September 2021

America is a country made of many cultures. Through learning from one another and sharing our traditions, customs, and even foods, we have created a unique country. At the turn of the century, we had a huge influx of immigration. Many of the people in our homeschool group can trace their heritage to a relative that came to America during this time period. We opened the school year with an Immigration Day. 

The kids were dropped off at a neighbor’s house, representing a ship that was coming to America. They were from Germany, Italy, Russia, and Turkey. They all had cards that had information about why they were coming and a little of the language. 

Upon arrival they had to fill out paperwork and get tags for their luggage. One of the parents talked to the kids about the history of what we were going to experience and what was going to take place that day. 

They took a ferry (pickup truck) to Ellis Island (the house that hosts our group for school). As they passed the Statue of Liberty, they listened to an immigrant from that time period tell what it was like for him to see the Statue of Liberty upon his arrival to America. When they arrived, they had to check in their luggage, exchange their currency, receive mental and medical examinations, purchase their train tickets, and buy a box lunch with their new American dollars.

If they were approved, they got back on the ferry to go to the main land (the back yard). At the gate before entering, they had to sign the log book.

Upon entering, they were greeted by relatives that had come to America at an earlier date (parents and grandparents attending). 

They were handed a list of jobs in our newspaper, given out by a newspaper boy, so they could make a living. The jobs consisted of steelworkers, horologists (clock makers), factory workers, doll maker, crane engineers, and launderers.

At the end of the day, we talked about the experience and one of the parents talked about how she became an American citizen.