In the present day, Scandinavian countries are generally viewed as prosperous, progressive, and egalitarian societies. The citizens of these nations are largely urbanized and receive significant social assistance from the welfare state. However, life in 19th century Scandinavia was markedly different. Scandinavian social life in the 1800s was defined by its provincial character, as the majority of inhabitants resided in rural agricultural communities. Society as a whole was heavily stratified: women had very limited social and economic opportunities and poverty was widespread among Scandinavia’s common citizens. Thus, life in 19th century Scandinavia was generally difficult, and this fact is revealed in the books and films that chronicle social life during this time period.
Though Scandinavian nations are currently considered to be some of the most equitable countries in the world, 19th century Scandinavian societies were characterized by rigid social hierarchies. As Nordstrom depicts in his history of Scandinavia, those who lived during this time period rarely advanced beyond the social and economic positions that they were born into (Nordstrom, 2000: 166). Vilhelm Moberg’s novel The Emigrants further illustrates this point through its portrayal of a rural Swedish parish in the mid 1800s. Moberg describes how generation after generation within a single family labored as farmers on the same land. He suggests that this pattern persisted for centuries, only to be disrupted by the mass migrations that took place in the middle of the 19th century (Moberg, 1949: xxvii). The information presented in Nordstrom’s book echoes the localized and provincial nature of Scandinavian villages described by Moberg. Before the technolog...
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...en and the common laborer. Wealth and privilege were mainly dictated by birth and enjoyed by a select few. The agrarian masses, on the other hand, generally endured poverty and extreme hardship. Women’s lives were also tremendously difficult, as they had essentially zero social or economic independence from men and minimal opportunities for education. The generally poor quality of life faced by most 19th century Scandinavians inspired many of these citizens to seek a better existence by immigrating to America. Ironically, the countries that were left behind by these suffering immigrants are generally considered to have achieved a far higher quality of life than is experienced by the average American. Considering the hard lives endured by most Scandinavians in the 1800s, the progress that has been made in this region over the past century is truly remarkable.
In the late nineteenth century, many European immigrants traveled to the United States in search of a better life and good fortune. The unskilled industries of the Eastern United States eagerly employed these men who were willing to work long hours for low wages just to earn their food and board. Among the most heavily recruiting industries were the railroads and the steel mills of Western Pennsylvania. Particularly in the steel mills, the working conditions for these immigrants were very dangerous. Many men lost their lives to these giant steel-making machines. The immigrants suffered the most and also worked the most hours for the least amount of money. Living conditions were also poor, and often these immigrants would barely have enough money and time to do anything but work, eat, and sleep. There was also a continuous struggle between the workers and the owners of the mills, the capitalists. The capitalists were a very small, elite group of rich men who held most of the wealth in their industries. Strikes broke out often, some ending in violence and death. Many workers had no political freedom or even a voice in the company that employed them. However, through all of these hardships, the immigrants continued their struggle for a better life.
In the years from 1860 through 1890, the prospect of a better life attracted nearly ten million immigrants who settled in cities around the United States. The growing number of industries produced demands for thousands of new workers and immigrants were seeking more economic opportunities. Most immigrants settled near each other’s own nationality and/or original village when in America.
The exposure of immigrants to an emblematic melting process of assimilation, America allegedly eliminates Old World impurities, in essence creating a superior metal. Based on this society, the men and the women who are determines and ambitious will habitually prosper. Advocates of the American Dream are exempt from having any obligations to support the needy because they are certain that the impoverished have caused their own misfortunes by their
... many immigrants faced discrimination, thus leaving them no choice but to live in the slums of some areas and try fight their way up to success.
The principal groups of immigrants into Washington State during the time period of 1895 to 1910 were Scandinavian immigrants, which includes Swedish, Danish and Norwegian people. Washington State by 1910 had greater numbers of immigrants than any other state of the union during 1910. At this time Washington had more immigrants than any other state; fifty percent of the state at that time was Scandinavian immigrants. The Scandinavians that came to Washington wanted to become Americanized. They worked hard at combining the best of their culture with the new culture. This also made the transition and culture shock that many emigrants experience was very minimal. (Dahlie, 1980)
Between the years of 1840 and 1914, about forty million people immigrated to the United States from foreign countries. Many of them came to find work and earn money to have a better life for their families. Others immigrated because they wanted to escape the corrupt political power of their homelands, such as the revolution in Mexico after 1911. Whatever the case, many found it difficult to begin again in a new country. Most immigrants lived in slums with very poor living conditions. They had a hard time finding work that paid enough to support a family. Not only was it difficult for immigrant men, but for women as well. Immigrant women faced many challenges including lack of education and social life as well as low wages and poor working conditions.
Between 1880 and 1920 almost twenty-four million immigrants came to the United States. Between better salaries, religious freedom, and a chance to get ahead in life, were more than enough reasons for leaving their homelands for America. Because of poverty, no future and various discrimination in their homelands, the incentive to leave was increasing. During the mid-1800's and early 1900's, the labor and farm hands in Eastern Europe were only earning about 15 to 30 a day. In America, they earned 50 cents to one dollat in a day, doubling their paycheck. Those lower wage earners in their homeland were st...
