European Immigration Effects on American Politics, Essay Example

This era was known as the American Economic Revolutionary years. Population began to increase concentrated in areas of industrial centres of the Northeast and Northwest.  This increase in population supplied labour force for the factory system. Immigrant and internal migration led to growth in big cities because agriculture in New England was less profitable. Most Irish settled in the eastern cities and worked as unskilled labour.

Industrialists and employers had a desire for cheap labour. Land owners and spectators hoped this would increase the demand for goods and populate the West. In the early years of factory recruiting it was difficult because of the presence and domination of farms and small cities. Young women and entire families were recruited to the factories.

Labour conditions were fairly good presenting the workers with nice food and shelter as opposed to the working conditions in Europe. Though the conditions were good, workers found the transition from farm life and work difficult because of the regimented and repetitive tasks involved with factory work.

Workers tried to position themselves for a 10 hour work day and law prohibiting the usage of child labour.

Early Factory System from 1820-1840

In the 1840-60’s era, working class had only modest power limited by immigrant workers who could replace strikers. This led to disunity amongst the workers; hence Industrial capitalists had social and political power. This era is often called the Antebellum Age of the United States.  Many Europeans that migrated to America during those years found themselves classified as unskilled workers in Europe, but near 1850 had found themselves in higher status jobs in America.  The average trend for a new arrival was a downward occupational mobility. The Irish had the most difficulty blending in with the American economy perhaps because of the underdevelopment between the US and Irish economies.

Sources say the immigrant presence caused much concern. The young men and women were of attractive and educated backgrounds.  Initially they were drawn from the New England towns but as immigrants came to settle in the Americas they brought new diversion to the factory. They were always paid in full and never subject to extortion.

The British trend was to achieve a higher occupational status than that in Europe or that of the Irish or Germans migrating to the US.  Decline for the Germans were suggested because they arrived in the 1940’s at the wake of the failed revolutions of 1848.

The share of population living in areas of 2,500 or more persons grew from 11% in 1840 to 20% in 1860.[1](Haines, R. ,2007).

Conclusion

It appears employers had a desire for cheap labour and that is exactly what they received from the North-eastern workers as well as the European immigrants.  However, the change was profitable for all involved because the workers were presented with good working conditions and full pay and this revolutionized the Industrial Revolution era into what we have in America today.

References

Haines, R. (2007) A Population History of North America. Cambridge University Press, UK p.283.

[1] Haines, R. (2007) A Population History of North America. Cambridge University Press, UK p.283