Irish Catholic immigrants to American during the mid- to late 1800s. The push factor was the deplorable social conditions in Ireland, exacerbated by the potato famine. Irish peasants thought America would offer them the ability to own land and to find good work, especially since the pull factor at work was the discovery of anthracite coal and a heavy increase in production in America as a result. Instead of finding a land of milk and honey, the Irish peasants found similar conditions to those they face in their homeland in addition to religious persecution since they found themselves establishing shanty towns right alongside well-established Protestant communities, “Jobs were scarce and money was tight, and many were force to live in accommodations as bad as they had in Ireland. It was during this time that the label “Shanty Irish” was pressed upon them, when the enterprising new arrivals began building small shacks out of any available material on the outskirts of cities. Many also found religious persecution in their new homes” (Hower 1). These were troubles that many immigrants have faced upon their arrival in America.
On reason for the solidarity among different fraternities of Irish was more than likely the intense religious persecution they faced. Protestants formed groups like the Order of the Star Spangled Banner and they used the group as a cover for any number of nefarious activities. The group as well as the majority of Protestants were aligned with the Republican part, while the majority of Irish were firm Democrats. In cities like Baltimore, swivel guns were aimed at polling places so few Democrats would have the courage to vote in elections. Coupled with this were the typically difficult challenges faced by decades of immigrants as they arrived in America, including Hispanic immigrants today. The Irish were forced from the cities into more rural areas trying to find some kind of employment and, as ...