Ehthnic Groups and Discrimination

Cultural Diversity

Facilitator Sholanda Lynch

Student William Pierce

Ethnic Groups and Discrimination

07/31/2011

German ancestry is a group that is of interest. This essay will seek to depict and evaluate the various questions posed for explanation and verification. The objective of this essay is to give the reader a more significant understanding of the different aspects of immigration reform that took place during this era in history.

German immigrants faced prejudice issues such as not having the right to vote or the freedom to hold a political office in the mid 1800's. The majority of this treatment was adjudicated through native groups such as the Know-Nothings and the American Party who soon followed suit. These groups were concerned supposedly with the change the German immigrants would bring to their Anglo Saxon Protestant character that was relevant at this time and possibly upsetting the political balance of the day. Another form of prejudice was brought about from lager beer saloons and wet Sunday outings the German immigrants celebrated. The Know-Nothings and the American Party were mostly protestant Catholics and felt Sunday's should be kept holy and un-polluted with this type of behavior. The natives repulse against the German immigrants finally pushed them to become stronger and united in their stand.

Dual labor issues became most notorious during political positioning. German immigrants did eventually become involved in the mainstream of politics but it did not come without a price. Riots and clashes took place between nativists and German immigrants in Louisville, Newark, Boston, and Columbus as the German immigrants were fighting for equality.

A large number of German immigrants played a significant role in Chicago from 1863-1889 during which time the German immigrants worked together with Irish immigrants to create the Sanitary District of Chicago. Around 1848 the German and Irish populations swelled so high in the urban city of Chicago that deciding on special issues such as land taxes became burdensome. Through the great annexation of 1889 the German's still played a huge role in environmental justice in the U.S. This short lived era did not last long though for in 1927 the U.S. Supreme Court seized control of the Chicago Sanitation System.

German immigrants faced affirmative action on several fronts. One of the main actions they