Final answer:
Irish immigrants in the United States were able to work their way up the hierarchy by actively participating in American society. They formed communities, preserved their cultural traditions, but also engaged with the dominant society to gain acceptance and assimilation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Irish immigrants in the United States were able to work their way up the hierarchy by actively participating in American society. Despite facing discrimination and prejudices, Irish Americans established themselves as politicians, business owners, and police officers by the second half of the 19th century. They formed communities, preserved their cultural traditions, but also engaged with the dominant society to gain acceptance and assimilation.