UNIT II AMERICAN HISTORY II HOMEWORK DUE TODAY BY 9PM CENTRAL TIME

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Unit II: Reflection Paper

Unit II: Reflection Paper

Catherine Richardson

Columbia Southern University

Awaken by the sounds of others talking and in amazement of what they are seeing of what is known to be the “Land of Opportunity” or America. We sail through the New York harbor passing a statue in which they call the statue of liberty standing tall as she is a symbol of strength reading “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free”(Lazarus, n.d.). I could only hope this message was true but I also questioned myself if this was a true illustration of the America I would soon enter. Many of us “Germans” came on this journey to America to escape the civil unrest of Germany in hope to get away from having to live in poverty, oppression, and political danger. I needed a better job to provide for my family to offer the younger generation a better future. Arriving at Ellis Island I am filled with many thoughts and hopes, but as we enter I feel the mistrust and prejudice from the Americans. After I went through the in-processing requirements at Ellis Island where many factors that made me who I am was scrutinized I knew America was going to be the land of opportunity I hoped for. My family and I lived in tenement buildings because they was cheaper and what we could afford