The Lives of Greek-Americans

In this paper I am going to write about Greek Americans. My paper will include detail about Greek Americans such as residence and housing, date and place of origin, economic activities, education, kinship, traditions and religion as well as their future in the United States.

The Greeks came to America in different times and over a number of decades. There are five periods, which encompass the historical development of the Greek population in America. The first period cover the Years 1528 to 1821,a time when Greece was under the domination of the Ottoman Rulers. It was a period of little movement and very few records which could provide information on those who left their homeland in search of adventure in the New world, except the accounts of the New Smyrna Colony.

The second period is from 1821 to 1890. This took place after the Greek war of independence from Turkey. At this period the Greeks reside mostly at New Orleans, Louisiana. There it was a scattered immigration at this time. The period of systematic immigration was from 1891-1921,and from this period and later, they spread in big numbers almost everywhere in the United States. Up to this point the vast majority of Greek immigrants were men who left their families in Greece and came to the United States seeking their fortune. These immigrants did not expect to stay in America. They came with the idea to earn a bit of money and return home. But unfortunately as the Greeks adjusted to life in the United States and the situation in Greece got worse, they realize that repatriation was a dream and that making a home for his family in the United States was more worthy it. This is the period, which is called `From Hellenism to Americanization' and it's from 1920s-1940s.

The final period is from the 1940s to the present, which is named as the `era of Philhellenism'. At this period the Greek immigrants were transformed into an American of Hellenic descent. Having worked hard to achieve a place in the United States, The American Greek felt an awakening need to express himself in new ways, and to press closer to his mother country. Especially at this time the American Greeks were branching out and exhibiting talent in many fields, including the arts and sciences.

The economic activities that Greek Americans are associated with, are both at formal and informal sector .At the scattered immigration (1821-1890) few of the Greeks went to the West to become agriculturists.