The Promised Land, 1860-1900 (Overview)

To come and live in America, immigrants had to go through a lot to get to the place they thought would change their lives and open up doors they didn't even believe existed. They did all they could to find enough money to bring them, and if they're lucky, their families. For all different reasons and hardships they endured in their native countries, they traveled here to escape and have the freedom of new opportunities. They were promised jobs, coming from lands where jobs are scarce. But when they arrived in America, the jobs they could get were in crowded factories working all day, every day in terrible conditions. Entire families had to work in order for them to live in crowded, uncomfortable apartments. They saved every penny they made in order to achieve the opportunities that would otherwise never be available to them. But, the reality is, they really didn't have the opportunities most other Americans had and they couldn't achieve as much in their lifetimes. How immigrants were treated by other Americans really proves how we feel that every other person is inferior to anyone lucky enough to call themselves an American. This furthers the definition of being an American. But, it also complicates it. There's a state of mind most Americans have and a picture in their heads of what an American is, and anyone who doesn’t fit that description is and never will be as good as they are. It seems that Americans are always looking for some group to discriminate and hate. At the time immigrants first began arriving in America, blacks were still slaves. Because the immigrants traveled here of their own will and not taken here to be slaves, they were repressed and separated from the rest of the country, making it impossible for them to achieve everything they wanted to in the country they worked so hard to come to. But, "despite prejudice and problems, immigrants still found in the United States a promised land of opportunity." This shows that instead of fighting back and trying to be seen as equals, immigrants accepted that they were strangers in this country and that they would not be treated the same and still saw America as the best place they could be in. This also proves how no matter how bad things get here, there is another place in the world that is doing way worse. Through terrible labor and living situations and unmerciful discrimination, immigrants chose to work with the cards they were dealt and believe that whatever happened here, if they had stayed in their former country things would be worse.

"The Promised Land, 1860-1900 (Overview)." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 28 Jan. 2010. .

Thoughts on Immigration

In many ways, immigration connects to many of the things we learned during the Civil Rights unit. I don't know much about immigration and immigrants, but I know that they were mistreated in this country, which isn't really too surprising. From what we've learned so far about American history, it is not hard to come to the conclusion that we have a tenancy to be afraid of change and people that maybe are a little bit different. I wanted to learn more about the topic of immigration because it shows some of the main issues of American people and culture when we attempt to coexist with those of a different culture. It's interesting how Americans seem perfectly fine with trading goods and acquiring new technologies and ideas with other countries, but when people from those countries move in next door they don't really want them there. in America, it seems like only certain people are really considered American while others are not even if their families have lived there for generations. Learning more about immigration will help me to understand what it was like for people to travel for weeks on boats from countries all over the world to be free, and then get here and be treated as an outsider. As a country that was originally supposed to be welcoming to all people who wanted to be free, it doesn't seem like America has ever really tried to be follow this idea. After all, the founders of this country were technically immigrants, right? Every single American's ancestors were immigrants to this country at some point from all over the world. Without people immigrating to America, it wouldn't be at all like it is today, and the progress we have made in this country all these years would never have occured.

Obama's State of the Union Speech

Obama seems to be trying to unite the country. Although there are many things that he does that everyone may not agree with, it is not hard to see how much he is dedicated to America and the people of America. When he talked about the Republicans and Democrats getting along and working together for the change everyone wants to see instead of arguing and disagreeing about everything, he reminds everyone what this country is all about. America is supposed to be about the people and what is best for them despite their differences.
Lately, people haven't been hiding their criticisms for Obama and the change (or lack of change) that has happened over the course of the past year. But, he explained the things that have actually improved even if it is just a little bit, and shows his optimism about the future of America. The people lately have been putting too much weight on the president, and not doing enough themselves. They seem to expect Obama to be able to fix all that's wrong in this country in as quick as a year, which isn't really possible with all he has on his plate. Even though I think that he could be doing a little more to improve everything, I haven't really done anything myself to make things better.

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