Boston’s Immigrants, 1790–1880: A Study in Acculturation, Revised and Enlarged Edition, With a New Preface by the Author

by Oscar Handlin

Trade paperback is history of Boston's immigrants.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Sociology, American History

399 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1979

Reviews

[Simon Purdue]

Although this book is naturally somewhat dated and at times problematic in its assumptions and use of language, it nonetheless stands out as a seminal work in the historiography of North Atlantic migration during the 19th Century. Handlin offers a comprehensive history that is of as much relevance to urban historians as it is to scholars of migration, and manages to convey a mammoth amount of groundbreaking research in a compelling and readable way. Any work that at all addresses 19th Century Boston will inevitably be measured off of Handlin's yardstick.

[Jim Curtin]

I would describe this as a history as much of the period in which it was written as about the period its researching. It uses racial language that is no longer acceptable, a handful of foreign language sources are quoted without translation, and primary sources were a little light. Also, the book almost entirely focused on the Immigration experience of the Irish, so the title makes the scope seem broader than it is.

With that, the work used statistical analyses of immigration records, censuses, and other sources to present a statistical argument behind several of the main tenets, while also acknowledging the issues with the sources. I found it illuminating on this period in Boston history.

[Cathy]

Very interesting book about the living conditions, economy, and other issues that the immigrants who arrived in Boston faced during the 1800s. I was able to learn about the hardships my ancestors endured when they bravely left their homeland.

[Boris]

Handlin's 1941 thesis published as a book.
Well researched. Well documented. Extensive footnotes. It's a doctoral thesis.
That said, it's a fascinating and relatively easy read.
If you want to understand how the "Athens of America" of the 1830's turned into the city of racial hatred, segregation, and forced busing of the 1970's, read this book.
Handlin blames the Irish.

[John Devlin]

A sociological study of the Irish that came to Boston

[Fredrick Danysh]

Traces the movement of Irish immigrants to Boston over the period of 100 years and their aaculturalization as well as the discrimination.

[Fatima]

TCS 1999. "Certainly prospective settlers who could be"