Making America Home

Assignment 1: Discussion—Making America Home

As many immigrants throughout history have learned, the promise of starting a new life elsewhere is often tempered by the realities of adapting to a new culture, language, or way of life. This assignment asks you to consider how various individuals have sought to negotiate the difficulties that come because of such a radical and life-changing move.

Review the first-person accounts presented in the following chapter of the textbook:

• “Putting Down Roots: Immigrants Build Communities In The United States, 1880s–1920s”

Then, select one of those accounts and respond to the following:

• What were the obstacles to assimilation faced by the author of the account?
• How was he or she able to cope with these challenges?
• Do you think these strategies were effective in making the transition to American life easier for this individual? Why?

Write your initial response in a minimum of 200–300 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

By the due date assigned, post your response to the Discussion Area. Through the end of module, review the postings of your peers and respond to at least two of them. Consider commenting on the following:

• Whether specific groups choose particular coping mechanisms and why.
• Whether the chosen mechanisms proved effective in helping the groups assimilate in the long run.

Grading Criteria and Rubric

Grading CriteriaMaximum PointsQuality of initial posting, including fulfillment of assignment instructions16Quality of responses to classmates12Frequency of responses to classmates4Reference to supporting readings and other materials4Language and grammar4Total:40