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