The Great Depression and the Life of Italian-Immigrant Workers

Around 1830 larger numbers of immigrants began coming to the US. At first there weren’t lots of people coming each year. Soon, as outside countries began to take on hardships, people began to immigrate in higher numbers than before. When a mass amounts of immigrants started to get noticed was around 1850, when the Chinese Immigration Economic Opportunity was big (Doc. 1). Later numbers began to rise and fall.

The Italian culture has been developed into a staple of American life, especially with a preexisting history ingrained into communities across the United States.

Family has a large impact on one’s life because they provide support and help guide one in the right direction when making decisions. In Nino Ricci’s Lives of the Saints and Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes, family plays a large role in shaping the lives of the protagonists, Vittorio Innocente and Frank McCourt respectively. A distant father results in the boys’ innocence and naiveté as their fathers never had the chance to explain the mysteries of life to them nor did they serve as proper role models. Frank’s and Vitto’s grandparents results in their distrust towards their own families. The boys’ incapable mother’s results in them not knowing what a family structure is, which in turn causes them to look to alternate people for parental figures. The family dysfunction of absent fathers, unsupportive grandparents, and inadequate mothers forms Vitto’s and Frank’s personalities negatively as it deprives them of the positive influences they desperately need in order to grow up with the right morals.

Giovanni Boccaccio and Francesco Barbaro provides for not only the men, but women in Italian society their conventional opinion on the perfect example of how a wife should act and behave in order to keep the domestic life at peace and whole. Through their story and most gracious outlook on a woman’s life, we can see what a marriage was life during this time.

In the late 18th century, European migrants such as Germans, Polish, and Italians came to America to start a better life, little did they know that coming to a new country such as America wouldn't be the easiest. Many Germans, Polish, and Italian immigrants began searching for a new life in America in the late 1800’s. As easy as they thought is was going to be, many immigrants had a tenacious time being part of America. They needed to leave the country that they knew and their loved ones, hoping their lives would improve after arriving in the United States. German immigrants moved to America because of poverty, conversely being so indigent that they couldn't provide for themselves. They also came to America to provide for their families whom they brought along. Polish immigrants came to earn more money then the earned in Poland. Italian immigrants came to America to escape the wars that were happening as well as pursuing a better economic opportunity. Immigration to America was a time where European immigrants wanted to start a new life with their families.

The life of a migrant worker in the 1930s were very depressing one. The Great Depression cause many workers to move from place to place for jobs. Most of these migrant workers are alone with no friends or family and unable to trust people. Some Just like George and Lennie from the book Of Mice Of Men travel together. Of Mice and Men is a story about two men the The Great Depression

When placing the novel in the context of our course numerous topics are illuminated, such as, how these immigrants attempted to hold onto the values and traditions of their ancestors, how the immigrants faced discrimination and what certain immigrants had to do in order to make a living. The Italian Immigrants migrated to the United States eventually making their way to New York City and in particular the upper east side of Manhattan. This migration to a certain location demonstrates how the Italians felt more comfortable living with one another rather than assimilating into the American culture and living with other ethnic groups. Throughout the novel Orsi provides

Many Italians made the United States their home, but getting to the Land of the Free was not easy for them. Many things made the Italians move from their country, and many things brought them to the United States. They faced many hardships while in the country. They all managed to find work in different areas, and in different time periods. They also left important legacies.

Lamattina‘s grandparents first settled in downtown Manhattan, in an area that came to be known as Little Italy. Her grandfather first came here alone in 1907, leaving his wife and young son home in Italy. After finding a place to live and saving up some money, he then sent for his family. Living conditions in Little Italy were terrible. Large families were forced to live in tiny tenement apartments with sometimes up to five or six family members sharing a tiny bedroom. When the immigrants were able to save up enough money many moved their families to more rural areas such as Staten Island where land was relatively inexpensive.

The Great Depression, which had begun during the 1920’s worsened the lives of many Americans, especially migrant workers. Imagine trying to survive in a failing economy, with a family to feed and bills to pay. Imagine not knowing where the next meal is coming from, or how you will keep the roof over your head for another day. This scenario was the daily life of many migrant workers during the Great Depression. Because of the Great Depression, employment in farming failed, government assistance increased, and the desire to survive or support your family was crucial.

As the first day of man began, there has been immigration of man throughout this great country of America. Many immigrants came for a better way of life for themselves as well as their family. Some stayed where others went back to their nation of origin, yet they all made an impact on us today as Americans.

The Great Depression lasted between the years of 1929 and 1939. During this time unemployment rates rose to an all time high and many people such as entrepreneurs, factory workers, and farmers were all put out of business once the economy failed. When farmers were out of work in the eastern parts of the United States, they traveled west because of the good land there. In Lester Hunter’s poem he spoke of this and said “ From the east and west and the north and south like a swarm of bees we came; the migratory workers are worse off than a bum” (Hunter). Once they did this some unforeseen circumstances appeared, this was the beginning of the Dust Bowl. Many farmers traveled west because they thought the land was prime for planting wheat crops.

Leon Battista Alberti’s On the Family (1435) is a dialogue between the brothers of a wealthy merchant-banking Italian family at the deathbed of the patriarch. Alberti, one of the original humanists, puts forward an optimistic view of human nature through the characters’ discussion about the correct way to run a family. Although his family was exiled from Florence, the ban had been lifted and Alberti had gone back home and then on to Rome before be began writing On the Family (RWC, 78). His optimism reflects the newfound faith in the ancients held by those in Renaissance Italy, and his family’s great fortune.

Even though many Italians emigrated to Argentina during the period of the 1870s about 4 million Italians emigrated to the United States, this emigration process stopped at the start of World War I in 1914 and for further immigration the United State congress passed restrictive laws. About 84% of this Italian immigrants came for South Italy (Sicily) the largest agricultural region were there was an agricultural depression and taxes were really high.

The video La Famiglia talks about the emigration of Italian’s to America during the 1800 and 1900’s. It talks about the poverty that Italians had in their homeland, near Naples. I believe that this is the most influential and important factor as to why they decided to find better opportunity in America when it comes to income and security. What they encountered, as the state in the video was a lot of hardship and tribulations. Many of times the male would leave the house and look for work in America only to never return. Working in hard labor jobs like mining, Italians would be forced to work long hours for horrific pay and also time spent away from their families. I believe the message we can take away and the message that I took away was