us history extra credit assignment

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90 Extra Credit Assignments

Extra credit primary source assignment.

Pick one of the online primary sources assigned from the past two modules (Growing Pains: The New Republic, 1790-1820 and Industrial Transformation in the North: 1800-1850). Remember, primary sources are sources from the time we are studying — not stuff written about it later.

Answer the question about it, following the procedure provided, and using quoted evidence from the source. You may supplement your answer with evidence from other primary sources, or with information from our textbook.

Write a long paragraph/short page about your source (250 words):

Question: What does your chosen source demonstrate about the time period when it was produced?

In order to answer this question, you will probably want to do the following:

• Explain and analyze what you can determine about the author, the author’s point of view.
• Explain and analyze what you can determine about document’s likely audience, and their point of view.
• Summarize and explain the author’s message.  What do they want to convince their audience to do or think?  How do they go about this?
• Explain and analyze what you can determine about the context in which the document was produced.

If you wish to do this assignment more than once, you may.  (Email me for details.)

Points from this assignment will be added to your final grade.

Extra Credit Movie Assignment

Pick one of the following films relevant to the past few weeks’ material:

• One or more episodes of the John Adams TV series from HBO (2008)
• Amistad (1997)
• Twelve Years a Slave (2013)

You’ll need to obtain them yourself (Netflix or a library, or something).

Watch the film. In a long paragraph/short page (250 words) consider how the film-maker depicted the past and what decisions he or she made.

• Explain and analyze what you can determine about the film’s creator and the film-maker’s point of view.
• Explain and analyze what you can determine about film’s likely audience, and their point of view.
• Summarize and explain the film-maker’s message.  What do they want to convince their audience to do or think?  How do they go about this?
• Explain and analyze what you can determine about the context in which the objects were produced.

You may do this assignment more than once.  Email me for further details.

United States History I Copyright © by Lumen Learning is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Archive for the 'extra credit assignment' category.

Jul 14 2011

Posted by under Extra Credit Assignment

• The Museum of the City of New York

As a growing industrial center, New York City required increasingly more advanced modes of transportation to accommodate the massive population and demand for goods and services. The Museum of the City of New York exhibits the variety of transportation vehicles, developed in a period of over a century, in the form of toy models. It includes everything from animal-pulled carts to modern automobiles.

Before the days of the Model T Ford, horses operated most wheeled vehicles. Horse carriages served as a leisure way of traveling the city, but a similar carriage also operated as an emergency fire truck. The Museum displays models of early fire “trucks” fully equipped with hoses, hooks, and ladders, all necessary items to put out fires. At first, it required lots of effort from many volunteers at the scene in order to successfully extinguish flame; they all needed to manually pump water from the truck. Eventually, this tough work evolved into a fire department in 1865, consisting of paid workers.

Though not as common as horse-drawn wagons, dog carts were also used to get around. Horse-drawn wagons typically can transport about three people at once and were efficient in delivering goods through long distance. By contrast, dog carts were useful to transport children shorter distances and assist peddlers by lugging around the goods for sale.

By the 1930s, horse-drawn carriages were replaced by larger vehicles that were powered by engines. The Bell Telephone Company Truck was one of the first company trucks to help expand a business. The company was now able to easily navigate the city and repair any damaged telephone wires. In addition, this also helped the planting of underground telephone wires, which were more likely to avoid damage due to weather.

Also around the same time, in 1927, news of Charles A. Lindbergh’s unprecedented flight across the Atlantic Ocean, from New York to Paris, marked a bright future of aircraft. Lindbergh’s plane used in his legendary flight was nicknamed The Spirit of St. Louis to honor his hometown. As his trip demonstrated, cities that are miles apart could suddenly communicate and exchange goods without very long waits. Pretty soon, more airplanes were being built globally, and airports emerged as well.

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Posted by kenji.ueno under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

• African Burial Ground

On the day before the final exam, I went to visit the African Burial Ground as for a traceback of what I’ve learned in the HIS 1000 class, since learning about the slave was one of the first things we learned at the beginning of the class as I recall. There are Two sites that I have visited; the National Monument and the Visitor Center. The visit to the both sites of African Burial Ground was truly a great experience of learning history that we usually cannot get information from class. This place is very important for the history of the New York City although many of us living in here don’t know even about the existence of slavery in New York.

