Immigration waves Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Immigration waves - Essay Example The preindustrial/commercial period marked the second immigration wave which emerged during the Civil war and the American Revolution. This period was marked by major advancement in economic development which was aided by improved infrastructures, increased farming activities and population increase in major urban centers. The Irish immigrants who were driven out of their countries by famine mainly settled in urban areas and did manual jobs for their survival in the crowded places. Their lives were marked by poor living conditions which were worsened by malnutrition, diseases and neglect. However, some of them received assistance from the early Irish immigrants who offered a lot of support to them. The industrial period opened the third wave of immigration in which many cities had already been developed. The political leaders saw the need for the provision of basic services to the urban dwellers in order to improve their living conditions. This period was further marked by the arriva l of immigrants from Austria-Hungary, Spain, Italy and Russia who had been attracted by the fact there were many job opportunities due to the industrial revolution that was taking places in major cities. The group caused varied reactions from the leading class of the native-born Americans who feared that they may lose their influence due to the increasing number of immigrants from Europe. Several measures were thus put in place to ensure that the welfare of the natives was well taken care of.