Immigration Project Page

Immigration Simulation

• It is October 25, 1895, and you and your family are trying to get into the United States from a country in Europe

• Your job is to prepare the character of your immigrant (life story, clothes and other possessions, etc.) and try as hard as you can to get your whole family accepted at Ellis Island

Your family must create a documentary video chronicling this journey:

• Why leaving

• Plans for departure

• Dreams for life in America and why this will be better than now

Include in Video

• what possessions are most important/irreplaceable

• what possessions are necessary for survival

• what strengths/skills do you bring to America

• what elements of your life will hinder your success

• hopes and dreams for what will happen in the United States

• Economic and religious conditions in homeland

Your Character

• your job is to create and learn an acceptable life story – you will become this immigrant.  This life story will be written up in your Autobiography

• Open information can be shared with anybody, closed should be kept secret until you reach processing

Your Autobiography:

            Your autobiography is where you flesh out the basic identity you were given on your identity slip into the full identity of your immigrant.  Doing a complete, quality job on your autobiography is absolutely critical to your success in this activity  You need to do 2 drafts of your autobiography.  The first draft is simply the written answers to each of the items below.  The second draft is written out completely, telling the whole story of your life.  No one will read your autobiography except your teacher.  Include the following information in your autobiography.  (Number all information 1 to 12 in your autobiography next to where it appears in your final draft).

“Open” Information

1.  full name, father’s full name, mother’s full name

2. sex, height, weight, build, hair and eye color, complexion, scars and any other important physical characteristics

3. Birth place and date

4. Previous address (nation plus specific rural or urban address)

5. Marital Status (married, divorced, single)

6. Name of husband or wife and any significant information about him/her.

“Closed” Information

7. Health History

a. Have you had any physical diseases?

b. Have you ever been in poor mental health? (If yes, where, when, why, and consequences)

c. Education: How many years of education have you completed? Mention where you wen to grade and High schools and college, if you went to any of these schools.

8. Vocational Background

a. List your previous jobs and lengths of time you held each job.

b. How many jobs have you held in the past year? Why did you leave each job?

c. Were you ever apprenticed to learn a trade?

d. Have you any training in a particular skill?

e. What are your future career hopes?

9. Character

a. If you have been in trouble with the law, tell when, where, and why, and consequences.

b. How much timehave you spent in jail? If any, explain in full why you were incarcerated, where, for how long, and with what consequences.

10. Wealth

a. Indicate whether you are wealthy or poor.

b. If you are wealthy, what exactly is your wealth? (cash? objects?)

c. What is the source of your wealth? (inheritance? your effort?)

11. Politics

a. Did you belong to any political party in the country that you are leaving?

b. Are you apathetic (don’t care), moderate, or extreme in your political convictions?  Explain thoroughly.

12. Religion

a. What religious faith do you follow, if any?

b. Do others in your family follow the same or a different religious faith?