1850 to 1930 By Kate Suto

ALINA AMANTLILA FELIKS " I am on the voyage to my new home in America. I don't want to leave my friends in Poland. My parents keep telling me that this will be a fun journey in life. We are very rich in my country and I think that I will now be one of the poor. I also think that we be so poor here in America, that I will have to work! I don't want to work! This scares me. I now see what the Americans call the Statue of Liberty. After 30 terrible days we finally arrive. I want to go back so bad." "The trip to America is tiring. I can't wait to get to America! I am excited to arrive. My teachers in Poland said that 'America is the Country of Hopes and Dreams.' I hope they are right. Wait they are going to be right! I believe them. My family is one of the poorer families from Poland. Alina Amant, a rich girl from my old country is on this boat, too. I hope we can be friends she is the only person, besides my family, that I know on the boat. One of the ships workers said we are near Ellis Island!! The rich people can see the Statue of Liberty. I wish I could, too. The journey has been hard and I can't wait for the rest of it, when I am on land!!!"

Belongings A young boy with all of his belongings stored away for the journey to America in a small trunk. The polish immigrants would pack ALL of their belongings into small trunks and/or boxes. Proving how little they had. Some didn’t bring anything thinking they would get rich off the gold in America and would buy a bunch of new things.

Departure and Arrival Many were excited to get off the boat. Some even jumped off of the boat and were later caught and had to pay a fee. Poor families who were placed on the lower deck were not able to see the Statue of Liberty as their greeting to America. Where as those who are rich did see the greeting of the statue. Polish immigrants waiting to get their bags checked to go to their new home in America. Polish immigrants arriving at Ellis Island in 1927.

Careers and Jobs Many took the jobs as Factory workers, farmers, and Meat- Packers. They took any of the jobs they could to support their families. Even the kids (example- bottom, right-hand picture) worked long and grueling hours to support their families. This is a picture of Propaganda/ Cartoon showing one of the small hardships of Polish Immigrants. This is an example of what the jobs were like for the kids who immigrated. They had to work hard to support their families.

Immigrants lived hard lives in their new home in America. Leaving Poland brought problems the immigrants thought were not going to happen. The Americans were rude and not very kind to the new citizens. They thought more people less jobs and less wage. The problem of over-crowding became a big issue in America. A woman and her children after they immigrated to America. Immigrant Families battled difficult problems in their new life in America.