During the late 19th century and early 20th century a revolution of epic proportions presented itself to the American people. As a wave of nearly 12 million immigrants stepped onto United State soil, clashes between new and old Americans became a way of American life. Secret groups, organized meetings, riots and governmental legislation were just a few of the numerous outcomes generated during and following this significant time in American history. Nativists and Immigrants brought to the table a retrospectively important and defining time in American history.
As American's prior to the great migration of the 19th century, nativists felt that the freshly arriving newcomers were not welcome. The men and women coming to American seemed even more foreign to the nativists than those who had arrived in recent years. Comprised mainly of Italians and Eastern European Jews who made up nearly 6 million on the incoming population, they were culturally opposite of the nativist population who looked at the newcomers with strong negativity.
The population of new immigrants knew as soon as they stepped off their boat to freedom, that the American welcome mat was not at there feet. In the words of Thomas Paine "We are an asylum for the persecuted lovers of civil and religious liberty", yet the immigrants felt a large amount of persecution from habitants of the so called asylum, America. The immigrants receiving a hostile welcome stems from the belief that Americans welcome immigrants in periods of expansion and optimism, while turning them away during times of depression and pessimism. (Takaki, 165).
Through the lack of communication and understanding among both nativists and immigrants problems erupted. A sign of the times proved that nearly everyone across the world was going through hardships. In 1845, Ireland was stuck hard by the destruction of their main principle commodity, potatoes, causing what we now call the potato famine and sending 1.