Question 1: While individual circumstances can be unique, certain generalizations can be made about broad groups in specific times. Why did Irish and Germans immigrate in the 19th century before the Civil War? To what extent were their motives and circumstances similar, to what extent were they different, and how did this show in their choice of settlement patterns? In the middle of the 19th century, half of the Irish and German population immigrated to America. Almost everyone in the city felt the impact of this immigration in the United States. Between 1820 and 1870, approximately 7.5 million people settled in the United States as immigrants (Takaki, 2008). This was advantageous for companies that required a labor force. Several reasons were behind these immigrations as discussed below. One of the main reasons that made Irish and Germans immigrate was the presence of large land in the United States. They saw the opportunity of every immigrant securing a big land for his family. For instance, the Irish used to complain that, their land was small making homesteads have a neighbor within a space of hundred yards. They even made jokes about enjoying neighborhood two or three miles away in America (Takaki, 2008 p. 234). The scarcity of land in these countries was associated with other problems such as unemployment. There were high levels of unemployment that made the living standards of people extremely low, due to lack of enough finances. These immigrants considered America as the land of opportunities. They all intended to secure quality jobs and make money in the United States. Lack of decent jobs and money had led to much immorality in such nations; hence, the lives of the citizens were full of hardships. The immigrants were searching for peaceful lands, where they can settle and enjoy with their families. According to confessions that were received from some immigrants, they declared that they came for prosperity in America. In addition, some immigrant bought pieces of land, at a relatively lower price, ready to own estates. They would narrate how settling in the United States had saved them from tax-gatherers, and property owners in their home country. Some immigrants were giving their prior plans of cultivating so much food to feed the Americans and the remainder to feed the whole world (Takaki, 2008 p. 304). They knew that the land had no limitation in America, and nobody would prohibit them from cultivating. Both Germans and Irish immigrants had a common theme of looking for settlement in America. They both run away from social problems from their motherlands. They considered the ticket for landing America cheaper than long-term subsidies that were responsible to pay. Both immigrants settled for farming as their main activity in America (Takaki, 2008 p. 266). Some groups of Germans were exceptional, especially the Jews, who emigrated due to economic and social discrimination from their homeland. The young generations were reluctant from serving in the Prussian military. Although the two immigrants settled in America, it was hard to assimilate Germans. Germans were the most in the immigrants’ population, and they occupied the largest part. Most of the Germans were in profe