America is the melting pot of the world where people of all races come to live in search of a better life. In the early 1900s, there was a large migration of people to the United States for a variety of reasons, ranging from fleeing political tyrannies to wanting to come to America to explore the mines. However, when immigrants moved to America, they were not greeted by the roads paved with gold that they had been told about, but rather by prejudice and segregation. Immigrants came to the United States to find a new life different from their old life, but upon arrival and during their stay in the United States, they came to learn the difficulties of life as an immigrant in the United States. Among the many immigrants the Irish represented a high percentage of migrants. “Many Irish immigrants first arrived in the United States around 1893, during the Potato Famine” (Doc 1), which was a massive shortage of potatoes, the Irish's primary food source. Later, around the early 1900s, many Irish people fled the high and unfair taxes put in place by England, as expressed by Catherine Moran McNamara in this statement: "Every war that England has had you made you pay your share even though you had nothing” (Doc 2). Immigrating to the United States did not end the hardships imposed by the British on Ireland. Americans viewed the Irish as lazy, unintelligent, and careless alcoholics. Due to the Irish's willingness to work for low wages, they were often used as scabs or scabs to break up union strikes. The use of Irish as scabs led to strong nativist sentiments on the part of Americans. Nativism, which is a strong favoring of indigenous customs that leads to prejudice against foreigners. Many Americans considered themselves a superior people, being Anglo-Saxons or white Americans by birth, but also feared them because the immigrants...... middle of paper ...... wanted them “I am a Pole.” man. I want to be an American citizen… But my friends are Poles – I have to live with them – I work in a shoe store with Poles – I stay with them all the time – at home – in the store – anywhere » (Doc 7) Immigrants came to America to improve their lives, although they faced many difficulties during their life in the United States, it ultimately turned out for the best. They came to escape the segregation and religious and political oppression they faced in their home countries. When they arrived in America, it wasn't much better having to live in apartment buildings and being under constant pressure from nativists to become more "American." Coming to America was probably the best decision for many, regardless of the suffering. Now the migration of so many races, religions and cultures to America has made it the great melting pot it is today.!