America is sometimes called a "a country of immigrants". Most people's ancestors can be traced to Europe, Asia, or Africa. More than twelve million came into the USA just through the New York harbor. Immigrants came to the United States looking for economic prosperity. Our Industrial Revolution was just beginning. People needed skilled workers in their factories and immigrants were hoping to be a part of that.
"Pay was poor in Britain, and these skilled workers could get much more money in America. So, many of them came. Hundreds of thousands. Some factories -- even some industries -- seemed completely British," explains a program in special English by the voice of America. While America's industry was booming, some other countries weren't have such good luck. "Fleeing crop failure, land and job shortages, rising taxes, and famine, many came to the U. S. because it was perceived as the land of economic opportunity," says the Library of Congress. However, not everything was sunshine and rainbows for the immigrants. Often times, poor immigrants lived in unsanitary conditions, and had to deal with long work hours. More than 500,000 injuries to workers were reported each year in the 1880s and 1890s. Immigrants, especially “new” immigrants, also faced discrimination in their workplace from "American" or native workers who resented the immigrants’ willingness to accept lower wages and work in worse conditions. Their resentment was so bad, they placed a ten-year ban on Chinese immigration in 1882*. All in all, it was not a good time to be an immigrant. Regardless, America would not be the melting pot it is today, if not for the people that toughed it out all those years ago. *History repeats itself! D:
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