Mass Migration Under Sail : European Immigration to the Antebellum United States

Dr Cohn provides an in-depth and comprehensive analysis of the economic history of European immigration to the antebellum United States, using and evaluating the available data as well as presenting fresh data. This analysis centers on immigration from the three most important source countries - Ireland, Germany, and Great Britain - and examines the volume of immigration, how many individuals came from each country during the antebellum period, and why those numbers increased. The book also analyzes where they came from within each country; who chose to immigrate; the immigrants' trip to the United States, including estimates of mortality on the Atlantic crossing; the jobs obtained in the United States by the immigrants, along with their geographic location; and the economic effects of immigration on both the immigrants and the antebellum United States. No other book examines so many different economic aspects of antebellum immigration. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Tables......Page 13 Figures......Page 14 Preface......Page 15 1 A Unique Period for Immigration......Page 19 Structure of the Book......Page 21 Argument of the Book......Page 23 The Current Migration Paradigm......Page 26 2 The Onset and European Origins of Mass Immigration......Page 32 Determining the Beginning of Mass Migration......Page 33 The European Countries of Origin......Page 41 Immigration from Germany......Page 50 Immigration from France (and Switzerland)......Page 52 Immigration from Ireland......Page 53 Immigration from Great Britain......Page 58 Appendix 2.1 Estimating the Origins of the German Immigrants......Page 61 The Theory of Immigration and the Rise in Volume......Page 65 Conditions in Europe Before the Potato Famine......Page 67 Developments in Shipping......Page 78 Declines in the Cost of Immigration......Page 82 Summary......Page 86 Push and Pull Factors: A Definition and Previous Work......Page 88 The Importance of Push, Pull, and Other Factors: 1832–1860......Page 92 The Immigration-Economic Downturn Connection......Page 94 The Immigration-Economic Expansion Connection......Page 106 Summary......Page 109 Appendix 4.1 Theoretical and Data Issues in Relating Immigration to Unemployment......Page 110 5 Who Were the Immigrants?......Page 116 Information on Age and Gender......Page 117 Data on Occupations and Their Use......Page 118 The Occupations of Pre-1820 Immigrants......Page 121 The Occupations of Immigrants to 1860......Page 124 Comparisons to European Labor Forces......Page 131 Comparison Among Countries of Origin......Page 137 Summary......Page 138 Appendix 5.1 The Believability of the Occupational Information on the Passenger Lists......Page 139 Appendix 5.2 Classification of Occupations......Page 141 6 The Trip from Europe to the United States......Page 143 The Ports of Embarkation......Page 144 Traveling to the Port of Embarkation......Page 148 Estimates of Mortality on the Ships and After Arrival......Page 155 Reasons for the Higher Mortality......Page 168 Other Aspects of the Immigrants' Trip......Page 170 Summary......Page 172 The Ports of Arrival in the United States......Page 173 Assistance on Arrival (Mainly in New York)......Page 177 The Geographic Location of the Immigrants......Page 185 The U.S. Occupations of the Immigrants......Page 191 Occupations and Geographic Location......Page 198 Summary......Page 203 Appendix 7.1 Occupational Data in the 1870 Census......Page 204 The Skill Level and Rate of Immigration......Page 208 The Theoretical Effects of Immigration on the Antebellum United States......Page 215 Developments in Manufacturing......Page 220 Developments in Transportation......Page 226 Antebellum Real Wages......Page 229 Immigration and Nativism......Page 232 Immigrants, the Capital Stock, and Economic Growth......Page 236 Summary......Page 239 The Steamship and Its Effects......Page 241 What We Know and Could Still Learn......Page 244 References......Page 251 Index......Page 269 Dr. Cohn provides an in-depth and comprehensive analysis of the economic history of European immigration to the antebellum United States, using and evaluating the available data as well as presenting new data. This analysis centers on immigration from the three most important source countries - Ireland, Germany, and Great Britain - and examines the volume of immigration, how many individuals came from each country during the antebellum period, and why those numbers increased. The book also analyzes where they came from within each country; who chose to immigrate; the immigrants' trip to the United States, including estimates of mortality on the Atlantic crossing; the jobs obtained in the United States by the immigrants, along with their geographic location; and the economic effects of immigration on both the immigrants and the antebellum United States. No other book examines so many different economic aspects of antebellum immigration. Dr. Cohn Provides An In-depth And Comprehensive Analysis Of The Economic History Of European Immigration To The Antebellum United States, Using And Evaluating The Available Data As Well As Presenting New Data. This Analysis Centers On Immigration From The Three Most Important Source Countries - Ireland, Germany, And Great Britain - And Examines The Volume Of Immigration, How Many Individuals Came From Each Country During The Antebellum Period, And Why Those Numbers Increased.--jacket. A Unique Period For Immigration -- The Onset And European Origins Of Mass Immigration -- The Jump In Immigrant Volume Around 1830 -- Push, Pull, And Other Factors In Antebellum Immigration -- Who Were The Immigrants? -- The Trip From Europe To The United States -- The Immigrants In The United States -- The Effects Of Immigration On The United States. Raymond L. Cohn. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 233-249) And Index.