Who Are the Old Immigrants?
These settlers came to the Americas mostly from western and northern Europe, predominantly from England and English territories during the colonial period.

English, Scotch, Irish - mostly colonial settlers who were English citizens or lived in English territories Dutch, German, Swedish, Scandinavians -  many western and northern European nations contributed to the early growth of the colonies and the newly formed United States
	Africans - many early immigrants came to the Americas as slaves, to work the plantations of the agricultural south, this continued until the ending of the slave trade in the early 19th century

Why Did They Come?
Immigrants came to America during these eras for a wide variety of reasons, political social and economic. While not all immigrants' reasoning fit neatly into one type, the general listing below is a good overview of the motivations for many.

• Political Reasons - Many of the governments of Europe were dominated by nobility and landed elite, the common man found that he had little to no say in the government of his homeland. As a result many came seeking a political voice or freedom from an oppressive government.
  Others such as the Germans and French in the early 1800's were seeking to escape political unrest and violent political turmoil at home.
• Social Reasons - Religious freedom is the greatest example of social motivation in immigration. The Pilgrims, the Quakers and many other groups came to the Americas seeking freedom from religious intolerance in their homelands. This tradition of religious freedom had become a fundamental principle in American government. 
• Economic Reasons - Seemingly the greatest motivating factor for most immigrants. Vast numbers of the earliest American Settlers came to America seeking land, as much of the land in Europe was controlled by nobles or the church, leaving little opportunity for the common farmer to achieve success. The vastness of the Americas and easy access to land, drew many of these opportunity seekers.
  The Irish immigrants of the early 1800's sought land and escape from the deadly potato famine that gripped their homeland.
  African slaves were brought over for economic reasons, ones that did not serve them, but instead served the economic interests of the slave owner.

What Issues Did They Face?

• The earliest roots of Nativism or anti-immigrant feelings in American society surfaced during this era. While not as severe as during the wave of "new immigration" this nativist thinking can be seen in the anti-immigrant platform of the Know Nothing Party of the mid 19th century.

What Impact Did They Have?
The contributions of early immigrants cannot be overstated. The very foundation of America is built upon the ideas, skills and culture they brought with them. The English settlers formed the governments, language and major cultural traditions that would become America. Many Irish workers constructed transportation routes (railroads, etc...) and the Germans and others brought farming techniques and education traditions.