State Historical Society of Iowa

"Wanted - An American or English Girl" Newspaper Advertisement, August 24, 1842

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This ad from an 1842 newspaper asks for people to apply for a job to do housework, but makes clear that Irish people should not apply.
Courtesy of Library of Congress, "Wanted - An American or English Girl," New-York Daily Tribune, pp. 1, 24 August 1842

Description

This "Wanted" advertisement from the New-York Daily Tribune in 1842 is for a servant to do housework. It specifically says that people from Ireland should not apply.

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Source-Dependent Questions

  • The Irish potato famine occurred in the late 1840s. This ad is from 1842. What can you infer about the timeline of Irish immigration to America from the date of this newspaper?
  • Using this source and the advertisement "Coachman Wanted," what attitude toward the Irish do you see? What, if anything, do you think this tells you about prejudice regarding immigrants?

Citation Information

"Wanted - An American or English Girl," New-York Daily Tribune, pp. 1, 24 August 1842. Courtesy of Library of Congress