Irish Immigration
I joined the trip to America with much trepidation. I was barely 16,when my parents decided to move the family to America to seek our fortune.I knew that the trip would not be happy, but became even more nervous whenmy father Eugene called our trip the American Wake. When I asked him why,he simply said, "Molly, we shall never see Ireland again." Mother juststood by him, watching silently as the ship carried us away from the shore. Like many other Irish during the time, our family moved to America forwork, to find a better life. We had been told that America was a welcomingand bountiful country, but this was not always true. I was only 16 thefirst time I saw a sign that said, "No Irish need apply." I had justarrived in America with my parents and my brother, along with many othersof my countrymen from Ireland, England and other parts of northern Europe.My brother Malachy became angry about the sign, since he was young and allhe wanted to do was work. But no one would hire him, because of hisaccent and because his last name was O'Connor ("Irish Immigrants in America But father told him to let it be. Father said we would move somewhere
During the same time, the workers in the Pullman Companywent on strike, after their wages were slashed by 25 percent. Father worked with the Pennsylvania Railroad, oneof the first companies that sold public stock and became a corporation(Brinkley 525). If father were still alive today, he would be amazed at thedifferences that have happened since his death. Morgan founded the United States Steel Corporation, turning Pittsburgh intothe center of steel production in America ("Morgan Assembles The World'sLargest Corporation, February 26, 1901"). This was towards the end of the 1800s, a generally goodtime for our family. That is another thing that would surprise father, the idea that womencould possibly be allowed to drive or even to vote. Though Ilook to the future with trepidation once again, I also remember how scaredI was on the boat, heading for America. If that happens, then motherand I would be able to participate in the next elections (Stearns). While the Irish farmers back home faced famine and the loss oftheir land, the farmers in America banded together to form a strongpolitical movement - the Populists. Any day now, PresidentWilson is expected to break the stalemate between the Allied forces and theGerman Army. Many of these new ideas are being spread through newspapers, which arealso increasingly common. There is not much popular support for such a war,particularly one that may plunge America into a worldwide conflict. It is a much different country from what Iarrived in all those years ago, when I saw my first "No Irish need applysign. This would allow the farmers to wait for the prices of their cropsto go up before selling them (Brinkley 588).
Common topics in this essay:
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Pennsylvania Railroad,
Pullman Strike,
Ireland Mother,
,
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Pullman Company,
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country father,
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prices crops,
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pennsylvania railroad,
farmers america,
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Acceptance Essays
