Intro and Life in Your Homeland
Character’s Name and Age Family History – who is in your family, what do they do, how old are they Description of life in your homeland Why you want to immigrate to America – reasons for wanting to leave your country and reasons for wanting to go to America
Describe your trip to America
How did you get out of your home country? Was it difficult? Did you bring your whole family or did you come alone? Why did you make the choice you did? How are you getting to America? How long did it take you to get to America? Describe what your journey was like. What was the ship like, food, attitude of people. Did people die along the way?
Arrival in America
Describe the location where you entered the United States. Angel Island? Ellis Island? Somewhere else? Describe your experience when you arrived in the United States. What examinations did you have to take? Health History – do you have any health problems – tuberculosis, hunger, a rash, coal miner’s cough, etc.? Describe your feelings about being in America.
First days in America
Now that you are here in America describe what you see around you – the city, the people, etc. How are you being treated? Where do you plan to settle in America? Will you stay where you have arrived or will you move to another location? Why? What do you plan to do in America? Will you do the same type of work you did in your homeland or will you seek some other type of employment?
Six months to One Year after your arrival in America
What has life in America been like for you? Describe some of your major experiences including o The hardships you faced (Language, housing, etc.) o How have American citizens treated you? o Have you been able to work toward or achieve your dreams? o Do you plan to stay in America or return to your homeland after your experiences? Explain your decision.
Look at the information above and use as much as you can in your entries. Make a cover for your diary, with the name of your fictional character. Example: Sean O’Flannery From Ireland to America: My Diary You may type or handwrite your entries. You should have a minimum of 15 entries with a minimum of 5 sentences in each entry. Divide your entries out so they cover all the requirements above. Each entry needs a date. Try to use historical facts about actual immigrations from other countries to America. Be creative and have fun. **REMEMBER, THIS IS A CREATIVE WRITING ASSIGNMENT BASED ON HISTORICAL FACTS (Historical fiction).