When facing challenges during the Gilded and Progressive Eras, I would've worked hard to get an adequate education, along with participating in protests to have my voice heard about labor rights and urban living. Workers worked long hours in harsh conditions for low wages, where many struggled to afford basic necessities. Many poor and immigrant families lived in tenements, with poor sanitation and overcrowding. As an Italian teen female, my identity would have been shaped by the opportunity of jobs and the industrial growth. In America, I would have lived in crowded tenements, working in factories, and faced discrimination. In my culture, I would've been expected to contribute to house house duties, but would also want to adapt American culture. The Progressive Reforms played a huge role due to the labor movements, which led to better working conditions and wages. During the Gilded and Progressive Era, historical themes such as inequality, labor rights, and gender roles played a huge role in immigrants' livelihood. These historical themes still carry on to today, continuing to shape modern society.
Coming from the beautifully known country of Italy, I was aboard a ship with 2,000 other people, all with the same hopes as me, opportunity and freedom. My mom and sister, Kaylin, were already in New York. They sent me an envelope with money, telling me that it is my time to come to America.
On the ship, all 2,000 of us had to live in a small compartment, where we had to lay side by side, with no room to move. If one person got sick, everyone else would get sick. I kept pretty healthy knowing what was ahead of me
The journey was 14 days long. The Statue of Liberty was the first thing that anyone could notice. The sign of freedom and opportunity beamed in our eyes. This was such a joyous moment with both excitement and some anxiousness.
When the ship docked, everyone ran and shoved to get off the ship. There was a long line that led to a man that stood tall, wearing black pants and a black coat. I finally got up to him and he asked me my name, how much money I had, and where I will be living once I leave Ellis Island. He told me to take the stairs to the left.
Kaylin and my mom greeted me with a huge welcoming hug. We left the building, and headed to their house that they lived in. I would have imagined an apartment with a nice couch and a granite counter top. Boy was I wrong.
There were two other families living in a small apartment, little to no room to move, and trash scattered on the floor. It felt like I was back on the ship again, where it smelled awful and I couldn't move. Kaylin worked at a market selling fruits. Together, my mom and Kaylin earned about $4.10 a week, enough to buy groceries and barely rent. Now I need to get a job.
I walked out of the tenement, looking to explore the rest of the city. As I turned the corner, there was a large market with people and their push carts. I walked around the market, where many fruits, dairy, meat, and household tools were sold.
As I strolled past the market, there was a large building with a sign that said Settlement House. There were four ladies and one man that walked into the building. I stopped the young man to ask him what this building was for. He told me his name was Mike and that the educators in the building helped immigrants learn English and to adopt the American lifestyle.
I started to make my way back home, but an awful smell shocked me. Ahead, I saw a horse laying on the ground with flies swarming. There was nothing but a foul smell that lingered the streets due to the amount of garbage, manure, and dead animals alongside the roads.
When I got back home, the lady downstairs told me about a job in the factory. She gave me the application that was due the next day. I didn't really know what I was getting myself into, but I filled out the application and made my way down to the factory.
As I entered the factory, there were only women working. I handed my application to the boss (which of course was a man) and he asked me if I had any skills. I told him that I work hard and he said that he sure hopes I do or else I will be fired. He gave me my uniform and told me to go home and get sleep because my first day was tomorrow. He told me I work 6am-8pm, 7 days a week for minimum wage. He has got to be crazy to think I am going to work 14 hours a day, 7 days a week, but I need the money so I must.
The next morning, I woke up and headed to the factory. I held my head high, feeling both anxious and hopeful to be able to provide for my family. I walked into the factory, expecting a warm welcome and a tutorial of what to do, but the boss yelled "Get To Work".
I was handed a How-To Guide to weave cloth. Man, I never knew it could be so difficult and time consuming. When 8pm hit, I sluggishly dragged myself home, shuffling my feet down the road. As I arrived at home, I saw Kaylin laying desperately on the floor. My mom had to explain that she came down with a serious virus.
A week went by and it was time for my paycheck to meet my hands. I walked happily to work, but when I got there, my pay check said $2.45. I thought this was a mistake, but yet it wasn't. I had $2 taken out of my paycheck for being 1 minute late to work and jamming the machine on my first day.
EARNED: $2.45
DEDUCTIONS:
$2- late, jammed machine
When I got home, I gave the money I earned to my mom. She told me that she expected more from me since I spent 14 hours a day for a whole week. I went around the block to the Settlement house that Mike told me about. I pushed through the doors and saw him and two other ladies sitting there. They welcomed me and brought a chair over to the table for me.
