Sociology

The United States has been viewed as the place for people that appreciate these values. This country has been the target of many immigrants from other countries, including Poland which featured Polish people migrating to the US particularly in Chicago. This is a phenomenon which many analysts believe is the display of how Polish immigrants were able to survive outside the haven often provided by place of birth as how normal life often happens (Berdes, Zych 43). The focus of the discussion of the paper is on the presentation of research about an aspect of American Ethnic History since the Civil War. It focuses on the immigration of Polish people to Chicago and the discussion of the details of this particular immigration, including socio-cultural, socio-economic and socio-political characteristics of the group of people. It also tackles other issues and aspects involved in how they interacted with the society and community and its condition upon their arrival in this particular area in the United States. This is an analysis of the how events and developments in the local community and group is linked in the larger developments in American society, a narrative of the history of a local ethnic community discussing both past and present aspects achieved through the combination of the use of research on related literature vis-a-vis analysis and critical thinking.

The Three Immigration waves hitting the US and its impact on Chicago Polonia
Polish immigration in the United States in general came in three different waves although there are minor migration incidences in between. These three different migration waves are important because it hit Chicago significantly, considering the fact that the immigrants often chose to go to Chicago than in any other place in the US. The first wave was believed to be that which happened from the year 1880 up to the year 1930. Although the first Poles settling in the US from this wave were actually in Texas, Chicago nonetheless had some of the immigrants coming to it. This was generally fueled by the need for job, and how the US had many of available jobs that can pay Poles and help them be self reliant and start a better life compared to the ones they left behind in Poland. The problem during this time was the true Polish identity was not yet established owing to the political situation at the time. Because of that, it is hard to know for sure how many true Poles went to the US during this wave, which benefited from the industrial revolution in the US and from the many open jobs for unskilled laborers. Many of the men in the US went to combat during the First World War.

An important aspect of the first wave of immigration to Chicago was it was the reason that many professionals considered with regards to the change in Chicago ethnic characteristics. From being dominated previously by the Germans, the first wave allowed Polish ethnic group members to dominate Chicago and outnumber the Germans eventually. Poles leaving their country were looking at creating a new Poland outside of their country. Many of them targeted US, particularly Chicago and one of the first Polish immigrants to have set foot in Chicago was a part of the first wave, namely John Napieralsk. The second wave was a twenty year span from the year 1939 to the year 1959. Just like in many instances, this one was again triggered by politics, particularly the political repercussions of the Second World War to Poland and to its people which triggered immigration among its many people. In 1978, the third wave of Polish immigration to the US began, lasting up to 1990. Political issues and economic consideration remain the two most important reasons for the immigration (Wallner 4).

The third wave of immigration was believed to be the one responsible for bringing to Chicago intellectual and educated Polish which in turn will be the key influential persons in the Polish community in Chicago and will influence the Polish culture of Chicago. All of these waves brought to Chicago more and more Poles. The entry of these people provided the foundation from which the American and Chicago Polonia would be formed. Their entry in Chicago gave Chicago its much needed work force when it was not available because of socio political conditions and Chicago rewarded this group of people by allowing them to grow and thrive in Chicago. The waves of immigration, however, simply referred to the times wherein big numbers of Polish immigrants entered the country and settled in places like Chicago. Even before this, the Polish community in Chicago has already been established and has started the Chicago Polonia, as early as the end of the Civil War. Midway in the nineteenth century, the Polish community in Chicago has already shown growth and development. The Civil War era featured many Poles fighting as soldiers. After that, they returned to the Chicago communities they belonged and started their civilian life. They became bakers and carpenters and businessmen, others running for office and were successfully elected, like Peter Kiolbassa who became the first Polish to be elected as an official in Chicago (Wallner 4).

Polish immigration to Chicago
Many natives of Poland opted to try to have a better life by moving to the US. During the first wave of the immigration and the succeeding waves of immigration until today, the conditions in the United States remain very tempting for Polish people not to take advantage of. There are particular places in the US that the Polish has targeted entering. One of these place is Chicago, which grew today to become a place that holds inside it one of the largest groups of Polish immigrants in the United States (Wallner 4).

According to Wallner, it was during the 1900s wherein the biggest number of Polish immigrants came to the US in general, many of these people landing in Chicago (Wallner 4). This is not coincidental. There were reasons for the big turnout of immigrants and the trend involving the growing number of Polish immigrants coming in the US and settling in places like Chicago. For one, that era was when the first real results of the industrial revolution were being felt. Machines were cranking and businesses were booming. More buildings and bridges and railways and transportation vehicles were needed. As Americans shifted towards better jobs, the once they vacated were taken by immigrants as their opportunity to get started in the country and in Chicago in particular. At the dawn of the urbanized America, Chicago was one of the cities that felt the boom as a result of the industrialization. Many farmers wanted to try urbanized (and better paying) jobs. As a result, many low key jobs were made available for people who wanted to work on just about anything just to have enough money to live and survive. Many immigrants including Poles came to many US destinations to work and one of these is Chicago.

