Essay On Immigration During The Gilded Age

During the gilded age the American economy skyrocketed. Business was booming. There was no shortage of labor, for both adults and children worked long arduous days. Factories were being built, and with them more and more jobs. Naturally, this would attract those from countries in which jobs were harder to come by and then attain. Meaning what? Immigrants. During the gilded age, the United States saw a massive influx of immigrants. Immigrants made up a very very large part of the American labor force. “During the Gilded Age there were around 11.7 million people that came to America. From those 11.7 million immigrants 10.6 million of those immigrants came from Europe, which made up 90 percent of the immigration population. The Canadians made

Land of the free! A nation of opportunity! Wealth was the dream of many immigrants who came to the United States during the 1800’s. For some this was true; however, most of the immigrants stilled lived in poverty off very little, albeit these conditions were still better than what many lived under before immigration. The United States influx of immigrants was lured under the false pretense of hope and a good life. Therefore, the United States was more or less built off the misled and false hopes of immigrants. A part of the reason immigrants had a harder time in the United States was because employers knew they would work for lower wages. This had a number of effects on the immigrant community. For one those immigrants were expected to live off lower wages when the economy was set around average wages. This caused many immigrants to go without basic necessities of life. Another problem would be the general population itself. Due to the massive influx of immigrants jobs were becoming harder and harder to come by, and even when an American citizen had found one, they very well might lose it to an immigrant. Not for the immigrants being more qualified or skilled but rather their paygrade. Employers

Quite literally the U.S. was founded by immigrants seeking refuge. The “Promise of America” is nearly old as old as the United States itself. That idea that belief stuck around has stuck around for hundred of years, and was believed to be nothing but true during the gilded age. During the gilded age 12 million immigrants came to the United States. They too came under the pretense of the “Promise of America.” For the most part that promise is true. There are ups and there are certainly downs, but it does still stand. Many have their claims on the “Promise of America”, and while most of such may have not gone down in the history books, their lives did improve. The “Promise of America” does not mean you will get rich or famous. Rather it means you have a chance to prove and work for yourself. That is the promise that built the United States. The idea brought many many millions of immigrants. Though that promise may not be true all the time. Though many immigrants were mislead. It doesn’t change the fact. The United States is a nation built of immigrants. The idea of “A nation of immigrants” could not be anymore