History - Past and Perspective
America and Immigration: a Mixed History With Lessons for Today

America and Immigration: a Mixed History With Lessons for Today

Almost since America’s founding, immigration has raised controversy. Though it has largely proven to be beneficial, there are real, legitimate concerns — especially now. ...
Steve Byas

“Instead of their learning our language, we must learn theirs,” complained a Pennsylvania businessman, irritated that the immigrants were causing the native-born to abandon neighborhoods to the newcomers. Another common complaint the native-born had against these immigrants was that they were willing to work for less.

While this may sound like modern America, and it is, it is also a description of colonial America, in Pennsylvania. Benjamin Franklin was the businessman, a highly successful printer, who did not like being forced to learn the language of the immigrant Germans, while others grumbled that English neighborhoods were being “taken over” by the Germans, introducing their different manners and customs.

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