Most of the Poles in Chicago were found in the Northwest part of the city. Soon, there were also significant Polish communities in other parts of Chicago including places like Bridgeport as well as South Chicago. Other locations like the one at Hegewisch as well as Pullman and McKinley Park featured new businesses and booming industrial businesses that needed the workforce that the Poles provided (Pacyga 8). After this, the next noticeable movement of Poles in Chicago was that involving places like Logan Square as well as Jefferson Park. From their original locales in Chicago, the growing Polish community was spreading in many other parts of the city, branching outward and spreading in different directions of Chicago that contributed to Chicagos being saturated by Polish Americans until today. This phenomenon was indicative of upward mobility. More and more Poles are becoming more than uneducated and skill-less blue collar laborers. Many of them were successful at making their life better and their geographic orientation in Chicago indicated that change.

Reasons for moving to the United States
The history of the immigration of Polish people to the United States particularly in Chicago is characterized by the presence of a set of reasons that empower Polish individuals to move to Chicago. One of the reasons is economic. Later when the Polish population grew bigger and bigger, another reason surfaced. That is socio-cultural characteristics and conditions in the place which makes it easier for Polish people to move in considering there are many fellow Polish in the area and the immigrants would not feel overly isolated. Between these two main lines of reasoning, the individual and personal reasons of the immigrants vary and differ very little. Bottom line, Polish wants the prospect of being able to have the chance to improve ones life financially by trying it out in the US. Chicago appears to be a very ideal place to go considering the fact that there are already many Poles there today. In many different times in Polands history, there were just too many reasons why the Poles were tempted to leave. Unfortunately, the stronger reason between America being a tempting country and Poland a hopeless one is of the fact that there were more reasons to leave Poland than there were reasons to be in the US. For example, there was the political and military instability in the country during the 1650s. By the 1800s, they were still leaving. Social conditions made many people poorer and poorer and America was a choice that can turn their lives around (Wallner 4).

The migration to the United States and the creation of strong, solid Polish communities in places like Chicago also served other purposes besides the economic and financial need and the spread and practice of culture. They are a group of people that were constantly plagued by the political problem regarding the status and condition of independence of their home country. The Poles were able to use their Chicago community as a base from which they could launch their efforts and campaign at freeing and liberating Poland, from communism and from the clutches of ruling governments that trampled the sovereignty of Poland, like Russia for example. Polish freedom fighters that had to work to have a living found it convenient in places like Chicago to rally support for the cause.

Political and socio-civic conditions
Besides the economics and financial consideration, there were also other different reasons why the Poles moved outside of their home country and transferred to Chicago. An important aspect in the attraction of Polish natives to migrate to the USA and in Chicago in particular is political conditions and socio-civic conditions and how it strongly varies and differs with one another in comparison of the two places (Poland and Chicago). First, there are several different difficult political eras in Poland that made life more difficult for many people. In the US particularly in Chicago, politics is seldom a cause of severe financial and economic problem. There were tough times, like the Wall Street Crash and the impact on the economy of US participation in the two world wars the political problem in Chicago is not as bad compared to Poland. Political problem has been a key trigger for Polish emigration and has impacted the extent and number of Polish immigrants to Chicago.

For example, the 1795 problem resulting from the Constitutional Monarchys destruction made many Polish individuals rethink and assess their current socio political and socio economic conditions as well as chances. This resulted to many Poles coming to the conclusion that it would be better for them if they go out of the country and try other countries like US, most of them landing in Chicago at the time. Unfortunately, political problems always result to socio civic and social welfare problems. This was felt in Poland, prompting more people to leave and look for a better place where they can have a better chance at having an improved life. In Chicago, while social welfare is not the best quality of the place, the presence of job opportunities at least allowed the people including the Polish immigrants to look after themselves and sufficiently attend to their own needs.

What made them Stay
The phenomenon that is the Polish immigration to Chicago and their being able to stay put in that place until today is attributed not just to the reason why they came, but also to the exploration on why they stayed.  One of the strongest reasons is the fact that the US has not been hostile towards Poles. Sure, it has had its issues regarding ethnicity, like how it discriminated against African Americans and against Americans with Middle Eastern attributes especially during the rise to popularity of Muslim radical extremists and terrorism, for example. Unlike in other places and time like the Nazi  occupation of many parts of Europe and the world where Poles is a group of ethnic minority hunted down and persecuted, the Poles in the US and in Chicago in particular are generally never the target of such hostile attitude, which helped many of them feel at home. This led to many Poles marrying Americans and settling here, having family here and having more and more reasons why uprooting from this place is more difficult than their leaving Poland in the first place. The financial and economic opportunities brought them to Chicago, but the conditions of living among Poles in Chicago were the reason many chose not to leave and stayed for good.

The development of the Polish community in Chicago involved not just the pursuit of individual financial goals, but also the establishment of other things integral to the community and society. An example of which is religion. The Polish community grew in Chicago because among the many reasons, it proved to be amenable to the establishing of and the exercise of the Polish religion - Christianity. In Chicago, they were allowed to build their church like the St. Stanislaus Kostka. This helped bring together the Poles in Chicago and strengthened Polish ethnic group as an important economic, cultural and political bloc in the city. Besides the creation of churches and the establishment and exercise of religion, the Poles in Chicago were also successful in creating other aspects integral to the establishment of an ethnic community in Chicago. This includes the creation of schools and newspaper agencies, as well as groups and organizations among men and women of Polish ancestry created for socio political reasons and purposes. Businesses owned by Polish Americans also boomed in Chicago, and from serving only a selected clientle at first since they cater to Poles mostly.  These businesses have expanded over the years and were, in turn, patronized by a diverse group of people that allowed it to grow and remain sustainable for years (Erdmans 16).

