Stereotypes In The 19th Century

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Immigration to the United States during the 19th century was not an easy option for the majority of those who came. Many ethnic groups ran into prejudice in America that resulted in discrimination and stereotyping. One of the most prominent stereotypes among immigrants coming to America during this time was violence. Various groups such as the Irish, Chinese and Southern Italians had many stereotypes labeled on them once they arrived to America. Although each group had its own unique stereotypes, all three groups had the stereotype of violence in common. Violence is a stereotype that happens to appear whenever WASP power is in jeopardy. Violence in the context of the United States involves both physical force and intimidation. The United States has generally been cautious toward immigrant groups who came in large numbers and formed ethnic enclaves. In order to ease anxiety, WASPs used stereotypes to spread discrimination about ethnic groups they did not like. Often, immigrants’ lack of education, and competition for low paying jobs and housing resulted in hostility toward them. Although the Irish, Chinese and Southern Italians all had violence associated with them, the stereotype was perpetuated and used differently among the three groups. During the mid-1800’s,…show more content…
In a span of 42 years, over 5 million Italian immigrants had come to the United States. However, when talking about Italian immigrants, it is important to specify whether they are from the north or south. Italian Americans in today’s society have often been associated with negative stereotyping in the media. However, the first Italian stereotypes came from Italians themselves. When Italian immigrants first migrated to the United States from Northern Italy, they came in small numbers, with money, and skills. Furthermore, the Northern Italians also brought various preconceived stereotypes about Southern
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