My Journey To The Golden Land, The United States of America
Troy Gardner
HIS/120 – U.S. History 1865 to 1945
Instructor: JAMES HARRISON
May 2012
University of Phoenix
I am glad I chose to leave our homeland. The constant flooding kept destroying our home and with the lack of jobs, the money situation was being used as quickly as it was earned. Many people in our village had become sick and died due to disease from destroyed food supplies. Lack of food and no means to take care of my family forced me steal food and supplies from others. Unable to provide consistent meals forced my family to become terminally ill as well. Unfortunately, with the gradual death of my wife and children, I decided that there was really nothing holding me here in our village. Other villagers had packed up and spoke of the “Golden Land” in America. People who had already left spoke of many opportunities such good fertile soil for healthy and plentiful crops, schools for children, jobs, and plenty to eat. Finally, no one would have to worry about starvation. I watched as many families parted as the men and oldest child would leave and go to America so they could both work to make enough money to afford the expense of bringing the remainder of the family over to be with them. With nothing really holing me here, I will be traveling alone, since my family had all passed on due to illness. I made my way to the shipping port with literally no money in my pockets. I knew I had to find a way to get on the next ship so I too could enjoy the fruits of the “Golden Land”. I managed to beg for scraps of food and mere pocket change of folks that would help me out. Since I was a hell of a card player, I figured I would try to hustle some money from others by playing poker. There were four other men and one woman playing poker in the alley and I joined the game. Quickly making a good sum of money, slowly as other players were reaching into empty pockets, I was becoming more and more confident about earning my fair to America. One of the other players, completely out of money, put up his boarding pass as part of the winning pot. My nerves were very stressed at seeing this. Know I had a crappy hand, I decided to try and bluff my way to that boarding pass, so I decided to take a gamble and go all in with my current winnings. Miraculously, I won!! “America, here I come!!” I shouted. The boarding pass was only good for steerage, the very bottom level of the ship, which is where most of the other immigrants also had to travel. Upon boarding the vessel, all people boarding had to undergo an extreme health check up. I notice that all the men and boys had to get their hair cut really short and girls and women had to have their thoroughly combed for lice. The reason for this, was shipping companies were held responsible for returning unhealthy people back to their homeland. The journey took about forty days to get from Europe to a place called Ellis Island. During the travel, people would go up on the open decks of the ship if the weather were pleasant. We ate slightly warm soups, some breads, boiled potatoes, and stringy meat, most likely beef. Much of the food that was given to the steerage passengers looked like left overs and things that should have been thrown away. During below deck time, people often played simple games like marbles or checkers, while others visited with family and friends, or people from other places that were also traveling to America. The journey wasn’t always pleasant; there were severe storms and even illness, which did make some people perish. It is said that the huge statue there was the gateway to freedom. Once we reached Ellis Island, there were more doctors and specialist that had to check everyone who came off the ship. Folks that passed with a clean bill of health were allowed to leave Ellis Island and start their new lives. Others were not as fortunate. If they were deemed unhealthy,
immigrants for taking over jobs and their country, so we do our best to provide a safe environment that is safe from judgment. August 17, 2014 at 7:00pm 245 Broward St, New Jersey 38847 Meetings held every Thursday at 7:00pm As an immigrant coming into a new country each and every one of us knows just how difficult that can be so we do our best to provide support for one another, whether its emotional support or financial support we help each other no matter what. As part of this organizations…
offers a higher salary and I will start saving some money for you to come here and live a much better life without hunger or poverty, we will always have enough food for our baby and ourselves, che meraglivia! The kind of life I am living now here in America was worth all the pain and suffering I experienced to get here. We last saw each other in Port of Augusta and after I waved goodbye from the boat, I was taken along with other passengers to the steerage, which is located under the deck and we…
fiction option: write a narrative of coming to America after suffering through a period of hunger/famine. Memories of Food in Ireland I remember years ago when I still lived in Ireland. Things were very different back then. Food and meals were seen very differently and were not the focal point of social or family gathering like it is here for Americans. Since we have been in America, many things have changed for my family and I. Before we left for America, I would often watch my mother prepare…
Big Question: Why did the English come to America and what kinds of societies did they form? The primary motives for English expansion to America included unemployment and a thirst for adventure, for markets, and for religious freedom. Poor people in England without a job needed a way to improve their life, and the only chance of that rode on the "New World" colonies. Coming over by charters or by the orders of the crown, England's poor ventured to America in hopes of new beginnings. Also, having…
Moving to America Introduction Coming to America was always a dream, I never thought I could make it. Everybody that I know would love to come, they all wanted to feel like an American. They want to come so bad so bad that they risked their lives by coming to boat, some died to come, and here I am, I remember the day when I knew I was coming to America that was one of the happiest day of my life. I was very happy because America would give me a lot of opportunity: financially, spiritually, and…
States for their entire lives will probably have a very different American dream compared to someone who came to America from a 3rd world country. Many people outside of America do not share the same dream or even have the same idea of what an American dream is. Most people coming from developing countries are either envious or disgusted by the opportunities Americans often have. America is known as the country where dreams come true. The common American definition of success is becoming wealthy…
about how America is accepting to people from other countries. People are welcomed into the country to start a new life. In Bharati Mukherjee’s short story “Two Ways to Belong in America” she tells her story about how America accepted her and her sister. They have both moved over from India and created a new successful life. The article “The Facts on Immigration Today” reports on the United State’s population. It tells the different kinds of people living here, and what they are. People coming to America…
Compare and contrast colonization efforts in North America prior to 1763 by the Spanish, British and at least one other European group (Dutch, French, etc.). In the year 1620, the Pilgrims reached the New World and founded Plymouth Massachusetts. European nations came to the Americas to increase their wealth and broaden their influence over world affairs. The Spanish were among the first Europeans to explore the New World and the first to settle in what is now the United States. The first colony…
The report, the Global Operating Room Equipment Market 2012-2016, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the Americas, and the EMEA and APAC regions; it also covers the Global Operating Room Equipment market landscape and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. The key vendors dominating this market space are BERCHTOLD Corp., Getinge AB, Steris…
DBQ During the late 19th century through the 20th century ethnicity was still a big problem in America. With more and more immigrants coming through and many gaining more rights than before America had to put citizens into categories. Within occupations and politics there was really no equal treatment and has caused different points of views. Coming to politics first with voting views. In document 1 it shows how politics thought. Saying that immigration puts a heavy toll on voting because they…