Conditions in Chicago different from other places
Another important factor to tackle in regarding this topic is the fact that not only did the Poles migrated to the United States but there are also selected areas in the United States which appear to be amenable to the creation of a thriving Polish community and society. One of these places is Chicago. It is important to be able to know, understand, discuss and analyze why. First, there is the social and financial and economic condition in Chicago wherein struggling middle and lower class workers as well as small and medium scale business enterprises were allowed to prosper. There is the absence of the hindrance created by a particular ethnocentric ruling class and conservative elite. Instead, Chicago was a place wherein laws as well as socio cultural practices made it easy, convenient and manageable for the people even from other countries to begin working there.

There were different kinds of job opportunities that gave Polish people not just hope but a realistic and practical way to survive in the US and start their life here. In other countries, the non immigrants themselves is not being sustained by available jobs that immigrants have very slim chance of landing a job and is thus not a condition that can sustain the waves of immigrants coming in. Chicago was a thriving, bustling place characterized as being the potpourri and melting pot of people and cultures. This allowed for the continued presence of different opportunities for work and for a source of living that other places in the United States cannot duplicate. Immigrants move the US and to Chicago to find work. In places wherein work is not available, it is not surprising that immigrants like Poles stopped going there. Besides the availability of jobs, Chicago has become a place where people from different places come to. Because of that, there is no existing culture of long line of elite families controlling the place and making it nearly exclusive for Americans only, like the conditions in select areas wherein the people are dictated by pedigree and genealogy as well as financial capability. Also, there is the fact that there is no significant legislation or law that was put in place to stop the immigration of the Poles or other immigrants from entering Chicago. All of these conditions made Chicago a very ideal place for Poles to go to and stay. It was a place where they were able to successfully establish a community of Polish Americans that are now significantly contributing to the US as they did in the past.

The Chicago Polonia
The term Chicago Polonia refers to the Polish Americans in Chicago and to the community of Polish Americans in this particular city. Today, testament to the influx of Polish people in Chicago and the fact that many of them stayed and helped create and develop a community and culture that is a mix of Chicago and Polish and is supportive of the Polish culture and tradition as practiced in their native home country is the creation of what is now known today as Chicago Polonia. The last set of decades has had a strong reverberating sound of affirmation about how Chicago has been the selected destination for Polish immigrants, just like their forefathers did starting from more than a century ago (Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America, 1995, p. 78). The preference to at least initially settle in Chicago...continues a Polish immigration pattern dating back to the nineteenth century (Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America 78).

Then and now, the conditions remained the same. For that, the Polish kept on coming. During the 1960s, Polish people are still coming to America. Most of them select Chicago to be their destination. It was understandable. It is not surprising that countries that are under communist rule feature a strong emigration pattern with many people wanting to work in other countries and under different political climate considering the impact of communism to the lives of people who are not overly charmed by the prospect of development while under communist rule. Twenty years later in the 1980s, it was believed that they numbered to up to more than eight million, which increased by one million by the 1990s. Chicago has established its reputation of being Polish-friendly that a 1987 study revealed that 24 per cent of all new Polish immigrants listed Chicago as their intended city of residency (Erdmans 16).

Polish Americans and the development in America
The history of the immigration of Poles to Chicago is incomplete without the discussion on how they impacted Chicago and America as well. It was purely self-centered motives strongly related and connected to self preservation and sustainability among others that brought the Poles to the US and to Chicago. It cannot also be denied that even with this, there is also the fact that the Poles, in return, helped Chicago and the United States by being here and by working and being productive here. As primarily blue collar workers, one of the contributions of Polish Americans is their role in supporting and fighting for the rights of the workers and how they fought and participated in the labor movement. This affected Chicago as well as the rest of the United States in the long term. They played a role in the creation of union and in organizing laborers and workers into groups (Greene 57).

The Polish has shown that Chicago is a place that many of them now call home. In return Chicago has given them the place and opportunity to realize that, resulting to the creation of the Chicago Polonia as it is known and seen today. The next question after the entry of Poles in America and in particular in Chicago is this - what will result from this As expected, Chicago acted as a conduit connecting the Polish culture with the culture of the rest of the US, while at the same time, acting as a hub from which everything Polish seem to originate from, particularly in the aspect of culture. Take for example Polish music. Even with the fact that there were Polish immigrants in different parts of the US, it was in Chicago that Polish music in the US was originally produced from. The leading and likely the first Polish music business in America was founded by Wladyslaw Sajewski, who began his enterprise around the turn of the century in Americas major center of Polish immigration, Chicago (Greene 57). The Polish Americans will continue to evolve and develop inside Chicago. This will be a factor in the development of the United States in the future years.