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  • Essay / Italian immigrants - 1555

    Immigration began late for the Italian population. With the main period of immigration occurring in the late 19th century, Italians were already several steps behind Irish, German, and French immigrants (Nelli 38). This proved detrimental to Italians, as previous immigrants had already sewn themselves onto the flag, sparking a single-minded hatred towards incoming immigrants, including Salvatore Rossi. After fleeing Italy in 1897 due to economic difficulties, he pursued the "American dream" in New York, obtaining an education and landing an unusual job with the U.S. government. Italian immigrants during this period suffered from extreme racial prejudice and encountered many obstacles in their process of immigration and assimilation into society. Ultimately, Salvatore Rossi, unlike many Italian immigrants, sewed himself to the flag. Notable Italian immigration began in the 1900s. Missionaries were sent by the Catholic Church to console and convert America's indigenous population. Early immigrants were scattered across the country, with large concentrations in the Northeast (“America Under the Microscope” 2). It was in these regions that the greatest influx of Italian culture began. Italian inspiration gave birth to the first celebration of Columbus Day as well as the construction of America's first opera house. Italians in the early 19th century had a limited role in American culture, but with Italy's economic disparity in the mid-19th century, this caused many people to immigrate to the United States taking their way of life with them ( “America put under microscopes” 1).Born into a family of subsistence farmers, Salvatore Rossi fits the mold of the atypical worker from southern Italy. Heavy taxes had been... middle of paper ... the son of a subsistence Italian farmer, prejudiced by many, Salvatore broke free from the thresholds and chains of the typical Italian-American. Through his determination, he came to America and educated himself bringing it into the modern world, thus assimilating into the American way of life. Salvatore had overcome the difficulties of the entire immigration process, starting with leaving his family behind, crossing the Atlantic and starting a new life in America. Nor have racial prejudices overwhelmed the will of Salvatore, who continues to fight against the stereotypical mold of the Italian-American free-rider who offers nothing to American society. Although he paid the ultimate price of leaving his extended family and Italian way of life behind, Salvatore, upon becoming an American immigration agent, sewed himself to the American flag..