Once Upon a Time in America: The Assimilation Experience of Early Italian Immigrants Part 1 of 4

“The main contribution that the American of Italian descent can make to our democracy is to remember that while his goal is AMERICA, his starting point is Italy; that he should not submerge his Italianism in America but merge it with Americanism at its best. .” –Rabbi Stephen S. Wise

Since the beginning of this great nation, the United States of America has welcomed immigrants from all over the world. They have been drawn to its shores by the lure of freedom, wealth and opportunity. It has opened its doors to the hungry, the poor and the downtrodden. Italian immigrants have had a huge impact on American culture, but this has taken a lot of time and effort to transpire. This article is part 1 of a 4-part series exploring the history and extent of Italian immigration and assimilation into the great melting pot of America.

These early immigrants, arriving in an unknown world, began to form strong and concentrated communities, practicing characteristics of their native cultures that were a natural fit to Anglo-Saxon culture. At the same time, this bonding slowed down the assimilation process of joining a social unit. The need to connect with their roots gave these immigrants a sense of security and identity within the receiving society. Some of these people, those who came from the same town or locality, who conversed in the same language and practiced the same religious beliefs, tended to band together to help and support each other.

For some, the gradual assimilation process was easy, while for others there were several serious problems associated with this process. As for how long or how quickly it would take that person to adjust to this newly adopted social environment, it depended on that person’s ability to handle the difficulties and frustrations they faced on a daily basis. Some of these problems may not have arisen from assimilation into the American way of thinking and doing things. Most were due to contradictory values ​​and attitudes that were embedded from the country of origin and social class. While many lived in this state of conflict, even to the point of wanting to return to their homeland, regardless of the consequences, they too adjusted and prepared for a new life in America. Once that person was absorbed into mainstream America and progressed economically, the staunch attitudes and ways of the “old country” were easily abandoned.

As each ethnic group moved from one culture to another, key changes began to take effect in their patterns of life. These changes not only affected individuals and their families, but also affected American society with respect to the economy, education, and inter-group relations.

Most of the immigrants who came to this country over the centuries have had their own dreams and expectations for the future, which they would like to see fulfilled in their lives, but the only way to achieve the American Dream is through work. hard, sacrifice and economy.

With regard to the acculturation process, unfortunately there have been some negative effects that have resulted from discriminatory attitudes in American society towards newly arrived immigrants. For example, the presence of racism played a decisive role.

Non-white immigrants were less easily accepted by American society, which, in turn, slowed their assimilation. For those with higher education compared to the unskilled and illiterate, assimilation was faster. The higher their social class and professional status, the easier acculturation became. Other relevant factors to consider include the English language and the amount of time the immigrant spent in this country. The shorter the time frame, the less that person will learn about the roles, norms and customs of the receiving society and how to interact with them, which is of crucial importance for the assimilation process.

In order to understand the role of the early Italian immigrant community in the assimilation process, this study will examine some of the aforementioned issues. Without further delay I would like to begin my narrative of “Once Upon a Time in America: The Assimilation Experience of the Early Italian Immigrants.”

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As a result of the effects of the Industrial Revolution throughout Europe, the northern part of Italy developed manufacturing facilities that created an economic boom for the northern provinces. This meant jobs for Northerners, resulting in fewer shortages of basic goods and reduced agricultural problems. In the northern part of Italy, the soil and atmosphere were more favorable than in southern Italy. Northerners were more prosperous and more “European” than their southern counterparts. If the northern Italian worker could not find work, he crossed the border into neighboring European countries or sailed to Argentina, Brazil, or the United States to earn money, then returned to his homeland and family when he had enough.

Whereas, in the southern part of Italy, the southerners who lived in the coastal areas could support themselves through fishing or trade. Those who lived inland had to turn to agriculture to earn a living. Since transportation was limited to the interior and agriculture was not a dependent source of economic stability, this created serious hardship for the interior population. The elements that contributed to this factor were the harsh environmental conditions to which the area was subjected, including:

1. The scarcity of land worth farming
2. Soil erosion
3. Deforestation
4. Lack of sufficient rainfall
5. Overpopulation

There were also other problems. Diseases affected the vines, malaria destroyed the lives of many and natural disasters such as the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried an entire village near Naples, not to mention the 1908 earthquake that contributed to the situation in southern Italy. So, in effect, Southerners suffered more distress than Northerners.

In part 2 of this 4-part series, we will continue with the historical background of the Italians, many of whom immigrated to the United States.