Joe:

It would be a mistake to divide Americans into categories of white, Black, and Native American, and to put all the blame on whites. Until 1850, white Americans were primarily Protestants from the British Isles, with some French areas. The Manifest Destiny was carried out mostly by white Americans of British descent. The Irish started arriving in the 1820s, Germans in the 1870s, and Italians in the 1890s - and Irish, Germans, and especially Italians were despised and impoverished minorities until maybe 1950.

Got any sources to back that up? Being a Yook, rather than a Yank, I'm obviously more conversant with UK / European history than yours. But I was under the impression that there were significant Dutch (New York was New Amsterdam originally) & German communities long before you lot ever seceded from the Rightful Rule* of His Gracious Majesty Etcetera. I also thought the major Irish immigration began some 25 years later than your date (Potato Famine)?

* Joe knows I'm only teasing, but just in case anyone else doesn't! I'm curious (alright, I'm weird; no, not peculiar!) as well. Joe's statement doesn't quite fit my somewhat hazy knowledge. Therefore, I'm asking... ;-)