Chapter 3 of Mclemore

I.Intro to American Indians

A. Diversity: Can’t lump together, just like Hispanics, because not homogeneous: 

1. 200 different languages

2. Different ways of life: not just hunting and gathering; some settled agriculture

B. After 3 generations, low levels of cultural, primary, secondary, and marital assimilation

II. Intro to Blacks:

A. First Africans to arrive in 1619 were indentured servants, not slaves

B. Initially, no formal distinction between how white and black indentured servants treated

C. English law provided for freedom when Christianized

D. 4 decades before status changes

--laws passed in Virginia and Maryland making slaves for life, slavery inherited

E. Preference for white indentured servants shifts to black slaves because latter profitable

F.fear of rebellions, escape (slave codes, etc.) shows whites know blacks not slavelike

III.Colonial Irish (chapter 3)

A. From Ulster in Northern Ireland: primarily Protestants, many Scotts-Irish

B. Many Scotts-Irish escaping absentee landowners

C. Despite speaking English, stereotyped as drunks, prone to fights, ill-tempered, dirty

D. Seen as squatters (occupy land without purchasing it)

E. English destroy meeting house, mob arises to prevent landing, blamed for food shortage

IV. 19th Century Irish(chapter 4)

A. Potato Famine causes exodus: 1821, then 1845/1846: nearly ½ million starve

B. By 1854, 2 million of all social classes leave Ireland (English create dep on potato)

C. Two sources of negative imagery: Roman Catholicism (establish church in U.S.,

1825-1855) and machine politics (ethnic bloc voting) in Democratic Party

V.Colonial Germans (chapter 3)

A. Reputation for thrift, diligence, farming skill?Were they therefore welcomed?

B. Said to squat illegally, have bad manners, thought to be disloyal

C. Criticized for Clannishness: build stone houses on adjacent lands and pass German

language faithfully from 2nd and even 3rd generation; German-language newspapers

D. Sect Germans refuse to bear arms, pay taxes, hold public office

VI.19th Century Germans (chapter 4)

A. Potato crop failed in 1846, but not as bad as Ireland because of diversified economy

B. Germany contributed more immigrants to U.S. in 19th century than any other country

C. By 1900, largest minority in 27 states: in 1990 nearly 1/4 say have German ancestry

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