4.7 - Immigration and Migration
From EngageNY
IMMIGRATION AND MIGRATION FROM THE EARLY 1800S TO THE PRESENT: Many people have immigrated and migrated to New York State contributing to its cultural growth and development.4.7a Immigrants came to New York State for a variety of reasons. Many immigrants arriving in New York City were greeted by the sight of the Statue of Liberty and were processed through Ellis Island.
- Students will trace the arrival of various immigrant groups to New York State in the Mid-1800s, 1890s, 1920s, mid-1900s, 1990s, and today, examining why they came and where they settled, noting the role of the Irish potato famine.
- Students will explore the experiences of immigrants being processed at Ellis Island and what challenges immigrants faced.
- Students will investigate factory conditions experienced by immigrants by examining sweatshops, the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, the use child labor, and the formation of labor unions.
- Students will investigate the requirements for becoming a United States citizen.
- Students will research an immigrant group in their local community or nearest city in terms of where that group settled, what types of jobs they held, and what services were available to them such as ethnic social clubs and fraternal support organizations.
- Students will investigate the reasons African Americans moved into northern cities.
- Students will investigate artists, writers, and musicians associated with the Harlem Renaissance.
Supporting Materials
 |
All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown (Unabridged)Sydney Taylor grew up among immigrant families on New York City's Lower East Side prior to World War I and wrote the All-of-a-Kind Family series for her daughter. This sequel finds talented Ella, mischievous Henny, studious Sarah, dreamy Charlotte, and little Gertie helping Mama with... |
|
|
Brooklyn Bridge (Unabridged)On that day in 1903, 14-year-old Joseph Michtom's life changed irrevocably when his parents - Russian immigrants - created the first teddy bear. No longer did the Michtom's gather family and friends around the kitchen table to talk. No longer was Joseph at leisure to play stickball with the guys... |
 |
Emma's Poem: The Voice of the Statue of LibertyIn 1883, Emma Lazarus, deeply moved by an influx of immigrants from eastern Europe, wrote a sonnet that gave a voice to the Statue of Liberty. Originally a gift from France to celebrate our shared national struggles for liberty, the statue, thanks to Emma's poem, came to define us as a nation... |
|
|
Immigrant Kids (Unabridged)Many people came to America in the early 1900s looking for jobs, opportunity, and freedom, and a lot of them were kids. But what happened to all these immigrant children after they passed inspection at New York’s Ellis Island - that is, if they passed inspection? Life was not easy for immigrants... |
 |
Moving to the CityMillions of immigrants, as well as thousands already in America, moved to the city in the decades following Reconstruction. The living and social conditions of the huddled masses during this era are examined, using the cities of New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. |
|
|
Peppe the LamplighterIn the tradition of Lois Lowry and Paul Fleischman, Elisa Bartone's Caldecott Honor-winning book gives children a glimpse into American history and the immigrant experience. This is the story of Peppe, who becomes a lamplighter to help support his immigrant family in turn-of-the-century... |
 |
The People and Cultures of New YorkThe diverse peoples and cultures who call New York home are a huge part of what makes the state so unique. This book delves into the history of immigration in New York and the different cultures that have helped shape New York into the state it is today. Thoughtful text is supplemented by... |
Learn more on Engage NY
EngageNY.org is developed and maintained by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to support the implementation of key aspects of the New York State Board of Regents Reform Agenda.
This is the official web site for current materials and resources related to the Regents Reform Agenda. The agenda includes the implementation of the New York State P-12 Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS), Teacher and Leader Effectiveness (TLE), and Data-Driven Instruction (DDI). EngageNY.org is dedicated to providing educators across New York State with real-time, professional learning tools and resources to support educators in reaching the State’s vision for a college and career ready education for all students.