America: Built On Immigration and Social Integration

SOC/315
2014
America: Built On Immigration and Social Integration

Over the years, immigration and social integration has supported the diverse culture and society of America. The country started as a country with no diversity, to one that is filled with different types of people from all over the world. German, Italians, Polish, even the Irish have all made their way into America. However, their transitions were not always easy ones. The America that is known today is successful and thriving. The multicultural society and labor force benefits from the diversity of tradition and life experience. America greatly benefits from having such an abundantly diverse culture. Education is benefitted from the diversity. The German Americans had the idea to create schools that would encourage the integration and social interaction of children from different cultures. “German Americans, perhaps representing 10 percent of the population, established bilingual programs in many public schools” (Shaefer, 2011, "Settlement Patterns"). Education and enhancing the knowledge of the new generations has always been a top priority for people living in America. By trying to enforce a constructive environment for kids to learn how to better communicate with each other and the world around them, the German Americans exercised the American culture in increasing communication and education. The Italian Americans valued employment, which is also a very prominent ideal in American culture. “ Many Italians, especially in the early years of mass immigration in the nineteenth century, received their jobs through an ethnic labor contractor, the padrone”(Shaefer, 2011, "Early Immigration"). The Italians worked hard and put in the extra effort. They went to these padrones, who helped them find jobs just to support