The first thing I saw in front of me was the National Monument. I didn’t intend to visit from the monument, but as I was trying to find the entrance to the Visitor Center, I found the National Monument. There was a lady guide who explained basis of the monument, and by listening to her and seeing the monument itself, I learned that the height of the Ancestral Liberation Chamber represents the depth below the surface where the ancestral were discovered, and also the spirit of the Africans. I found that there were several symbols engraved on the wall of the Circle of the Diaspora, and the symbols shows the diversity of African culture.

Ancestral Libation Chamber

After successfully found the entrance to the Visitor Center, I found more of the truth behind the slavery in New York. But before that I was stopped by the security, and went through heavy security check although I didn’t have anything suspicious on me. Finally the security guard let me in, and the first thing that caught my eye was one of the creation in the center of the exhibitions. As you can see from the picture below, there are people with sad looking faces surrounding a coffin and a smaller box on top of the coffin. I was wondering what was the box on the coffin, and found out that it was a coffin for a baby. The scene is capturing before lowering the coffins blessing for the deaths in the dark. The African slaves only could bury their dead family members either before the sunset or after their work under the city law. As thinking of the fact that such people are still remaining under the place where I was standing upon, and seeing the set of pictures of uncovered people and the numbers of those who are buried under the ground, I couldn’t help but to feel the sadness.

Families gathering to lay loved ones to rest underground

Pictures of uncovered African slaves

As I go around the exhibition, I found some more of new facts about the slavery that I didn’t learn in class. I found out that before the arrival of Europeans on the Africa, there was slavery system in Africa. The Africans back in their homeland were kidnapping people in order to switch their places so they can avoid being forced to be slave over the sea. Another thing was that the slaves who became sick were thrown out to the sea on the way of shipment. The other fact that I newly found out was the hardship of their labor work. The one thing I saw was the work at the docks. The slaves were unloading and loading the 50 gallos of barrels fully filled with rums which would have weighted over 400 pounds. I could actually move the barrel for experiencing the work of the slaves, but that barrel was very heavy although it was made easier to move compared to the real work the slaves had been doing back then. The men surely have worn out by the work, from sunset till night time, everyday… Just imagining of the life of them made me sweat. Although the slaves had somewhat a freedom guaranteed by the Dutch West India Company, such as owning property or getting married, those hardships were just cruel.

This barrel weights about 400lb, same as the ones slaves were loading and unloading at the docks

Africans being captured for slave trades

This visit was lots of astonishments for me. There were numbers of facts about slavery that people in the NYC, and in New York State don’t know in the history until the abolishment of the slavery in New York in 1827. Who knows, even under where we usually walk, there might be slaves buried deep underground. Back to the chamber of the National Monument, there is a heart shaped symbol engraved. The symbol is called the “Sankofa” which means “learn from the past to prepare for the future.” These words and the symbols all over the monument have a huge meaning for us to be reminded that those African slaves are buried under us. This visit became more than just an extra credit assignment, and I could learn something very important that should never be forgotten.

The Sankofa symbol, meaning "learn from the past to prepare for the future"

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Jul 13 2011

Posted by ff122986 under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

The African Burial Ground

Located at the corners of Duane and Elk Streets in lower Manhattan, the African Burial Ground was discovered in 1991 when during excavation work for a new federal office building, workers discovered the skeletal remains of the first of more than 400 men, women and children. With much persuasion from civil rights groups, the site was developed into a memorial and declared a historical landmark. A museum was later erected to tell the stories of the slaves buried at the ground, and also show pictures of the skeletal remains of the slaves. Research shows that nearly half of the skeletons are of individuals age 12 and under. Virtually all lived hard lives, as evinced by the many bone fractures characteristic of a life spent hauling heavy loads.

Birdseye view of Memorial from Wikipedia

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Posted by Natalia Abramov-V. under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

Eastern European Jews immigration to the Lower East Side in 20th century. Lower East Side Tenement Museum

There is no other country in the world that is more closely associated with immigration than the United States of America. During the centuries millions of immigrants came to the USA. However, the peak of immigration to the USA took place in 20th century when 17.3 million of immigrants from all over the world came to America seeking a better life. Out of those, 90.4 percent of immigrants came from Europe. (qtd.Jackson). People immigrated to the USA for many reasons: some of them came because of the economic opportunities, while others sought political, religious and cultural freedom in the USA. Among those who searched for political and cultural freedom were Eastern European Jews who were persecuted, discriminated, and even murdered in their own countries. Though they faced tremendous difficulties on their way to America and encountered many barriers in the new country, they bravely met the challenges and felt happier and safer in the USA.

