Life in America
At first, life in America was difficult for many immigrants. Most could not speak English. They had to adjust to American culture. Many immigrants came to the United States with only one small suitcase full of some clothes, and a little bit of money. Immigrants tried to get jobs in their new home. For some people, getting a job was difficult, but for others it was very easy to find low-skill occupations.
Click on the Statue of Liberty picture on the right to read an article about how New York was affected by the incoming immigrants. How did immigrants in New York protect themselves? What were the "benevolent societies?"
While some immigrants had to deal with prejudice, for the most part they were accepted into American culture. Immigrants also brought some of their own cultures to the United States. For example, every year Irish Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day to show their pride in their heritage.
Many important American historical figures and scientists were immigrants. Albert Einstein was born in Germany and came to the United States in 1940. Cesar Chavez, whose family is of Mexican descent, earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994 for helping farm workers. Many of the foods we eat come from different countries: spaghetti and pizza are from Italy, and tacos and burritos are from Mexico. Without immigrants, the United States would be a very different place!