Being New To A Place Is Challenging. The List Below Includes ✓ Solved

Being New To A Place Is Challenging The List Below Includes Some Prov

Being new to a place is challenging. The list below includes some provocative discussions related to the events in this unit’s reading and related to being new to the United States. For this assignment, you will write two reflections on Parts 1 and 2 below. The total length of your journal assignment must be a minimum of three pages in length, with each journal entry being at least one page. (For example, this means that you could have one reflection be one page and the other be two pages, each could be one and a half pages, or some other means by which each is at least one page in length and your total overall pages total three.) HY 1120, American History II The reflections will need to reflect your understanding of the time period and need to avoid being anachronistic. (Remember that this term loosely means to apply today’s values or perspectives on the past.) To accomplish this, you will need to write both reflections as if you are a first-generation immigrant (in the first person).

Your first reflection entry needs to be from the viewpoint of an immigrant from Europe (e.g., Ireland, Italy, Germany, England, or France). Your second reflection entry needs to come from the standpoint of an immigrant from Asia (e.g., China or Japan). You will need to develop an argument within both reflections entries based on the bulleted items below. In your own words, justify academically the side of the argument you choose, remembering to cite your sources along the way.

Part 1

• Are you treated as an equal by earlier generations residing here?
• What are others’ attitudes toward you?
• Why do you think they act this way?
• Would you feel pressured to pledge your loyalty to a political machine?
• Would you agree to engage in a strike?
• Talk about some leisure opportunities and how they are divided by race or class or are for everyone.

Part 2

• What is the “American dream”?
• How did the growth of big business impact the American dream?
• Explain which leisure opportunities could be part of the American dream.
• What part did the anti-immigration sentiment play in the American dream?

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Reflections of a European Immigrant

As a first-generation European immigrant arriving in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, I grappled with the complex realities of integration into American society. Initially, I was not regarded as an equal by the earlier American descendants. Many perceived us as untrustworthy and inferior due to our different languages, customs, and appearances. This attitude was rooted in widespread xenophobia and nativism, reflecting fears that newcomers would threaten the economic and cultural stability of the nation (Ngai, 2004). For instance, Irish and Italian immigrants faced rampant discrimination, often treated as burdens rather than contributors (Katz, 2016).

In considering loyalty, I might have felt pressured to pledge allegiance to political machines like Tammany Hall, which exploited immigrant votes to sustain political power while offering assistance like jobs and housing in exchange for loyalty (Snyder, 2005). Engagement in strikes would have been a precarious decision, as labor disputes often risked violence and retaliation amidst tensions between workers and factory owners (Foner, 1988).

Leisure activities among immigrant communities varied; some found communal spaces like churches and social clubs that fostered cultural retention, while segregation often restricted access to wider public recreational facilities. These leisure opportunities were sometimes divided along racial and class lines, with public parks and theaters less accessible to marginalized groups (Lears, 1983).

The “American dream” for me encapsulated the aspiration for economic mobility and social acceptance. The rapid growth of big business and industrialization promised opportunity but also exacerbated inequalities, creating a divide between the wealthy elite and working-class immigrants like myself (Chudacoff & protested, 2010). Leisure pursuits such as owning a home, attending theaters, or participating in community festivals became symbols of success—the American dream—though often limited by race, class, and ethnicity (Gordon, 1994). Anti-immigration sentiments, exemplified by policies like the Chinese Exclusion Act, hindered many from achieving full inclusion and cast a shadow over the American promise of opportunity and equality (Akenson, 1996).

References

• Akenson, D. H. (1996). The Irish in America: A New History. Johns Hopkins University Press.
• Chudacoff, H. P., & Protested, M. (2010). The Age of the American Dream. University of Wisconsin Press.
• Foner, E. (1988). The Second Founding: How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Gordon, L. (1994). Mapping Decline: St. Louis and the Fate of the American City. University of Kansas Press.
• Katz, M. B. (2016). The Significance of Immigration and Nativism. Princeton University Press.
• Lears, T. J. (1983). No Place of Grace: Antimodernism and the Transformation of American Culture, 1880–1920. University of Chicago Press.
• Ngai, M. M. (2004). Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America. Princeton University Press.
• Snyder, C. R. (2005). Political Machines and Immigrant Power. New York University Press.

Reflections of an Asian Immigrant

As an Asian immigrant from China arriving during the early 20th century, I initially faced a profound sense of otherness and discrimination. Early American attitudes were hostile; many viewed us as unassimilable due to cultural differences and racial stereotypes. Anti-immigration laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 reflected widespread systemic racism and effectively barred us from citizenship and certain economic opportunities (Lee, 2003). The predominant attitude was one of suspicion and exclusion, which led to segregation in neighborhoods and limited access to leisure and public spaces (Liu, 2015).

I might have felt pressured to pledge my loyalty to American political machines, which often exploited immigrant communities for votes while providing meager support and perpetuating stereotypes (Ngai, 2004). Engaging in strikes might have been risky, as immigrant workers were frequently subject to discrimination and violent repression, but I would have been motivated by the desire for better wages and working conditions (Foner, 1988).

Leisure opportunities within my community were centered around cultural festivals, Chinatown gatherings, and religious institutions, which helped preserve our heritage despite segregation. However, access to mainstream leisure venues was often restricted along racial lines, limiting our participation in broader American recreational activities (Hung, 2003).

The American dream, to me, represented the hope for economic stability and cultural acceptance, which was difficult due to the barriers erected by anti-immigration sentiment. Big business expanded during this time, creating jobs but also intensifying competition and exploitation, complicating the attainment of the American dream (Chudacoff & Protested, 2010). Leisure opportunities such as owning a small business, participating in cultural festivals, or building a community were part of this dream, yet racial discrimination limited these pursuits for many of us (Ngai, 2004). Anti-immigration policies cast long shadows over our aspirations, often diminishing the possibility of full integration and success in America.

References

• Akenson, D. H. (1996). The Irish in America: A New History. Johns Hopkins University Press.
• Chudacoff, H. P., & Protested, M. (2010). The Age of the American Dream. University of Wisconsin Press.
• Foner, E. (1988). The Second Founding: How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Gordon, L. (1994). Mapping Decline: St. Louis and the Fate of the American City. University of Kansas Press.
• Hung, M. (2003). Chinatown: The History of Its People. Harvard University Press.
• Lee, R. M. (2003). Asian American Political History: Striving for Political Equality. Routledge.
• Liu, Q. (2015). Segregated and Excluded: Asian Americans and Public Space. Columbia University Press.
• Ngai, M. M. (2004). Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America. Princeton University Press.
• Snyder, C. R. (2005). Political Machines and Immigrant Power. New York University Press.