Economic

• The Irish, although not tolerated at first, soon became the people American owners eagerly ushered into jobs. Aboukhadijeh (2012) believed that the Irish arrived at a time of need for America. The country was growing and it needed men to do the heavy work of building bridges, canals, and railroads. Due to their desperation, Irish immigrants took on the menial and dangerous jobs that were often avoided by other workers. Irish women also joined the workforce by becoming servants or domestic workers. The audio recording, Immigrant Laborers in the Early 20th Century, describes how West Virginia coal operators fired union laborers and gave the jobs to Irish, Italian and African-American workers because, “[the] coal company owned them.” Employers were also known to replace, or threaten to replace, uncooperative workers and those demanding higher wages with Irish laborers. This competition increased class tensions and, at the turn of the century, Irish Americans were often antagonized by organizations such as the American Protective Association (APA) and the Ku Klux Klan. As time passed, the Irish were able to move up in the social and occupational ladder through politically appointed positions such as policeman, fireman, and teacher. As a result, second and third generation Irish were better educated, wealthier, and more successful than were their parents and grandparents.