| abstract | - Although Irish immigration to the United States has taken place since colonial times (Six Declaration of Independence signers were of Irish descent and Andrew Jackson was partially Irish), worsening conditions (under British rule) in Ireland-especially the Great Famine-caused many Irish to emigrate in the mid-19th century. An Irish immigrant, having suffered through an arduous overseas journey, would have been thrust into a terrible situation, as many were poor and unused to American customs. Soon, however, the number of Irish-Americans in some cities grew so great that immigrant Patrick Murphy stated "New York is a grand handsome city. But you would hardly know you had left Ireland." American customs, once utterly foreign to the immigrants, became blended with traditional ones, forming a distinct Irish-American culture.
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