The Federal takeover of immigration services in the later half of the 19th century resulted in greater regulation of immigration and additional restrictions on who would and would not be allowed to enter the country. The new immigrants who came in large numbers after the Civil War were the Italians, Slavic peoples, and Eastern European Jews. Many sought relief from starvation, poverty or constant war in Europe. These immigrants usually stayed in the major urban centers and became the industrial workforce of the city during the Gilded Age in American. Unlike the old immigrant groups they sometimes had great difficulty assimilating and becoming Americans. Religious and cultural differences often hindered many from accepting America's customs, language and culture. As a result many of these immigrants formed communities in urban centers as a shelter from the prejudices and differences of American culture. Though relatively isolated compared to the old immigrant groups the new immigrants children did assimilate over time and with the advent of new generations.