Cultural Development

America’s diverse culture was built on the lives of its native people and immigrants, beginning with the early settlements of the English and continuing through the arrival of enslaved Africans to Gadsden Wharf and the primarily European immigrants to Ellis Island. Each of these groups of people came from vastly different cultures and under vastly different circumstances. In this assignment, you are to step into the shoes of one of these immigrants and tell your story. Select an immigrant experience addressed in Unit 3 that you would like to explore further. Imagine your life as someone who has been in pre-20th Century America for a year or less. Discuss the cultural traditions and artifacts that you might have brought with you. Choose from one of the following; plan to avoid any that your ancestors might have experienced: A Jewish immigrant, transported in steerage and arriving in New York with only a suitcase to live in the ghettos An enslaved person of African origin, transported by ship and sold on the shores of America to live and work on a Southern plantation An indentured servant from Europe arriving in debt and working towards freedom. An immigrant from any other country traveling in steerage and landing at Ellis Island without any possessions and knowing no one. Describe their life in the big city, working on a farm, or traveling westward for an opportunity to succeed in your new land. Create a journal entry that includes: A biographical paragraph (give yourself a name, age, specific place of origin (where you came from), and economic status. A narrative (2 or more paragraphs) where you describe your daily life or the work you do or what you do for entertainment, what your family is like, etc. Think of this as an oral history you intend to pass down through the generations. What do they need to know about the life you lived? Use whatever sources you need to make the entry authentic. A reflective paragraph (or 2) where you present a specific message of peace and hope to future generations. What wisdom do you want to pass along to your children and grandchildren? What wisdom would you like to pass along to the future?

Sample Solution

Biographical Paragraph

My name is Miriam Cohen, and I am a 17-year-old Jewish immigrant from Russia. I arrived in New York City with my family just a year ago, and we have been living in the Lower East Side ghetto ever since.

My family is not wealthy. My father is a tailor, and my mother is a seamstress. They work long hours for very little pay, but they do their best to provide for us. I have two younger siblings, a brother and a sister.

Full Answer Section

Narrative

My daily life is not easy. I wake up early each morning and help my mother get ready for work. Then, I walk to the factory where I work as a seamstress. I work 12 hours a day, six days a week. The work is tedious and repetitive, but I am grateful for the job. It allows me to contribute to my family's income and help us to survive in this new land.

After work, I come home and help my mother with dinner. After dinner, I do my chores and help my younger siblings with their homework. Then, I go to bed early so that I can get up and do it all again the next day.

On Sundays, we go to synagogue. This is the one day of the week when we can all be together and relax. We worship God and celebrate our Jewish heritage.

Reflective Paragraph

I know that my life is not easy, but I am grateful for the opportunities that I have in America. I am able to work and earn a living. I am able to practice my religion freely. And I am able to dream of a better future for myself and my family.

I hope that one day I will be able to marry and have children of my own. I want to raise them in America, where they will have the opportunity to live free and fulfilling lives.

To future generations, I say this: never give up on your dreams. No matter how difficult things may seem, there is always hope for a better future. Work hard, be kind to others, and never forget where you came from.

Message of Peace and Hope

I believe that peace is possible in the world. If we all learn to respect each other and live together in harmony, we can create a better future for all.

I also believe that hope is essential. Even in the darkest of times, we must never give up hope for a better future. Hope is what keeps us going. It is what motivates us to work for a better world.

I hope that my story will inspire future generations to never give up on their dreams and to always strive for a better world.

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