Chapter 6: Pioneers of the Century of Immigration: Irish, Germans, and Scandinavians

In the beginning of chapter 6, the distinction between new and old immigrant were stated.
The old immigrant was an individual from the British Isles and northwestern Europe who arrived before the 1880s.  They adjusted and conformed easily.

The new immigrants were individuals from southern and eastern Europe who arrived after the 1880s.  They were of "very different" backgrounds, spoke strange languages, and worshiped strange gods.  None of these new immigrants were Protestant.

They spoke strange languages, worshiped crazy gods, and were of different races.  None of these old immigrants were Protestants.

Having read that none were Protestant made me wonder if because they were not Protestant they were seen as weird and different from others? I'm always fascinated by the choice or words and  language that Daniel uses in the book to describe others.  To see that they worshipped "strange" gods was interesting and having used the word "strange" automatically made me feel that these people were outcasted and immediately seen as different.  No one liked strange back in those days, thankfully today strange is admired, well, sometimes.

A shibboleth is any practice that distinguished one group from another.  Usually it would involve language or religion, which is relevant to the definition of new immigrants.

Tables 6.2, 6.3, and 6.4 indicated that immigration increased significantly.  Tables like these show us different patterns of the types of people who immigrated, though they cannot be 100% authentic because some races were not added.

The decennial figures showed an increase in immigration.  Decennial means recurring every ten years.

It was seen that Irish immigration was less welcomed than that of the German and Scandinavian immigrants, hence their impact was a greater and more positive one.  The Irish had labor competitions with the Black slaves, which was very interesting to me.  They used strategies to climb their way up in the economic ladder, which in the end were costly on the Blacks.  The Irish came to America because of overpopulation and better economic opportunities.

Chapter 4 - Other Europeans in Colonial America

First off I'd like to start with saying how much I enjoyed this chapter so far out of all the other chapters I have read in this text by Daniels.  I enjoyed learning the history of the Europeans and their short descriptive journey, which included their trials and tribulations.

It was surprising to me that German immigrants had to indenture themselves to pay their passage.  I had only been aware of Black slaves who were identured, so it was very surprising to read that many other races including Europeans had gone through the same hardships.  It shows how much history books focus more on the African race when informing the readers in other textbooks about slavery and the slave trade because that's all I can remember from my past history courses.  Some lucky Germans had family waiting for them to pay their fares, others had their own money to pay afterwards, but many unlucky Germans had to indenture themselves for four years; these Germans were called "redemptionist." It was sad to read that many times a husband had to pay/work for his wife if she deceased on the trip to America and indenture himself for more years to pay of her debt as well.  Also, children had to pay for their parents as well if they had deceased on the way to America.  This was very sad to me and surprising that they had made these poor people pay, while still many were taking in the deaths and had hardly any time to grief.

On pg.72 there was a contract that was written out and used for indentured people.  I found it to be very interesting to read, especially the use of language.  I wonder if this contract was used over and over and changed specifically only in the brackets for each individual person.  I would think so, but I am not sure.

I also found it very interesting to read that it was illegal for Blacks to own Whites.  It made me wonder what would the world be today if both Whites and Blacks had owned each other for slavery, how would it have been different today on the terms of racism? Would it still exist?

It had come to my attention that the book had quotes a passage from a slave owner maybe that had insisted than slavery was a positive aspect for German migrators because it helped them learn the language, customs, crafts, and local conditions of the land.  I'm not sure whether this could have actually been a positive thing for these people because it later on stated that later this was not the case, so there could have been cracks and faults in this way of thinking. 

In 1746 I read that immigrants on board the Seaflower had resorted to Cannabalism to stay alive, while 46 passengers died.  This was heartbreaking to read that many had seen a brighter future in America, but little did they know they would either die or be faced to eat another human just to survive.  These people were not brought to America to be slaves, rather they had made the trip but had to be indentured to pay for their transportation. 

After reading all of chapter 4 it made me wonder, would you say that each race and one time was exploited in America in some way or another? Each specific race in chapter four had faced hardships either on their way to or in America.  

"The question of survival - and of who or what survives - is a matter to which we shall return more than once.  Although the notion of a metling pot is a myth, some groups did in fact, melt, and all groups, even those who persisted the longest, changed over time through contract with the new environment and new peoples." (Daniels, 95) This was my favorite quote in the chapter, which in itself is self explanitory and very deep.

Lastly, I was surprised to read that the Spanish had been the first Europeans yo traverse much of the United States starting from the 1500s, but were not seen in the Census of the 1700s.

