Imagine you are a European immigrant to America, trying to adapt to the new life you sought. You want to share your experiences with your family back home so they will better understand.
Choose a country of origin and religious tradition:
• Country of origin
o Poland
o Italy
o Bulgaria
o Greece
o Ukraine
o Czechoslovakia
o Serbia
• Religious tradition
o Catholic
o Jewish
o Lutheran
o Other Protestant
o No religious tradition
Write a 700- to 1,050-word first-person description of your experiences as an immigrant to America in the late 19th or early 20th century. The description should take the form of a journal entry, autobiography, or diary.
Include descriptions of the following:
• The political, social, or economic factors that precipitated your migration
• The journey across the ocean, including sleeping accommodations and available food
• Ellis Island
• The city you settle in and why
• The racist attitudes of some Americans
• Tenement housing
• Factory conditions, hours worked, and pay
• The status your children eventually achieve.