The Importance Of Slovak Immigration To The United States
IMMIGRATION
Slovak immigration to the United States began in the late 1870s, when Slovakia was a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire administered by Hungary. Because U.S. immigration officials did not keep separate records for each ethnic group within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it is impossible to determine the exact number of Slovak immigrants who entered the United States. Between 1880 and the mid-1920s, approximately 500,000 Slovaks, mostly men immigrated to the United States.
Before 1899 U.S. immigration officials listed immigrants by country of birth. Thus, until 1899 Slovaks were recorded as Hungarians. Even after immigrants were enumerated by nationality, the Magyarization policies had been so effective that many Slovaks did not identify themselves as such. Also, perhaps one-third of the Slovaks who came to the United States were not immigrants but instead migrants. Often called "birds of passage," they worked temporarily in …show more content…
Many Slovak immigrants who came before World War I (1914-1918) could neither read nor write. This high illiteracy rate reflected the rural background, farming heritage of most immigrants and the Hungarian government's Magyarization policy. Slovak American parents typically encouraged children to seek secure jobs rather than social or economic advancement. They did not hesitate to put their children to work at early ages. Therefore, most second-generation Slovak American men became industrial labourers. The first Slovak school in America was established by St. Stephen's Parish (dedicated in 1883, one of the first Slovak churches in the United States) in Streator, Illinois. Only few Slovak Americans entered such professions as law and education. The value system of both first- and second-generation Slovaks placed women in the traditional role of wife, mother, and homemaker; therefore, education was considered even less valuable for daughters than for
Slovak immigration to the United States began in the late 1870s, when Slovakia was a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire administered by Hungary. Because U.S. immigration officials did not keep separate records for each ethnic group within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it is impossible to determine the exact number of Slovak immigrants who entered the United States. Between 1880 and the mid-1920s, approximately 500,000 Slovaks, mostly men immigrated to the United States.
Before 1899 U.S. immigration officials listed immigrants by country of birth. Thus, until 1899 Slovaks were recorded as Hungarians. Even after immigrants were enumerated by nationality, the Magyarization policies had been so effective that many Slovaks did not identify themselves as such. Also, perhaps one-third of the Slovaks who came to the United States were not immigrants but instead migrants. Often called "birds of passage," they worked temporarily in …show more content…
Many Slovak immigrants who came before World War I (1914-1918) could neither read nor write. This high illiteracy rate reflected the rural background, farming heritage of most immigrants and the Hungarian government's Magyarization policy. Slovak American parents typically encouraged children to seek secure jobs rather than social or economic advancement. They did not hesitate to put their children to work at early ages. Therefore, most second-generation Slovak American men became industrial labourers. The first Slovak school in America was established by St. Stephen's Parish (dedicated in 1883, one of the first Slovak churches in the United States) in Streator, Illinois. Only few Slovak Americans entered such professions as law and education. The value system of both first- and second-generation Slovaks placed women in the traditional role of wife, mother, and homemaker; therefore, education was considered even less valuable for daughters than for