Coming to America - Chapter 1. 2. & 3

"In historic times we make a distinction between the term migration, which simply means moving, and immigration which means moving across national frontier." (Daniels, 3)
From reading the quote above one could almost think that immigration was a good thing.  Afterall, it got us all here to the United States and many others where they are today.  Moving across a national frontier can be harder than it sounds and can lead to deportation.  Today many people have tried and are trying now to immigrate to the United States for a better life.  A few make it, some die trying, and others never make it.  I think the United States has lost it and has gone to feeling that being American is superior to all others.  So many of our clothes, food, and accessories come from other countries.  They want supplies, but can't offer their international workers a home? I just don't get it. 

Lucy, the African Eve whom could possible be the mother who started it all migrated and settled.  Her footprints have been tracked and because of her migration we are all here today.  Migration has been turned into a negative actions, but it has its positive aspects as well.  In a previous class called Cultural Anthropology, taught by Dr. Don, he told the class about having done a DNA test and the results had come back that he was 1% African.  He told the class that this 1% African can be found in all of us because of Lucy.  It is amazing to me how someone so long ago can be accounted for a part of our personal and very own life, hence we tend not to really think about things like that.  We could be all related to Lucy and we could not be, we will never truly know.  It feels good to think and have an idea that there is some relation that dates back into time, that being Lucy.

Before I opened the book, I held the pages to chapter 1-3 together and thought to myself, "Ugh, this is just too much!" When I actually began to read the book, the pages seemed to just fly right by.  I usually have a difficulty reading and remembering things I read, but this book has me interested.  I love learning about the different cultures and ethnicities that exist.  Since the beginning of this course I started to wonder, "How did racism come to be?" This book has answered my question just in the first chapter. 
"With some notable exceptions, Europeans had a contempt for the cultures and people they encountered, an attitude that would soon evolve into modern racism." (Daniels, 4)
Atlas! That's how racism began.  The Europeans felt that themselves and their race was not only better and more important, but that it was SUPERIOR to that of anyone else that existed.  Wow, what a shame.  I can't help but wonder how the world would be today if the Europeans had been more humble and appreciative of the diversity that surrounded them. 

The central mexican population from 1519-1605 shown on pg. 9 was absolutely unbelievable! I can't seem to take in and accept how the population went from 25,200,000 to 1,075,000 in less than one hundred years, while the European population heavily increased (not surprising.)

In Chapter 2, it was brought to my attention how helpful young children were to their families.  Widow mothers were appreciative to have 4-5 children around because their labor was worth  a lot.  I can't help but to think about the children in America today.  Child labor laws of course make it clear that we should not slave our kids and make them work when they are under the age of 16 I believe, but the children of today just seem so lazy and unappreciative.  I would love to have lived in an earlier age and experienced life before electronics.

One of my favorite parts of chapter two, were the short excerpts about runaway slaves.  I find it interesting to read the type of language and word choice that people used in that time period.  It reminds me of a lost and found section you would see on craigslist, minus the slaves.

In chapter three, I was most astonished by the realization that hardly if any genuine African American history made it through the cracks of time because they were all nonliterate.  I thought that some were literate, but that may not have been for some years to come.  It makes sense that for the first years or so that the Africans arrived in America, they were nonliterate and could not possibly have written journals about their experiences.  Everything written during that time would most likely be by, "slave traders, masters, and other white observers." (Daniels, 55) This can cause most of the history we know to be inconclusive because of their bias opinions, thoughts, and observations.  What a shame that we will never know what the Africans experienced.  I would be interested in reading a journal about the hardships, language used, and descriptive imagery given of that time period.  Daniels described not knowing what went on in the history of the Africans perfectly, "It is a hunger that can never be satisfied." (Daniels, 55)

Prehistory: Pacific Seafarers and Maritime Cultures

The reading about seafarers was very interesting to me and kept me hooked, no pun intended.  Boating and fishing goes back a long way and it was engaging to read and learn about different societies in the Pacific and around the world whom colonized coastlines and explored the ocean.  To learn more about the ocean and its artifacts is to know more about the world and land that surrounds that water.  Oceanography was a main concern and focus point in this reading.  I learned about the sea change of sea levels and how many of the ancient coastlines have been "deeply submerged and far offshore." (Erlandson, Ph.D,, 9) Having read that sentence made me give thought about all the land that no longer exists that either had or had never been explored.  I think about the size of the ocean and water around us and what lays beneath it, will man ever be able to discover what's underneath it all? Maybe, and if so it will take many years from now to be able to explore it all.  There are still so many species of animals and plants that we don't know about.  This reading has made me excited to think about what else could be out there.

"...inset shows mussel, abalone, and sea urchin shells from a shell midden on San Miguel Island." (Erlandson Ph.D, 10)
The study of fish and its migration is revelant to the study of seafarers and can lead us to believe that people from the past may have known their location or found new areas of water and species through the migration of fish.

