Question

Most southern Italian immigrants to the United States had been _____ in their home country. factory workers domestic servants farmers soldiers

Answer 1

Most southern Italian immigrants to the United States had been "farmers" in their home country, since Italy during this time was highly agrarian--even more so than the American South. 

Answer 2

The correct answer is farmers.

The southern Italian immigrants were mostly peasants from poor, rural and agricultural regions. They wanted to improve their life and saw no other way to do so then immigration, as Italy was in a state of chaos: the country suffered from a series of natural disasters, the government was not stable and jobs were scarce.

Most of the immigrants were single young men. They were employed in manual labor and public works such as the construction of roads. The women worked in garment industry as seamstresses.

'Little Italies' were places were they lived, often overcrowded old tenants houses with poor hygiene standards.