Week 1
This week we will be concentrating on the movement of people within the United States and to the United States during the Turn of the Century. Activites to complete include two quizzes and a choice of one of three projects.

The late 1800s through the early 1900s was a time of movement for many people. Not only were people moving from other countries to America, people within America were moving. Sometimes these movements were forced. As we will see in this week's work, people were moving from other countries to gain freedom and opportunity, while Native Americans were being forced to move from their homeland onto reservations to face more restrictions. America was a booming nation in the early 1900s. Factories were opening in all of the major cities providing jobs for many people. Countries such as Ireland, Germany, and other European nations had not experienced such a growth in jobs and therefore its citizens were looking elsewhere for work. In fact, some of these countries had suffered from catastrophic events causing people to leave in order to survive! One of those events was the Great Potato Famine in Ireland. A blight spread across Ireland causing its number one food source, potatos, to whither and die on the vines. To avoid starvation, many Irish emmigrated to America. Other groups left their homelands to avoid religious persecution. Many Jewish people from Europe landed in America to practice their religion without fear of being punished. In general, people emmigrated to America for a better life and more opportunities. They hoped to find those opportunities through jobs in cities or by farming on the plentiful American plains.

 

Watch the following video clips about immigration and complete the quiz below.

Immigration Waves
The Pursuit of Happiness

 

The movement of more people Westward meant that they were moving onto lands used by Native Americans. The U.S. government established policies that favored the white settlers over the Native Americans. Reservations were established for the Native Americans to live on, but their way of life, roaming the West, was destroyed. Native Americans were accustomed to roaming with the Buffalo and other food sources, not living with strict limitations of movement.

Watch the following movie segments about Native American movement and answer the quiz questions below. Next, complete the one of the three projects presented on the Assignment page.

Clashes between Indians and Settlers
Tribes of the Plains
Westward Expansion

Go to the Assignments Page to complete the work for this week.