The year 1900 marked a time that witnessed a mass immigration of people from southern and eastern European countries to America. Before this wave of immigrants, the majority of those living in America had come originally from Northern Europe or the British Isles. The entire character of America was changed by these new immigrants. Some Called the United States the "Great Melting Pot."
Many of the new immigrants landed and stayed in cities like New York after their long trip from Europe. The immigrants had better luck finding work in big cities than in more rural areas, so they settled into city neighborhoods with other from their home countries. The result was that concentrated pockets of immigrants made up their own "little Italys" or "little Germanys." In these neighborhoods, the residents could speak their own language and buy their native foods from stores like those in Europe.
Even though the adults chose to live with others from their home countries, the immigrant children were educated in American public schools. Children from many European countries learned, ate, and played together during the school day. Possibly because of this interaction with others, the immigrant children were quicker to learn English and settle into the American way of life than their parents.
