The Italian Diaspora of the late 19th and early20th Century

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Between 1861 and 1920, over 7 million Italians choose to emigrate from their home country (Italian Immigration: Why So Many Italians Live Outside Italy). Many Italian immigrants chose to make their new lives in South America, particularly in Argentina and Brazil. The mass migration of Italians began what is known as the “big migration” in Brazil (Sabina Stelzig). In this report I will explore what prompted so many Italians to brave an ocean crossing to immigrate to South America, how their influences impacted their new countries, and what push and pull factors Italians faced in leaving their home country and settling in a new one.
There were many factors that contributed to the Italian diaspora between 1861 and 1920. Perhaps the most influential factors were created by the results of the unification of Italy. On March 17, 1861, the unification of Italy was officially announced. Except for Venetia and Rome, Italy became one country under the royal family of Piedmont-Sardinia (ISSUES RELEVANT TO U.S. FOREIGN DIPLOMACY: UNIFICATION OF ITALIAN STATES). Under the new unified Italy, the courts distributed land that was controlled by feudal landowners to the locals. Unfortunately, the farmers were not able to make a living off the land they received and had to sell their plots back to the wealthy. Others lost their land due to the practice of evenly dividing land among heirs. Therefore, despite the disintegration of feudalism, most property remained in the control of the wealthy. This inequality was most evident in the northern region of Italy and contributed greatly to the poverty level (McDonald). Italy was also becoming more industrialized which resulted in a loss of employment. The loss of jobs also contributed to t...

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...ntials in Rural Italy, 1902-1913." Economic Development and Cultural Change 7.1 (1958): 55-72.
Pall Mall Gazette. Steerage Accommodations on the Cunard Steamship Line - 1879. 9 August 1879. .
Ragir, Alex. South Americans use Italy as a passport to opportunity. 3 August 2009. .
Ratti, Anna Maria. "Italian Migration Movements, 1876 to 1926." Walter F. Willcox, editor. International Migrations, Volume II: Interpretations. NBER, 1931. 440-470. .
Rosoli, Gianfausto. The Center for MIgration Studies special issue. 18 July 2012. .
Sabina Stelzig, M.A. Brazil. n.d. .

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