CiNii Books - Natives and strangers : a multicultural history of Americans

A sweeping, ambitious chronicle of our unique cultural mosaic, spanning nearly four hundred years, Natives and Strangers surveys America's legacy of assimilation and difference, of poverty and economic advancement, of ethnic conflict and intercultural mingling, expertly weaving together these strands into an engaging and informative whole. The authors consider the changing fortunes of American Indians, slaves, and immigrants, describing how newcomers interacted and often clashed with native-born people, with government and law enforcement, and with one another in crowded tenements or on expansive farmlands. They paint a compelling portrait of the extraordinary range of immigrant experience in America: working conditions and family life, communities of religion and language, political aspirations and social repression. The authors also explore the spectrum of ethnic coalitions that have fought for equal access to scarce resources and the rise of individuals of distinct ethnic lineage to local, state, and national offices. And they discuss the periodic surges of nativism directed at those cultural groups considered at odds with mainstream society, from vitriolic attacks on the "hordes of wild Irishmen" in the early days of the American republic to the torrents of abuse heaped upon Asian immigrants until long after World War II. Finally, the book examines some of the anomalies of immigrant life in America: why, for instance, have the Germans and Scandinavians built strong communities in the Midwest, while Chinese populations have congregated in New York and San Francisco? And how did Japanese immigrants overcome decades of venomous xenophobia to become one of America's most successful,highly educated minority groups, while Puerto Ricans remain near the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder?

Volume: : pbk ISBN 9780195090840

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Until the 1960s, the role of immigrants, African Americans, and American Indians, in American history received little attention. However, their experiences have become of increasing concern to American historians, with much of the new social and cultural history emphasizing how millions of nameless people adjusted to their lot, contributed to the economy, and strove to make lives for themselves in the United States. Natives and Strangers, now in its third edition, explores the various aspects of minority group history, describing the impact America had on minority cultures and providing some understanding of the different conditions, conflicts, and contradictions that members of American minority groups experienced. Natives and Strangers concentrates on the economic growth and development of social attitudes among different ethnic minorities. The book opens with the American Indian migration throughout the United States, via Alaska, and discusses the variety of Indian cultures the Europeans encountered, incorporating the most recent literature on the subject. As with earlier editions, this newly revised book is careful to integrate the experiences of racial, religious, and national minorities, explaining how their histories intertwined with the emergence of modern America. As the 1990s witness the largest flow of recent immigration in history, and as Americans experience the great influx of non-European immigrants entering the United States, Natives and Strangers is now able to explore the far-reaching implications of recent immigration laws, presenting the controversy over multiculturalism in terms of understanding American history. The authors conclude with reflections on where the nation stands today as an ethnically and racially diverse society.

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Natives and strangers : a multicultural history of Americans

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