Monday, December 14, 2009

✖Ellis Island, NY

:)


Here I am on the way to the United State during the late 1800s. I am in steerage with all these immigrants.


Source : clike here


And finally, we are arriving in America.

I have seen a crowd of immigrants here, Ellis Island, where the major of immigrants were processed. Who know, my ancestors may have been here from Asia too.


Source : click here


Around 14 million people around the world immigrated to the United States between 1860 and 1890. Most of immigrants came from northwestern and central European countries. If you did not know the reason before, what do you think why they wanted to move to the United States? ( I had not even known before that there were a lots of people immigrated to the U.S. until I get started studying American History at Simley High School)


I am sitting down on the floor at the Castle Garden, the old fort in Battery Park where visitors now buy their tickets to visit the Statue of Liberty and the Museum of Immigration at Ellis Island. I now feel hungry. If I knew that there would not any food or water around here, I would bring them with.

I begin to find someone to ask them some questions. I am wandering around until I see so many families, waiting for a required medical examination. I walk toward them and start to talk to them.

''If everything is going well at home, why do we want to move?''
''We decided to move in the hope of finding work.''
''I need more money or land so that I can feed my family better.''
''We dont have the right to practice our religion at home at all.''
''I have heard that I can get free land through the Homestead Act.''

There is one lady holding her child and start crying.
''I hope my son can go to school.'' she said.


There are many reasons from them. Some leave because of war. Their home country is not safe anymore. Some dream of getting rich.

In the 1890s, immigration moved dramatically. Most newcomers came from the countries of central, southern,eastern Europe and the Milddle East. About 80 percent of all immigrants came through this Ellis Island, New York city. It was called 'Golden Door'.


I am looking at some newcomers who are deported back to their country because of disease, criminal records, or dubious politics. Which choices would you choose if you were one of them between going back with all of you family and sacrificing one of your close ones.


Source : click here

Can you imagine if you are one of them, what will do you?

Just like me, I decided to come here in the name of an Exchange Student, representative from Thailand. It is not easy to decide to leave home. there are reasons to leave. But there also are some reasons make me want to stay home.

So, I can tell that it is a big change for them, a lot more bigger and mine.

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