... to exist in our days, needs to be changed more if we ever want to achieve a true progression in our economy and society where not only the rich get the biggest piece of the pie. After researching a little and analyzing numbers and statistics from the past and present, fifty-one years have done two basic things to the harvesters of shame, their wages have improved a little bit and the ethnicity of the workers has changed from poor whites and blacks to poor Hispanics, bringing new factors into play such as the pros and cons that hiring immigrant workers bring to companies. Even though, these potential improvements appear to be substantial and beneficial shifting the views many workers and farmers had in the past, not all people receive the same treatments and benefits some companies share, thousands of immigrant workers have become the new mute slaves of America.
Since the 19th century, America became a place where millions of people aspire to immigrate intensively. In order to pursuit a better life, freedom, and equality, people have to leave their hometowns and family, deal with uncertainty. Why were so many people willing to leave their family and go to the United States for pursuing their American Dreams? The most important reason that people chose to immigrate to America was they believed that they had opportunities to earn a better life. No matter how hard they tried, their lives are barely improved. Therefore, people were dissatisfied and despaired with their own countries since their efforts did not pay off. However, reality was cruelly destroying the path to the dream, additionally; people
...ution, a thriving American economy as well as dreams of escaping famine and oppression led immigrants to America. To the eyes of an endangered family that waits everyday to escape the pangs of hunger, America was a better life, and an almost unreachable goal. To the families that persevered, a new life may have awaited them; but for others, America may have held only poverty and hard labor. Interestingly, this is what the industrialized dream of America granted: chance; not a guarantee, nor even an opportunity in the strictest sense; just a chance. Through the Industrial Revolutions, more jobs were created; with the addition of more jobs, hopeful foreigners could immigrate. With the presence of multiple, well-defined cultural groups America began to diversify, continuing her expansion and paving the way for more people who only held a dream for an opportunity.
There are many opportunities in America that can improve one’s wealth and power, thus leading to the mass amount of immigrants coming to American. Most immigrants that come to American usually are categorized as the lower class immigrants, but they take any opportunities to improve their economic status. In an article by Howard P. Chudacoff, it states “immigrants generally chose upward paths that led from manual labor into small proprietorships” (Chudacoff 1982: 104). This explains the reason why immigrants choose to come and stay in America. They start out small as laborers then over time they will work to own a small business. Even though immigrants gets to grow to move from the lower class to the middle class, the natives will be always
In conclusion, the lives of immigrants have had an all over transformation over the last century and will continue to change throughout the years. Through the hardships of being accepted into America and being invaded by personal means, immigrants are given a chance to succeed. Then to the family life of the immigrants, which tended to be split and torn, it built an inner strength in each individual immigrant. Lastly, to the living conditions and job opportunities that put the immigrants to the ultimate test, they were the make or break point for the better half of the new citizens. The transformation of immigration over the years has been incredible and should be widely recognized.
During the latter part of the 19th century, many laborers faced numerous problems. Some of these problems included, “mechanization of industry, emergence of giant corporations, nationalization of labor, public sentiment greatly admired the ‘Captains of Industry,’ and immigration” (Farless). After years of knowledge, man was introduced to machines. When machines played a part in the latter part of the 19th century, it caused trouble with the laborers. These new machines would replace laborers, which meant more laborers were remaining unemployed and that there were lower wages (Farless). Another problem laborers faced were the introduction to immigrants. Immigrants were coming to the United States of America from foreign land to work. With these immigrants, it kept the wages low because the immigrants were new inexpensive labor (Farless).
As cities became areas of economic growth, they attracted immigrants from all over the world. Many immigrants moved to escape poverty, overcrowding in their home countries and religious persecution. In fact, in the last half of the 19th century, some 16.2 million immigrants moved to the United States. Immigrants completely changed American culture, adding diversity and blending in their own culture. Urban neighborhoods began emerging as a result, as immigrants would reside with other people from their culture, creating communities of similar ethnicities, races and classes. These neighborhoods still prevail to this day. Urbanization also occurred, as a growing number of Americans moved to cities to find employment. Further, as the industrial workforce expanded, and as more and more labor was needed to keep up with the huge demand of goods, women and even children began working in factories as well. In order for working-class families to survive in society and be able to sustain themselves, they had to send women and children to work, relying on the additional income. Working conditions were so bad, unfair, and even sometimes dangerous that there were often labor strikes, and workers often joined labor unions to protect and further their rights and interests. They would confront their business leaders to try to get better wages and working conditions. All of these social developments, that had previously been unheard of, became the norm in most industrial cities in the United States and greatly impacted society and the way of American
During the eighteenth century, America had transformed from a simple homestead into an ornate country. Within the bustling empire, the wealthy were able to live lavish lifestyle that inspired the idea of the “American Dream.” The “American Dream” was a common belief that the poorest person in the United States could achieve success. With the circulation of this ideal there was a boom of immigration within America. People from all over the world traveled to America with the belief that they would be guaranteed freedom, safety, and prosperity. Unfortunately for many, The “American Dream” was an elusive lifestyle that was a complete contradiction to the realties that existed within the country. Life in America was harsh. There was little opportunity for advancement for most people, especially the lower class workers. Unemployment was steadily rising and working conditions were best described as atrocious.