The nineteenth century was characterized by immigration due to the changes that took place in various parts of the world. People were forced to migrate from one place to the other mainly because of harsh economic conditions and political conflicts.
In Europe, industrialization forced people to seek new opportunities elsewhere, including Africa and the US. In the same way, the industries established in Europe, particularly Britain, attracted a number of immigrants from Africa.
However, the US received a huge number of immigrants due to its long history of development and business opportunities. After the Second World War, many people were forced to flee their countries because of insecurity and appalling living conditions.
In Italy, individuals were forced to seek refuge in the US due to lack of employment, increased population, and outbreak of diseases. For Jews, they were ranked the second largest ethnic group to migrate in the US in the nineteenth century.
After the Second World, Jews were forced to relocate to the US mainly because of the Nazi persecution. In Russia, the changing climatic conditions and drop in agricultural production forced Jews to seek refuge in the US. They were often victimized for poor agricultural returns.
The major problem that faced migrants was suspicion from the locals. In particular, the Italians were perceived as people who had come to the US to take up business and job opportunities belonging to Americans. They were often discriminated and labeled as the Chinese of Europe.
They were branded names such as wops, dagos, and guineas. This means that Italians suffered from humiliation and unfair treatment. Among the Jews, there were various sub-groups, each with its own interests. Those who migrated in the beginning of the nineteenth century had adopted American values.
They had abandoned their traditional practices and adopted the modern cultural values. For instance, they had abolished their traditional religion in favor of the modern religion. A conflict broke out between traditional Jews who migrated from Russia and Germany and those who had settled in the US during the beginning of the 19th century.
However, Jews realized that they had to forge a working unity in order to match the dynamics of society. Those who migrated in the US earlier exercised control over the new migrants.
The major conflict that faced immigrants was ethnic conflict because each group had its own traditions and values. The conflicts were wide spread, which forced the Congress to enact policies that barred the immigration of foreigners to the US.
The Congress was responding to domestic pressure from civil groups, which claimed that immigrants were interfering with the living standards of Americans. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was still valid even after the 18th century.
Another challenge that was faced by immigrants was economic difficulty. The immigrants were accused of accepting low wages and offering services at a reduced price. American locals believed that no employer would offer employment to them since they demanded more wages.
Moreover, religious conflicts were the main challenges faced by immigrants. Some of the migrants practiced traditional religion, such as Shinto and Confucianism, which was inconsistent to the cultural practices of the US.
Even though the author of the book explains clearly some of the challenges faced by immigrants in the US in the 19th century, he does not talk about the challenges faced by blacks. The main challenge faced by blanks is racial discrimination. For instance, racial discrimination divided the American population into two. Racism is still a challenge faced by the black immigrants in the US.