Irish immigrants Essay Example for Free

Irish immigrants Essay When the Irish began arriving in America in large numbers in the 1840s, they were generally destitute and unskilled, and for decades they occupied the lowest levels of American society, often trapped in menial jobs like domestic service or difficult, often dangerous jobs like railroad and canal construction.   According to historian Paul Boyer, â€Å"Irish immigrants entered the work force at the bottom.   Paddy with his pickax and Bridget the maid were simultaneously stereotypes and realities† (Boyer et al 273).   However, they rose quickly in America compared to other immigrants groups, mainly because of several advantages. Their ability to speak English certainly helped them, giving them advantages that later immigrants from non-English-speaking nations did not immediately have.   In occupations like factory labor, they were able to rise more quickly than other immigrants, slowly moving up the social ladder.   In addition, they gradually More importantly, the urban Irish became active in politics, particularly within the Democratic Party, which appealed to the new arrivals and offered them assistance in finding housing and jobs in exchange for votes.   This gave the Irish a wide array of opportunities, moving from unskilled labor into better-paying blue-collar positions as firefighters, police officers, and workers in city departments like sanitation, water, and streets. By 1900, the Irish had already ascended through the working class and were making headway in the middle class, and this progress accelerated as later immigrants from southern and eastern Europe began arriving by the millions.   The head start they enjoyed in arriving sooner than most other ethnic groups, their knowledge of English, and their affinity for politics all combined to give Irish immigrants advantages that other immigrant groups would not enjoy to the same degree. Boyer, Paul et al.   The Enduring Vision.   Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998.