6. The Irish came in such large numbers that they quickly changed the cultural and ethnic makeup of many Eastern cities. Furthermore, their poverty and their desire to recreate the closeness they had once known in their homeland led them to keep to themselves, creating tight-knit and exclusionary communities. How might this characteristic have further fueled the flames of resentment and prejudice?
7. Desperation, discouragement, and lack of employment and basic necessities led to a great deal of resentment within the Irish slums of cities such as Boston and New York. How might these situations have added to the perception of the Irish as lazy, drunken troublemakers?
8. The American Civil War began fifteen years after the earliest flood of Irish immigrants arrived on American shores. How might the tensions that led to this war have contributed to the challenges the immigrants encountered? How might the presence of Irish immigrants among both Confederate and Union troops have added to the resentment many in the country felt toward them?
The post–Civil War railroad boom in the American West led to a sudden opportunity for employment among the poor and desperate Irish. The work was dangerous, backbreaking, and poorly paid, and many were unwilling to undertake it. The Irish, like immigrants from various Asian countries who settled along the American West Coast, answered the call. This led to a westward movement by many Irish immigrants.
Land was plentiful and inexpensive. The completion of the railroads made supplies easier and cheaper to obtain. Towns began popping up throughout the American West, many with sizable Irish populations.
9. Having lost land in Ireland, land they never held title to and could not have called their own, the promise of land ownership must have been an almost irresistible opportunity to many Irish immigrants. How might the passage of time since their years as farmers in Ireland combined with the drastically different farming conditions of the West have made the adjustment difficult?
10. Many non-Irish Americans also made the move west and, in many instances, brought with them the resentment they felt toward this group of people. What kind of difficulties might that have caused? How might the problems have been avoided?
11. How do the experiences of Irish immigrants during this time parallel those of other immigrant groups throughout history, both in the United States and throughout the world?
12. What can we learn from this era in history about prejudice, poverty, desperation, compassion, and so forth? What could have been done differently—both by the Irish immigrants themselves and by American citizens and their local, state, and federal governments—to have improved the situation?
13. Anti-Irish sentiment is all but unheard of today in the United States. What influence would the following have had on extinguishing the flames of hatred, prejudice, and resentment exhibited toward this particular group?
The passage of time
Assimilation into mainstream America by the Irish as accents disappeared among the second generation who adopted more “American” ways of speaking and behaving
An Irish voice in government, something Americans initially feared
A growing acceptance of Catholicism, though it was still an issue as recently as the 1960 election of President John F. Kennedy
Other problems that captured the nation’s attention
A significant slowing of Irish immigration
The sheer number of Irish immigrants
© Annalisa Photography. Used by permission.
Sarah M. Eden is the author of several well-received historical romances, including Whitney Award finalists Seeking Persephone (2008) and Courting Miss Lancaster (2010). Combining her obsession with history and an affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances. She happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library and dreams of one day traveling to all the places she reads about. Sarah is represented by Pam van Hylckama Vlieg at Foreword Literary Agency.
Visit Sarah at www.sarahmeden.com
Other Books by Sarah M. Eden
Seeking Persephone
Courting Miss Lancaster
The Kiss of a Stranger
Friends and Foes
An Unlikely Match
Drops of Gold
Glimmer of Hope