| In the early years of Pennsylvania, the Penn family invited settlers of all kinds to colonize the state. To this call, responded many Irish, mostly from the northern Irish provinces. The massive Irish emigration was unexpected and they were not the most respected people. But it was too late to retract the open immigration policy. The Irish settled in the counties of Chester, Lancaster, Northampton and Northumberland. As well, a large population settled along the Maryland line in the area disputed between the Penns and Lord Baltimore. This land was suitable to squatters, which many of the Irish were, because it was not yet for sale and was considered hard to govern, given the land dispute. Beginning in the early 1700's German emigration from the Palatinates on the Rhine brought large, strong, community orientated, industrial groups to the same Pennsylvania counties of which the Irish had already immigrated to. These Germans were known for prejudice against the Irish whom they considered not suitable to be colonist. As well, the Quaker proprietors of Pennsylvania considered most of the Irish to be stubborn squatters, as many of them truly were. Quarreling was abundant. |
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