Irish Immigration to the Gangs of New York

What is an Ethnic Group?What is an Ethnic Group?

Large groups of people Large groups of people classed according to classed according to

common traits or customscommon traits or customs

Who has been the most Who has been the most successful ethnic group in US successful ethnic group in US

history?history?

Jewish Immigrants have Jewish Immigrants have become the most successful become the most successful

ethnic group in the US.ethnic group in the US.

What have they achieved?What have they achieved?

Highest Income

Highest Level of Education

Most Occupational Prestige

Who is the second most successful ethnic group?

National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.

The Irish!!!

Who are a close second in each category

National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.

• How?

• Why?

• Strategies?• By Chance?

• Luck?

Background History of the Irish

Early Irish HistoryEarly Irish History800 BC – 400 AD800 BC – 400 AD

Nomadic hunters and gathersNomadic hunters and gathers

Eventual settlementsEventual settlements

Few archaeological remainsFew archaeological remains

Early Christian Period

400 – 800

St. Patrick, 432 AD

Roman and Christian influences

England, 684 AD

Medieval History

800 – 1200

Viking invasions and settlements

Dublin, 840s AD

Irish feudal kings

Limited democratic practices

Later Medieval History

Later Medieval History

Norman Invasions, 12th CenturyEnglish – French rivalry1171 AD, Lordship of Ireland, English Crown

The Scots in IrelandScots/Ulster - Irish

17th century sporadic migration18th Century

Formal English policyIrish Catholics Driven from Ulster

Captured Indentures

Cromwell sent 100,000 to Caribbean Isles

Where the British Empire GoesWhere the British Empire Goes

So go the Irish:So go the Irish:

as Soldiers, Servants, as Soldiers, Servants, Missionaries, Settlers, etc.Missionaries, Settlers, etc.

To North AmericaTo North America

Irish Assimilation in North America

Subsistence to Market

Rural to Urban

Non English--English Speakers

Ulster Presbyterian

Ulster Presbyterians become American FrontiersmenDaniel Boone, Davey Crockett

Irish Catholics from Ulster become Protestant in America

Irish Catholic Indentures(also Anglo-Irish)

During the American Revolution

33% to 40% of Washington’s Army was Irish

Many British thought it was an Irish rebellion,

or a Presbyterian rebellion

Early Patriots:

Matthew ThorntonGeorge TaylorJames Smith

By 1789United Irishmen

Alien-Sedition Act

1. Colonial Period:Irish as Alien Servants and Frontiersmen

2. Revolutionary Period:Irish gained claim to patriotism

3. Early Republican Period:Irish convergence of talented, educated men

Jacksonian Period:

1840s Mass Irish Immigration to the US

Mostly CatholicMostly Unskilled LaborSettled in the cities

Emergence of intense anti Irish hostilities

The First Major Minority Group:

All of the urban pathologies we now associate with the

urban poor

Poor IrishPoor Irish 2/3 of those in Alms House2/3 of those in Alms House

were Irishwere Irish

Alms Houses lent poor out as laborersAlms Houses lent poor out as laborers

UNSKILLED UNSKILLED WORKERSWORKERS

Canals:Canals:Erie, Delaware & Chesapeake, Erie, Delaware & Chesapeake,

New OrleansNew OrleansRailroadsRailroads

CHOLERA CHOLERA EPIDEMICEPIDEMICProof of Irish decadenceProof of Irish decadence

COMPETITION WITH COMPETITION WITH BLACK LABORBLACK LABOR

IRISH MOVE INTO CITIES ENMASSIRISH MOVE INTO CITIES ENMASS $3 paid forwarding agents for fictitious $3 paid forwarding agents for fictitious

RR jobsRR jobs They could work 12 hours for 87.5 They could work 12 hours for 87.5

cents a daycents a day Much lower than African Americans Much lower than African Americans See Want-ads in Boston & Philly papersSee Want-ads in Boston & Philly papers

• NINANINA

Irish DiscriminationIrish Discrimination

Paddy wagonsPaddy wagons

Patrick HooliganPatrick Hooligan

Irish drunksIrish drunks

Upward Upward MobilityMobility

Priesthood & Religious LifePriesthood & Religious LifePoliticsPolitics

PolicePolice FiremenFiremen

Labor UnionsLabor UnionsNationalismNationalism

Not so Upwardly Not so Upwardly MobileMobile

The Irish dominated these The Irish dominated these professions by the late 19professions by the late 19thth century century

BoxersBoxers SportsmenSportsmen SingersSingers ActorActor MusiciansMusicians

PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiavs. vs. New YorkNew York & &

BostonBostonWhich city was best for the Irish?Which city was best for the Irish?

Housing -- Housing -- 18511851

New YorkNew York 515,000515,000 37,730 houses37,730 houses

Philadelphia 490,000Philadelphia 490,000 61,200 houses61,200 houses

Philadelphia

1850 72,312 Irish born18% of city’s population

1860 95,458 Irish born 17% of city’s population

In NYC & Boston 23% of the population

18501850Only 1% of Boston Only 1% of Boston Irish were grocersIrish were grocers

1857185720% of Philly’s grocers were Irish20% of Philly’s grocers were Irish

12% of Philly’s Dry Goods Merchants 12% of Philly’s Dry Goods Merchants were Irishwere Irish

HOUSESHOUSESBuilding and Loans inBuilding and Loans in

PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia

ENTREPRENEURSENTREPRENEURS

Entrepreneurs Raise the Irish to New Entrepreneurs Raise the Irish to New LevelsLevels 1850 48% of Irish were unskilled laborers1850 48% of Irish were unskilled laborers

• This has This has NONO parallel with any other immigrant parallel with any other immigrant groupgroup

But only 33% of Philly’s Irish were But only 33% of Philly’s Irish were unskilled laborersunskilled laborers

Irish Construction Irish Construction Companies Build Catholic Companies Build Catholic

Churches & SchoolsChurches & Schools

Irish Catholic WorkersIrish Catholic Workers

Workers can afford homesWorkers can afford homes

Prior to 1860Prior to 1860Boston has only 4 Catholic Boston has only 4 Catholic

schoolsschools

PHILLY HAD 19PHILLY HAD 19

CATHOLIC SCHOOLSCATHOLIC SCHOOLSProtestant BiblesProtestant BiblesProselytize CatholicsProselytize CatholicsHarass ChildrenHarass Children

NATIVISTS RIOTS NATIVISTS RIOTS in Philadelphiain Philadelphia

BIBLE CONTROVERSYBIBLE CONTROVERSYHARASSMENT OF HARASSMENT OF

CATHOLIC CHILDRENCATHOLIC CHILDREN

Gangs of New Gangs of New YorkYork

Fact:Fact: Gangs existed originated in part Gangs existed originated in part

from gangs in Ireland.from gangs in Ireland. Functioned similarly to gangs of Functioned similarly to gangs of

today.today.

Gangs of New Gangs of New YorkYork

NY’s infamous NY’s infamous Five PointsFive Points

The Battle?The Battle?

Bandits RoostBandits Roost

NY Irish GangsNY Irish Gangs

Disappeared as they Disappeared as they became became

economically economically assimilatedassimilated

Why study the Why study the Irish?Irish?

American success American success storystory