America has often been referred to as a “melting pot”. Many people left their homeland and immigrated to America in search of a better life. Between 1820 and 1924, over thirty-five million people came to America. For many of them, the trip to America was a difficult and often very dangerous trip. Many had little money and traveled overseas in the steerage of ships. When the immigrants arrived most of them had to go through Ellis Island, the immigration headquarters. At Ellis Island, immigrants were inspected and had to pass many tests before they were allowed to enter America. Those that entered through the west coast passed through Angel Island.
Between 1870 and 1920, approximately 20 million Europeans arrived in the United States. Before 1890, most immigrants came from countries in western and northern Europe. Beginning in the 1890s, however, increasing numbers came from southern and eastern Europe. In 1907 alone, about a million people arrived from Italy, Austria-Hungary, and Russia. Many of these new immigrants left to escape religious persecution. Other Europeans left because of rising population. Between 1800 and 1900, the population in Europe doubled to nearly 400 million, resulting in a scarcity of land for farming. Farmers competed with laborers for too few industrial jobs. In the United States, jobs were supposedly plentiful.
Ellis Island opened in 1892 as a federal immigration station, a purpose it served for more than 60 years (it closed in 1954). Millions of newly arrived immigrants passed through the station during that time--in fact, it has been estimated that close to 40 percent of all current U.S. citizens can trace at least one of their ancestors to Ellis Island.
Please go through these links and familiarize yourself with Ellis Island, the immigration process, and the information provided about poetry expectations.
Project Process:
In order to gauge a better understanding of the difficulties faced by newcomers to a foreign culture you are going to develop a poem based on an imagined immigrant experience. Imagine what it would be like to be an immigrant. Describe your feelings and observations and the challenges of being a newcomer.
You may describe such experiences as: difficulties of the journey to the U.S. (traveling to the U.S. and seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time); going through the inspections (i.e. Ellis Island or Angel Island); experiences once admitted to the country (challenges that were faced with nativism); and immigration restrictions; life in the cities as an immigrant.
Scholastic’s Interactive Tour of Ellis Island
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/index.htm
Ellis Island Museum Ellis Island- History Channel Article/Videos
http://www.nyharborparks.org/visit/elis.html
Ellis Island- History Channel Article/Videos
http://www.history.com/topics/ellis-island
Poetry Guidance:
You will be writing a 10-12 line poem
You are going to develop a poem based on an imagined immigrant experience. Imagine what it would be like to be an immigrant. Describe your feelings and observations and the challenges of being a newcomer.
You may describe such experiences as: difficulties of the journey to the U.S. (traveling to the U.S. and seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time); going through the inspections (i.e. Ellis Island or Angel Island); experiences once admitted to the country (challenges that were faced w/nativism); and immigration restrictions; life in the cities as an immigrant.
Imagery Ideas and Literary Moods
Between 1870 and 1920, approximately 20 million Europeans arrived in the United States. Before 1890, most immigrants came from countries in western and northern Europe. Beginning in the 1890s, however, increasing numbers came from southern and eastern Europe. In 1907 alone, about a million people arrived from Italy, Austria-Hungary, and Russia. Many of these new immigrants left to escape religious persecution. Other Europeans left because of rising population. Between 1800 and 1900, the population in Europe doubled to nearly 400 million, resulting in a scarcity of land for farming. Farmers competed with laborers for too few industrial jobs. In the United States, jobs were supposedly plentiful.
Ellis Island opened in 1892 as a federal immigration station, a purpose it served for more than 60 years (it closed in 1954). Millions of newly arrived immigrants passed through the station during that time--in fact, it has been estimated that close to 40 percent of all current U.S. citizens can trace at least one of their ancestors to Ellis Island.
Please go through these links and familiarize yourself with Ellis Island, the immigration process, and the information provided about poetry expectations.
Project Process:
In order to gauge a better understanding of the difficulties faced by newcomers to a foreign culture you are going to develop a poem based on an imagined immigrant experience. Imagine what it would be like to be an immigrant. Describe your feelings and observations and the challenges of being a newcomer.
You may describe such experiences as: difficulties of the journey to the U.S. (traveling to the U.S. and seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time); going through the inspections (i.e. Ellis Island or Angel Island); experiences once admitted to the country (challenges that were faced with nativism); and immigration restrictions; life in the cities as an immigrant.
Scholastic’s Interactive Tour of Ellis Island
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/index.htm
Ellis Island Museum Ellis Island- History Channel Article/Videos
http://www.nyharborparks.org/visit/elis.html
Ellis Island- History Channel Article/Videos
http://www.history.com/topics/ellis-island
Poetry Guidance:
You will be writing a 10-12 line poem
You are going to develop a poem based on an imagined immigrant experience. Imagine what it would be like to be an immigrant. Describe your feelings and observations and the challenges of being a newcomer.
You may describe such experiences as: difficulties of the journey to the U.S. (traveling to the U.S. and seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time); going through the inspections (i.e. Ellis Island or Angel Island); experiences once admitted to the country (challenges that were faced w/nativism); and immigration restrictions; life in the cities as an immigrant.
Imagery Ideas and Literary Moods