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Immigration And Its Impact On America Essay

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America as we know it today has been shaped by immigrants. It can be argued that America shapes immigrants as well. It is a nation that people, nationalist or foreign-born, desire to assimilate partially or fully into. According to a New York University professor, “Immigration, however, played a key role not only in making America’s development possible but also in shaping the basic nature of the society” (Diner, p. 2). It is a nation built on this idea of the “American dream” which varies depending on the person. However, it is something that holds steadily in an immigrant’s mind that is possible to achieve. America’s past, present and certainly future will be formed by immigrants, and once they get here America will coincidentally form their being as well. Immigrants began migrating to America in 1607, when they settled in Jamestown. They were involved in the first wave of immigration to America, which lasted until the early 1800’s. Between 1607-1622 six thousand immigrants arrived with only two thousand surviving; however, we begin to see the shaping of America and vice versa. Life was not easy upon arrival. The immigrant’s fact of life was likely death, and if they survived the year of seasoning (year one) they faced tedious, menial jobs everyday, with poor living conditions. The immigrants of Jamestown shaped America’s history as the plantation system beginning with their labor. The colonies began to form as more unsettled Americans began to populate areas.

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