The two ladies at the table were sisters, they said that they were from Russia. Mike added that he was from Italy, just like me. Right then and there I knew we would have a great bond. The teacher came from around the corner and helped us learn better English, and the skills needed to get a better job.
As I walked down the street, I smelled nothing but a repugnant odor. The site of piles of feces on the sides of the roads, with many people laying on the ground, looking deathly ill will never leave my mind.
I arrived back at the house and Kaylin looked much worse. She looked like she had been hit by a bus. She looks like she needed desperate medical assistance, but it costed more than we could afford.
After a miserable day at work, I went to the market with Kaylins pushcart to help earn some extra money. I decided to try to sell fruits from 8pm to midnight. I arrived back home with an extra $2 in my pocket, but saw the site of my mom and Kaylin both coughing and with a burning fever.
The other family in the tenement also said they weren't feeling well, but they aren't as sick as my mom and sister. I had to collect the money from everyone in the house, and get groceries for everyone.
$2
I made my way out of the house, making my way to the market. This time I didn't have a pushcart with me. I visited every cart and glanced at all of the products. I knew that I needed dairy, fruit, vegetables, breads, and meats.
I bargained my way to some cheaper products. I had $5 to spend, but I went home with all of my products for only $3.85. Now I had extra money to save for next month after paying off our rent.
I made my way down to the settlement house, hoping to find Mike. Luckily, he was there and greeted me with a long and extended wave. We walked through the doors together and learned more about the American lifestyle.
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When facing challenges during the Gilded and Progressive Eras, I would've worked hard to get an adequate education, along with participating in protests to have my voice heard about labor rights and urban living. Workers worked long hours in harsh conditions for low wages, where many struggled to afford basic necessities. Many poor and immigrant families lived in tenements, with poor sanitation and overcrowding. As an Italian teen female, my identity would have been shaped by the opportunity of jobs and the industrial growth. In America, I would have lived in crowded tenements, working in factories, and faced discrimination. In my culture, I would've been expected to contribute to house house duties, but would also want to adapt American culture. The Progressive Reforms played a huge role due to the labor movements, which led to better working conditions and wages. During the Gilded and Progressive Era, historical themes such as inequality, labor rights, and gender roles played a huge role in immigrants' livelihood. These historical themes still carry on to today, continuing to shape modern society.
Coming from the beautifully known country of Italy, I was aboard a ship with 2,000 other people, all with the same hopes as me, opportunity and freedom. My mom and sister, Kaylin, were already in New York. They sent me an envelope with money, telling me that it is my time to come to America.
On the ship, all 2,000 of us had to live in a small compartment, where we had to lay side by side, with no room to move. If one person got sick, everyone else would get sick. I kept pretty healthy knowing what was ahead of me
The journey was 14 days long. The Statue of Liberty was the first thing that anyone could notice. The sign of freedom and opportunity beamed in our eyes. This was such a joyous moment with both excitement and some anxiousness.
When the ship docked, everyone ran and shoved to get off the ship. There was a long line that led to a man that stood tall, wearing black pants and a black coat. I finally got up to him and he asked me my name, how much money I had, and where I will be living once I leave Ellis Island. He told me to take the stairs to the left.
Kaylin and my mom greeted me with a huge welcoming hug. We left the building, and headed to their house that they lived in. I would have imagined an apartment with a nice couch and a granite counter top. Boy was I wrong.
There were two other families living in a small apartment, little to no room to move, and trash scattered on the floor. It felt like I was back on the ship again, where it smelled awful and I couldn't move. Kaylin worked at a market selling fruits. Together, my mom and Kaylin earned about $4.10 a week, enough to buy groceries and barely rent. Now I need to get a job.
I walked out of the tenement, looking to explore the rest of the city. As I turned the corner, there was a large market with people and their push carts. I walked around the market, where many fruits, dairy, meat, and household tools were sold.
As I strolled past the market, there was a large building with a sign that said Settlement House. There were four ladies and one man that walked into the building. I stopped the young man to ask him what this building was for. He told me his name was Mike and that the educators in the building helped immigrants learn English and to adopt the American lifestyle.
I started to make my way back home, but an awful smell shocked me. Ahead, I saw a horse laying on the ground with flies swarming. There was nothing but a foul smell that lingered the streets due to the amount of garbage, manure, and dead animals alongside the roads.
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