APUSH Experiences of Immigrants in the 19th Century SAQ Prep

Terms - Definition + How To Use In Essay

Know-Nothing Party

A nativist political party that opposed immigration, particularly Irish Catholics, in the 1840s and 1850s. —— Use this term to highlight the discrimination Irish immigrants faced due to their religion and the perception that they threatened American jobs.

Tammany Hall

A political machine in New York City that provided jobs and social services to Irish immigrants in exchange for political loyalty. —— Discuss how Tammany Hall helped Irish immigrants gain political influence despite widespread poverty and discrimination.

Ancient Order of Hibernians

An Irish Catholic fraternal organization that offered support and protection to Irish immigrants facing discrimination. —— Illustrate how Irish immigrants formed organizations to protect their rights and strengthen their community against nativist hostility.

Molly Maguires

A secret society of Irish coal miners who fought for workers' rights and protested poor working conditions. —— Use this to show how Irish immigrants struggled to integrate into the labor force and how they resisted exploitation through collective action.

Anti-Catholic Riot

Violent attacks against Irish and German Catholic immigrants, often incited by nativist groups, during the mid-19th century. —— Highlight the religious and cultural tensions Irish and German immigrants faced in the U.S., as well as the violence directed toward them.

Industrial Revolution

A period of rapid industrial growth that created urban factory jobs, which attracted Irish immigrants, while Germans often became skilled workers or farmers. —— Discuss the economic opportunities immigrants sought and how their roles in factories (Irish) and farming (Germans) shaped their experiences.

Transportation Revolution

The expansion of canals, railroads, and turnpikes, which facilitated westward migration and settlement by immigrants, especially Germans and Irish. —— Illustrate how improved transportation allowed immigrants to spread into new areas, particularly in the Midwest, contributing to American expansion.

“Self-Reliance”

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay promoting individualism, a value that contrasted with the communal identity many immigrants held. —— Use this to explore the cultural tensions between American individualism and the communal traditions brought by immigrants, especially Germans.

Commonwealth v. Hunt

A landmark 1842 court case that legalized labor unions in Massachusetts, which benefited immigrant workers by allowing them to organize. —— Explain how Irish and German immigrants used labor unions to improve their working conditions and increase their social and economic standing.

Market Revolution

A period of economic transformation that increased reliance on factories and wage labor, where Irish immigrants filled factory jobs and Germans often turned to farming. —— Discuss how the economic changes brought by the market revolution shaped the different labor experiences of Irish and German immigrants.