"These longer oceanic voyages may have posed technological and logistical challenges that could not be overcome until more sophisticated boats were developed, along with the agricultural products needed to survive on more remote and biologically depauperate islands." (Erlandson Ph.D, 12)
This sentence showed me that trial and error has always been an important step in civilization since before our time.  Boats have been around since people had to build them from flat pieces of wood, then finally realize the structure that would best float and get them around in water.  In this specific reading the seafarers had faces difficulties because their boats were still not designed correctly and reliable enough to get them to where they needed to be and explore.

Lastly, in the section called Polynesians in the Pacific, not only was the above revelant to me but also reading about the expansion of languages throughout the Indian and Pacific oceans, the colonization of more ilsand groups in Melanesia, and the transporting of Polynesian chicken to America in return of American sweet potatoes (bartering), were entertaining for me to read about.

What is history?

When I think about history, I think back in time during the Golden Age and about the eyptian gods and goddess', the incredible architecture, and different types of structures of social class and governments that have been around since our time.  Trial and error is an important part in making history better than it was before and crucial to making societies and the world what it is today. 

In class we were given the question, "What is 'the problem of history'?" to answer in our own words.  I believe one of the main problems of history is finding out what to believe is actually true and for cultures to be able to preserve their native norms, rituals, and language.  It's extremely hard to keep the past alive for those who have run away from it to better their lives and the lives of their family.  Who wants to relive a nightmare?

History is hard to believe because we will never know exactly how much of it is true that we read.  We weren't there of course, so how much of it actually happened? There are so many questions to ask about the past.  Our history books don't necessarily tell it all because publishers pick and choose events they feel are most important for individuals to learn and read about. 

One sentence from the reading, The American Indian and the Problem of History edited by Calvin Martin that stood out to me most was the following:
"What distinguishes the post-Archaic phase (ca.500 B.C. to A.D. 1500) above all is the variety of strategies employed by Native North Americans to maintain traditional norms in the face of demographic and environmental pressures and Mesoamerican cultural influences, and the relative success of those strategies." (Martin, 49)
This quote to me implies how difficult it is for a culture, the Native Americans in this case, to maintain their cultural background, while being surrounded and influenced by many other various backgrounds.  It reminds me of America and how we are all an important mix in its recipe.  Diversity can be seen as a positive or a negative.  In my opinion I believe diversity and cultural influences make us better people because we can look at situations from various views.  Its helpful to learn about others cultures as well in order for us to be less prejudice against a group or hateful.  Hate often exists because of lack of knowledge or assumptions.  In all, I enjoyed the reading because it gave me the opportunity to think more deeply about the society I live in and about cultures, diversity, and what history actually means to me.

The Americas - A Hemispheric History

After reading chapter one and excerpts from chapter two, The Americas: A Hemispheric History by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto turned out to be an in-depth descriptive history and unique perspective of how the Americas began.  The section named, "The Multiplication of Americas" in chapter one was most unique for me and triggered many questions and ideas.  "The United States is partly, importantly. composed of hyphenated identities; Americans there are no less American for being Italian-American or Irish-American or Polish-American, or, as they say in the English of America, 'whatever.'" (Fernandez-Armesto, 11) This sentence made me think about my own identity and how I consider myself Mexican-American.  Aside from being Mexican I am also half Spaniard, but have always considered myself just Mexican-American because I've heard the term used more often and frequently.  Living in the United States and being American doesn't mean losing your past identity.  I'm happy to read that America is home to the "hyphenated identities" because it demonstrates how individuals from other countries can come to America and live a better life, but never have to lose their roots.  No one is pure American, every individual has their own unique ethnic background and came from somewhere, even if they don't know.

In chapter two, "The Centers of Civilization" selection attracted me most.

 "The fields were sown with the triad of native American staples: maize, beans and squash." (Fernandez-Armesto, 36)

"Surviving examples show that before the conquest, these glyphs, written on deerskins or maguey paper, made of cactus pulp, were used for an impressive range of purposes." (Fernandez-Armesto, 40)

These two sentences were distinctive to me because it made me think about the past before everything was so easy.  The first sentence was about food and made me realize how many different foods there are and the background and countries they come from.  We may pick up a variety of fruits at our local grocery store, but imagine how many different countries they all came from. 

The second sentence reminded me of technology.  Today we are able to blog like I currently am and write papers on a computer and immediately print them out in less than 15 seconds.  Years ago people were so creative and did many impressive things by using their imagination, such as write on deerskin as a form of paper.  I am so dependant on technology that I would have never thought to write on deerskin if I had no paper, little things like this about how much life has changed really amazes and intrigues me.