Carmen Gardino
Professor Rick L. Woten
History 153 12010- U.S. History since 1877
04 November 2017
The Immigrants Journey in Redefining the American Dream A dream waiting to come to pass, immigrants finally make the journey to America. These new faces full of hope and expectations of a type of heaven. From 1900-1914 about thirteen million immigrants make their journey to the land of plenty and freedom. They were fleeing their poverty stricken countries in central and southern Europe. A Russian immigrant Mary Gale recalls the horrible conditions,” They were worked to death, never got paid, and lived in huts” (John F. McDonnell published 12/28/2013). As remembered by a Sicilian immigrant Martin Scorsese, “My family lived in the village of …show more content…
The journey was a long three weeks across the Atlantic Ocean. Many slept on the crowded upper deck floor among strangers. Alfred Levitt, a Russian immigrant said, “As we approached New York harbor the statue of liberty was there. It gave me a free feeling, a feeling of liberty, a renewed nation, a renewed hope for a beautiful new life (John F. McDonnell published 12/28/2013). As these immigrants get off the boat they soon see the horrible living conditions in which they are forced to live in, these Tenement Dumbbell houses are five stories high with twenty apartments. The bathrooms and shared community kitchen was located down the hall. During the time of increased immigrants the landlords reconverted over these buildings and apartments were split in half. Cities were overcrowded and often breeding grounds for infectious diseases. The working conditions were even worse. “Although most immigrants earned more than was possible in the impoverished regions from which they came, they endured low wages, long hours, and dangerous working conditions” (Eric Foner published 2017- 5th edition). Children were used as labor in factories and worked long hours. The immigrants often suffered accidents in these factories, many losing limbs with no labor laws to protect them. Despite all of this most immigrants continued with a sense of perseverance as recalled in the words of a Siberian immigrant Clara Hancox,”No matter how bad things were at least we are free”( John F. McDonnell published 12/28/2013).
The immigrants had it hard but their American dream was not in having many material things or living a life of luxury. It was redefined to having freedom. The heart of the immigrant full of hope but what awaits them is a life of hard work and poor living conditions, yet somehow they rise above to redefine their own American
Professor Rick L. Woten
History 153 12010- U.S. History since 1877
04 November 2017
The Immigrants Journey in Redefining the American Dream A dream waiting to come to pass, immigrants finally make the journey to America. These new faces full of hope and expectations of a type of heaven. From 1900-1914 about thirteen million immigrants make their journey to the land of plenty and freedom. They were fleeing their poverty stricken countries in central and southern Europe. A Russian immigrant Mary Gale recalls the horrible conditions,” They were worked to death, never got paid, and lived in huts” (John F. McDonnell published 12/28/2013). As remembered by a Sicilian immigrant Martin Scorsese, “My family lived in the village of …show more content…
The journey was a long three weeks across the Atlantic Ocean. Many slept on the crowded upper deck floor among strangers. Alfred Levitt, a Russian immigrant said, “As we approached New York harbor the statue of liberty was there. It gave me a free feeling, a feeling of liberty, a renewed nation, a renewed hope for a beautiful new life (John F. McDonnell published 12/28/2013). As these immigrants get off the boat they soon see the horrible living conditions in which they are forced to live in, these Tenement Dumbbell houses are five stories high with twenty apartments. The bathrooms and shared community kitchen was located down the hall. During the time of increased immigrants the landlords reconverted over these buildings and apartments were split in half. Cities were overcrowded and often breeding grounds for infectious diseases. The working conditions were even worse. “Although most immigrants earned more than was possible in the impoverished regions from which they came, they endured low wages, long hours, and dangerous working conditions” (Eric Foner published 2017- 5th edition). Children were used as labor in factories and worked long hours. The immigrants often suffered accidents in these factories, many losing limbs with no labor laws to protect them. Despite all of this most immigrants continued with a sense of perseverance as recalled in the words of a Siberian immigrant Clara Hancox,”No matter how bad things were at least we are free”( John F. McDonnell published 12/28/2013).
The immigrants had it hard but their American dream was not in having many material things or living a life of luxury. It was redefined to having freedom. The heart of the immigrant full of hope but what awaits them is a life of hard work and poor living conditions, yet somehow they rise above to redefine their own American