Immigration is a very controversial topic that we discuss daily. 12,000 years ago, immigrants began arriving in America. They came here to escape situations such as poverty, misery, lack of resources and better job opportunities. People from all over the world come here because they think they will have a better life. Back then, immigrants came here looking for hope. These immigrants lived in appalling conditions and most had no jobs or education. Those who had jobs probably didn't make enough money to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. They came here in the hope of change and a better life for themselves and their families. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Irish immigrants began arriving in America in the 1840s. The infamous Potato Famine caused great famine and destitution for ordinary farmers. Three quarters of their crops have been destroyed, making their survival extremely difficult. The only advantage the Irish had in coming here was their language. The Irish then had great difficulty being accepted in society. They were discriminated against because they were unintelligent, dirty, slow and heavy drinkers. The Irish were hardworking, but very unskilled in many ways. When the Irish got off the boats, they were immediately presented with opportunities. Men were given fifty dollars to give to their wives to join the army. Many accepted the offer and were dispatched within the next minute. Italians also came here, but to escape the different conditions that prevailed in their cities. In Italy there was overpopulation, poverty, disease and the greatest tragedy of all, natural disasters. The Italians had the disadvantage of not being able to communicate. They had to learn English when they arrived here to be able to converse with others. Italians regularly had very large families. Starting at the bottom of the occupational ladder, they took jobs such as shoeshine, ragpicker, cleaning sewers and any other hard, dirty and treacherous work that others did not want. Even children worked very young, as in Italy, even to the detriment of their education. Italians were known for almost never accepting charity, another reflection of trends in Italy. Italians were looking for opportunities to be free, make money, and get out of the disaster areas of their cities. Chinese immigrants began coming here in the 1800s because of the gold rush. The Chinese were particularly hardworking and skilled. They worked in dangerous conditions, such as in the Rocky Mountains. Many worked on the transcontinental railroad. They also received lower wages than their white counterparts. This is partly because they did not speak English and could not ask for better pay. The nativists were not happy about their presence here because it meant they were being given jobs because the companies could get away with paying them less. The Chinese were the first group excluded from entering the United States by the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Many Chinese were sent to Angel Island and held there for years. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized paper now from our expert writers.Get ??