Friday, January 27, 2012

Immigration then and now: old face, new story

http://www.urbanschools.org/pdf/onPOINTS.immigration.DOCUMENT.style.LETTERSIZE.pdf

This document was produced in November 2004 and it is written about the immigration movement and how different states have laws that either allow or do not allow immigrates in not only the education system but the lifestyle America has.

Between the years of 1880-1930 it was said that "twenty-five million immigrants had arrived in the United States." During this period there were only eight states that would grant education rights to the immigrant children in which their parents forced them to move. However, in the present day the majority of states accept immigrants and the culture they bring into society.

Even though the United States have become more accepting towards immigration they are still not entirely satisfied as stated:

"On the one hand, there is great pride in the history of European immigration to the United States symbolized by Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. On the other hand, there can be great anxiety and suspicion. The current wave of immigration, composed primarily of non-European immigrants of color, is changing the demographics of the nation."

Therefore, this is simply saying that Americans feel wary of the changing appearance of the States and that makes them feel nervous about what might happen to the country that is seen to be so great and new. Furthermore, despite all of this immigration is taking place and this has shaped the views and opinions people may have of North America because the immigrants are learning what it means to be an American and many of the children that are in schools consider themselves to be American because they were brought up there due to their parents.

In 1909 a Jewish immigrant wrote a play called 'The melting pot' in which he believes "that old-world nationalities should be forgotten in the United States and that all ethnicities should fuse together in a new and superior American nationality". It can be said that it is this point that shows school children in today's society about the United States history and immigration and how it helps define the identity of an american.

1 comment:

  1. You've summarised the document, but you don't say anything about the source - who produced the document? Where? Why? What does it tell us -forget the facts it contains, think about why it is there

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