Between the 1850s and 18890s, most Irish-Americans came to view themselves as white and, as a rule, began to develop the anti-Black prejudices and ideas shared by other whites” (Feagan, 89 years). Irish-Americans believed that once they joined the "superior race" that all their problems with the Anglo-Protestants would disappear because they considered themselves worthy of the status quo. The contributions of the Irish over time have undoubtedly been history, culture, music, entertainment, St. Patrick's Day, the idea of ​​getting lucky with a three-leaf clover, and many more. others still. “They became political and religious leaders. They used their dynamism and charm (and their “way with words”) to achieve particular success in journalism, entertainment and sports. Popular perceptions of the Irish's fierce temperament introduced terms such as "Paddy Wagon", "Donnybrook", and "Fighting Irish" into the American language. Among the earliest immigrants to the United States, the Irish are now assimilated into all aspects of this nation, but they still retain the pride and identity of their Irish heritage” (Resources for Teachers – Library of Congress.com). Italians, on the other hand, have been emigrating from Italy to the United States since the 1820s. They traveled in groups, mostly coming from the same villages or towns. The Italians left for much the same reasons as the Irish, “land and agricultural problems” (Feagan, 98). Besides “low income, poor land, a feudal system, unreasonable taxation, and government corruption, were important push factors at the point of origin” (Feagan, 98). Unlike the Irish, some Italians viewed the move to America as temporary. What attracted them to the United States was “the exaggerated image of the United States as a place where opportunities multiply…” (Feagan, 98). Italians traveled by boat and usually with their villages or families. This made the transition less difficult because “migration along kinship networks, typical of the countries, eased the pain of resettlement” (Feagan, 98). “In large cities, many immigrants settled in ethnic enclaves – residential, social and economic niches where other visitors already resided – often called 'Little Italys'” (Feagan, 98). Which made their transition much smoother than the others. Both spouses in Italian families worked. “Most worked as unskilled laborers, often in transportation systems such as canals and railways, as well as water and sewer systems. Wages were low and individuals and families were generally poor” (Feagan, 98). “Women were often employed in poorly paid jobs” (Feagan, 105). Italian Americans faced much more oppression than the Irish, and it lasted much longer. Ethnic discrimination among all, accompanied by stereotypes such as the mafia, poor results on IQ tests, poor results on conscription tests, always being considered the "inferior race" and”.