Irish*

=The Irish: A Perspective on American History= by Joe Greenough and Ethan Seid



The Irish are a Western European people. Pre-1492, they lived in the region of Ireland in which is in Europe. Geographical features that would have limited this group’s ability to move include: the Atlantic Ocean, England, Iceland, and their own country Ireland. Pre-1492, the first man to ever step foot on American soil was actually Irishman Patrick Maguire. Eventually, the Irish would shape American history in the following ways: by combining with the English Parliament (from the Irish Parliament), by developing St. Patrick’s Day, by combining with the British Empire, and by really progressing the religion of Catholics.
 * Introduction**

Religion (Worldview): The Irish believed in the Protestant version of Christianity. The Protestant version of Christianity believed that one god, from the darkness and from the “formless and empty deep,” created the world. They believed that people were created in “god’s image,” and were told by him to farm the land and care for everything. They believed that their god’s name was “God,” and they proclaimed him to be merciful, just, and committed, but he would kill and punish people who disobeyed him and they would “go to hell”. Just like many Christian forms, the Protestant’s believed that when people died they would go to “heaven” or “hell”, and if God couldn’t decide where they would go (heaven or hell) they would go to “purgatory”, which is neither hell or heaven. A couple interesting facts we found were that anything the pope said was true, and that anyone can get “the message” of the bible or God.

Population in the United States: The first approximate population count was about 5.2 million Irish in America in the year 1802. In 1839, that number went up to 8.2 million, nearly half of the immigration to America at the time. In 1850, the population went down again to 6.9 million, once again in 1863 to nearly 5.8 million, and again in 1890 to 4.7 million. Now in America, the approximate Irish population is at its peak at an astounding 36.5 million people.

HISTORY:

Along with Columbus during his voyage sailed Irishman Patrick Maguire who was actually the first European to set foot on what's now American soil. Back in Ireland in the year 1494, Sir Edward Poynings assembled the Irish Parliament to inform them that they were now going to be under full control of the English Parliament.
 * 1492: Columbus’ Arrival in the Americas**

From the years 1594-1603, The Nine Year War took place. In this war, the Gaelic Irish battled the Elizabethan Englishmen over land property. The war was eventually won in 1603 by the English and they claimed the land they were fighting over.
 * 1521: Cortes Encounters the Aztecs in Mexico**

In the year 1641, the Irish Rebellion/Irish Confederate War/Eleven Year War took place. This war also took place in Ireland, but this time the Irish Roman Catholics battled the British and Scottish settlers over religious beliefs. And yet once again, the Irish lost.
 * 1607: English Colonists Arrive at Jamestown**


 * 1687: English Colonies Expand**

During America's first years, the Irish first came as servants. They then kept immigrating over time and by the 1800s, they started coming as subjects of the British Empire.
 * 1776: American colonists fight English in American Revolution**

In the year 1801, Ireland started being ruled by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. This ruling kept up until the year 1922.
 * 1802:Tlinget battle the Russians at Sitka**

In the year 1820, the Irish kept coming to America, but this time, they came as labors. By the year 1839, nearly half of the immigration to America had happened from Irish people.
 * 1839: The Amisad; The Trail of Tears**

In Ireland from the year 1845-1849, "The Great Famine," or "the great hunger," caused the population of Ireland to drop by 25%. Also by the year 1850, nearly 17% of the American police officers were of Irish decent or Irish-born.
 * 1850: Fugitive Slave Law made in the U.S.**

In the year 1870, Charles Stewart Parnell became the first undetected person in the Irish Parliament Party.
 * 1863: The U.S. Civil War; Emancipation Proclamation**

In the 1890s, the issue of the Repealing Act of Union split Irish people into two groups. These groups were the Unionists and the Catholics. Also by the 1900s, Irish people mainly populated the cities Boston, Philidelphia, New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco.
 * 1890: Westward Movement; Reform Movements**

As of the present day, 12% of the United States is Irish.
 * 2009: Today**

Works Cited: “Irish Americans,” Accessed September 30th, 2009 []