The age of immigration
This article presents a short history of European immigration to the United States. Although the process began during the Renaissance period, immigration was intensive during 1880-1920. Number of pushing and pulling factors contributed to the European emigration. Some of the pushing factors were oppressive religious and political climate, growing unemployment caused by the structural transformation of economy because of industrialization, wide-spread poverty amidst population explosion because of improved medical facilities, and the severe agricultural failures.
Certainly leaving home is not an easy decision. But when people see a better prospect in the other land, they sacrifice many things to get there. Number of things lured Europeans to go to the US. A relatively liberal political and religious atmosphere assured them that they would not face any prosecution because of their faith. Since US industrial base was expanding, and a huge virgin land still existed, they saw the higher economic possibilities. The inherent nature of American society as a nation of immigrants was another reason behind people’s decision to opt for their destination.
Since immigrants came with their distinct cultural, linguistic and educational backgrounds, they did not easily assimilate to their new country. Most of them lived in their ethnic neighborhoods fulfilling cultural needs and connections. Most of the immigrants were young, thus a great engine of work and enthusiasm. In fact, they did not have a pleasant experience in the very beginning. They sacrificed a lot for the hope of better future for themselves and their offspring. Most of them worked hard and long in low wages and lived in the insalubrious conditions. But condition changed with their children and grandchildren. The new generation witnessed the social mobility, got easily assimilated to the mainstream culture and did not suffer from the nostalgia of lost homeland.
Today’s Immigrants?
In this write-up, the writer discusses the change the US has experienced in today’s immigrants. Basically, most of today’s immigrants are Asians and Latin Americans. Although some of them are refugees coming from war-torn locations, most of the immigrants are well-educated human power looking for better economic and other opportunities. Most of them work in service-based industries because the US is not expanding its manufacturing base now. Although these immigrants are different in ethnic and geographical origin, they are not fundamentally different in the kind of response they get from the host country, in the way they relate themselves with the ethnic neighborhoods and in the way they sacrifice for the sake of their offspring.
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is a controversial issue in both Canada and the USA because people perceive it differently. Some people believe that multiculturalism, especially bilingual education, is detrimental because it hampers the core of their national character. They believe that unity and prosperity emerge from the homogeneity of practices. But others believe that multiculturalism has been beneficial for the nation because it provides a pool of talents to innovate the economy. They also believe that the immigrants are not threat to the mainstream national character because most of the newly arrived people observe their cultural rituals at home while follow the mainstream code outside. They also don’t think immigration as a major problem because most of the second and third generation immigrants have the tendency to melt with the mainstream culture.
Certainly leaving home is not an easy decision. But when people see a better prospect in the other land, they sacrifice many things to get there. Number of things lured Europeans to go to the US. A relatively liberal political and religious atmosphere assured them that they would not face any prosecution because of their faith. Since US industrial base was expanding, and a huge virgin land still existed, they saw the higher economic possibilities. The inherent nature of American society as a nation of immigrants was another reason behind people’s decision to opt for their destination.
Since immigrants came with their distinct cultural, linguistic and educational backgrounds, they did not easily assimilate to their new country. Most of them lived in their ethnic neighborhoods fulfilling cultural needs and connections. Most of the immigrants were young, thus a great engine of work and enthusiasm. In fact, they did not have a pleasant experience in the very beginning. They sacrificed a lot for the hope of better future for themselves and their offspring. Most of them worked hard and long in low wages and lived in the insalubrious conditions. But condition changed with their children and grandchildren. The new generation witnessed the social mobility, got easily assimilated to the mainstream culture and did not suffer from the nostalgia of lost homeland.
Today’s Immigrants?
In this write-up, the writer discusses the change the US has experienced in today’s immigrants. Basically, most of today’s immigrants are Asians and Latin Americans. Although some of them are refugees coming from war-torn locations, most of the immigrants are well-educated human power looking for better economic and other opportunities. Most of them work in service-based industries because the US is not expanding its manufacturing base now. Although these immigrants are different in ethnic and geographical origin, they are not fundamentally different in the kind of response they get from the host country, in the way they relate themselves with the ethnic neighborhoods and in the way they sacrifice for the sake of their offspring.
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is a controversial issue in both Canada and the USA because people perceive it differently. Some people believe that multiculturalism, especially bilingual education, is detrimental because it hampers the core of their national character. They believe that unity and prosperity emerge from the homogeneity of practices. But others believe that multiculturalism has been beneficial for the nation because it provides a pool of talents to innovate the economy. They also believe that the immigrants are not threat to the mainstream national character because most of the newly arrived people observe their cultural rituals at home while follow the mainstream code outside. They also don’t think immigration as a major problem because most of the second and third generation immigrants have the tendency to melt with the mainstream culture.
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