Thinking about being an immigrant

[Diochra]

I've been living in Switzerland since the end of December. It's got me thinking of many of the things a new immigrant would have to deal with when getting used to living in the States.

Numbers and dry goods are today's topics, as yesterday I went to buy some fabric from a local shop. If you were lucky enough to live in an area already settled by 'your people', language wouldn't be too large of a problem, but I'd think you'd still need to purchase in American measurements.

If you weren't lucky enough, you'd certainly need to learn your numbers as well as the American systems of measurement -- alongside with all of the common politenesses that can be missing when you don't know the language or culture. (I can't small talk, so I might be seen as a Suspicious Young Person until they find out Swiss-German isn't my native language.)

It doesn't seem that difficult until you're thrust into buying items with different names, at different sizes, at which point you just have to wing it. One easier point than now is they trusted instinct more than a thermometer or temperature-dials when cooking. (For the record, my cookies were fine. They looked nothing like my grandmother's, but they were still quite edible!)

Did English/Other Language dictionaries exist during our time? Must look on eBay for period German lessons!

[FortyRounder]

Re: Thinking about being an immigrant

When you get the time, Google Book Search is a real treasure trove:

A New, Practical and Easy method of Learning the German Language (1855): http://books.google.com/books?id=Dk4...-1&output=html

Flugel's Complete Dictionary of the German and English Languages (1857): http://books.google.com/books?id=2p8...-1&output=html

A New English-German and German-English Dictionary (1847):

http://books.google.com/books?id=mBotAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=german+dictionary&lr=&as_brr=1&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html

A Dictionary of the English and German (1857): http://books.google.com/books?id=g2I...-1&output=html

Plunkett's Australian Magistrate (1860; this page lists German-English phrase books): http://books.google.com/books?id=_1A...-1&output=html

Several American newspapers such as Frank Leslie's printed German language editions during the Civil War. Yes, there was a lot of hostility toward Germans and other immigrants from "Natives," but editors knew an opportunity when they saw one.

[Diochra]

Re: Thinking about being an immigrant

Thank you very much for the resources!

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Thinking about being an immigrant

The language was an obvious difference. But one element which can't be ignored is the strong nativist sentiment in parts of the United States that, depending on the community, might range from oppressive to non-existent. The party, known by different names, had even fielded a presidential candidate in 1856 (the former president, Millard Fillmore). So, if the immigrants had not traveled beyond their home country before, the circumstances of being in a place where people didn't like you just because you are an immigrant might have been a real shock. And if you were Catholic, that was two strikes against you.

Michael Mescher

[Auld Pelty]

Re: Thinking about being an immigrant

In antebellum Texas, immigrants were far more common than native Texans, so there was hardly any prejudice for white people. It was not so good to be Mexican anymore and only one tribe of Indians settled peacefully. For the most part, European immigrants were welcome by society and fair game for Commanches and other hostile tribes if they ventured too far west.

From the Handbook of Texas:

At the census of 1850, 95 percent of the 212,592 Texans lived in the eastern two-fifths of the state, an area the size of Alabama and Mississippi combined. Ten years later, although the state's population had grown to 604,215, the overwhelming majority still lived in the same region. The population had far greater ethnic diversity than was common elsewhere in the South. There were large numbers of Germansqv in the south central counties, many Mexican Americans from San Antonio southward, and smaller groups of Poles, Czechs,qqv and other foreign-born immigrants scattered through the interior. Nevertheless, natives of the lower South constituted the largest group of immigrants to Texas during the 1850s, and southerners headed three of every four households there in 1860. Like immigrants from the Deep South, slaves also constituted an increasingly large part of the Lone Star State's population (27 percent in 1850 and 30 percent in 1860). Their numbers rose from 58,161 to 182,566, a growth of 214 percent, during the decade.

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Thinking about being an immigrant

Since the Republic became a state in 1845, the movement of people from anywhere else in the United States to Texas during the 1850's became a case of moving from one region of the country to another, no different than moving to someplace like Kansas from somewhere else in the country. I would consider that more migration from one part of the country to another. The new arrivals speak the same language and have many of the same customs and traditions. Often quite different from a foreign immigrant. And although I don't know how prevalent the Know Nothing Party was in the Lower South but it is possible that the migrants during the 1850's brought nativist sentiments to Texas.

But getting back to the subject of the question, the original post just asked about being an immigrant without being specific about what part of the country she wanted to portray her immigrant impression. If she was portraying someone of German descent, she would fit in very well in certain regions where the local population was heavily German, e.g., parts of the Midwest. In other parts, she might be looked on suspiciously or ridiculed. So some research would be needed on her part to determine the reception of the ethnic group she is portraying in the geographic location she selects for her impression.

Michael Mescher

[Auld Pelty]

Re: Thinking about being an immigrant

4 out of 5 immigrants to Texas were Southerners between 1845 and 1860.
People who entered Texas via East and NE Texas were usually Southerners. Those who came by ship into Galveston tended to be yankees, foreignors (not yankees) and immigrants from the Deep South.

There were German settlements in the South Central hill country and German was the first language of many old timers well into the 20th Century. Had one for a neighbor 40 years ago. I thought he was a Nazi until my father explained the neighbor was born and raised in New Braunfels, Texas. And he happened to be a Korean War veteran.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Thinking about being an immigrant

And although I don't know how prevalent the Know Nothing Party was in the Lower South but it is possible that the migrants during the 1850's brought nativist sentiments to Texas.

For what it's worth, I have some quick cut-and-paste research from Into the Piney Woods on Know-Nothings in Louisiana, and how they dealt with the pervasive French and Spanish and Catholic influence there.

http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA255&lpg=PA255&sig=Vz7hsD4QNllkOji1NgYNkBb_BhI&ct=result&id=LG4FLbm77BYC&ots=-k1PBmi5Kq&output=html

That book, on antebellum politics in Louisiana, says that Know-Nothings in Louisiana downplayed their anti-immigrant stance--I wonder why ;-) --and concentrated on a pro-union message. A Shreveport orator said Fillmore, the KN candidate, was the only one who could "restore harmony and discord to our divided land."

The local Democrats, same as elsewhere, complained the KNs were too worried "about foreigners... and popery, when the whole country is convulsed on the momentous question of slavery." The author says that despite the KN claim to the contrary, Democrats warned the Catholic Creoles that the KNs were against them. The KNs, though, concentrated on anti-German rhetoric and tied immigrant voting to anti-slavery, but mostly talked about preserving the union.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Sad Spaceman]

Re: Thinking about being an immigrant

I think the idea of portraying an immigrant is brilliant! Depending on your locality, during the civil war era their could have been a large community of various newcomer to America. I think its something that has been under represented, and showing that America was and continues to be a nation that is always growing and changing, the clothes, people food, songs and ideas. But in other aspects their are common themes that still would resonate today. I encourage you whole heartily in your impression and think that you will find an infinite wealth of information just by contacting a county or state historical society.