In the 1830s-1850s, Irish-Americans, simply because they were Catholic and "peasants," were discriminated against at every turn and in every way. They were always placed in the lowest skilled jobs, lived in the worst areas, and were paid less than any other worker. This went on for all of the middle 19th century until attention was turned to the Italians, or Greeks, or Polish immigrants (Doran, 2005, p. 3).

And the key to this social inequality is that the "discrimination" is always based on something the minority can't change. Think about it. Blacks have been discriminated against because of the color of their skin, not because they are less intelligent, less educated, less skillful, or less talented. Native American Indians felt social inequality due also to the color of their skin, but as well to the fact that they fought back against those who were invading their land. Could they...
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