Most of the Eastern European Jews fled to New York City because of social contacts and established Jewish communities in this city. The first neighborhood in which Eastern European Jews settled was the Lower East Side that is now bounded to the north by 14th Street, to the east by the East River, to the south by Fulton and Franklin Street, and to the west by Pearl Street and Broadway. The Lower East Side was a home for many ethnic groups from all over the world during 20th century. The first pioneers from Europe to Lower East Side were Irish immigrants in the 1833, who settled the first tenements in the northern section along Bowery. Then German immigrants settled north of Houston Street in the 1840s. In the 1880s the Lower East Side welcomed immigrants from Italy, Jews from Eastern Europe, Russians, Romanians, Hungarians, Ukrainians, Slovaks, Greeks and Poles. “By the 1900, the Lower East Side was not only an urban region of astonishing ethnic diversity but also the most densely populated place in the world” (qtd. in O’Donnell). However, the largest and the most influential ethnic group on the Lower East Side was the Eastern European Jews that constituted a population of 400.000 in 1920 (Jackson 769).

The immigration of Eastern European Jews to the USA in 20th century had many motives. But the main reasons were the discrimination, persecution, fear and economic problems they faced in their native counties. There were also restriction on Jewish religion, education and professional activities. Jews were not allowed to work in agriculture and were compelled to make a living as craftsmen and peddlers. Hence, many Jews experienced a fear of being rubbed, beaten or even murdered by Anti-Semites during that period in Eastern Europe. For example, in Russia a government conducted the “Pogrom” and the “Russification program” that were purposed to destroy Jews as an ethnical group. (qtd. in Vogelsang). Hundreds of Jewish villages and neighborhoods were burned and thousands of Jews were murdered by soldiers and peasants.

Thus, a lot of Jews who had been discriminated and persecuted in Eastern Europe found asylum in the USA. They faced many challenges on their adventure to America. Many immigrants were poor, so they travelled in the lowest class, where hundreds of people were crowded in the steerage of the ship or third class passengers. The journey to America took about two weeks. The living conditions on the steamships were terrible and unsanitary. Many people died on their way due to tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.

At first, immigrants arrived to Ellis Island in New York City where they passed through the immigration processing center. After being tested for glaucoma and influenza they were released to the big city alone. The majority of European Jews remained in New York City and concentrated on the Lower East Side. The reason they chose that neighborhood was mainly to stay close to their neighbors from the old villages who settled down on the Lower East side before them. Another important reason was strict religious practices of Orthodox Judaism that required them to live near an existing Jewish community.

"Orchard Street, Lower East Side"

Many immigrants experienced financial problems. They had some money to  live   out just a few days in NYC. Furthermore, they faced many challenges in their search for work since they didn’t speak or understand English well. Also, because they had been barred by law from agricultural jobs in the old countries, they brought a limited set of skills that decreased their chances to find an employment in a wide range of jobs. Most of the Jewish immigrant on the Lower East Side worked in the garment industry. They usually worked in their tiny airless apartments in tenements, where women, teenagers and children worked long hours sewing clothing for pennies per piece. In 1892 a reporter for the Century newspaper who visited some of the garment workers of New York said, “They [Jewish Immigrants] toil from six in the morning until eleven at night. Fifty cents is not an unusual compensation for these murderous hours. Trousers at 84 cents per dozen, 8 cents for a round coat, and 10 cents for a frock coat, are labor prices that explain the sudden affluence of heartless merchants manufacturers, and the biting poverty of miserable artisans” (qtd. “Polish/Russian immigration”).

Peddling was another type of work that Jewish immigrants mastered, giving them opportunity to make their living without being discriminated against as it was in their native countries.

The living conditions of most immigrants on the Lower East Side were horrifying. This neighborhood was always crowded and noisy. As it was said before, by the year 1900 the district was densely packed with more than 700 people per acre that made the Lower East Side the most crowded neighborhood in the world. (qtd. “Polish/Russian Immigration”). Most families lived in small apartments in tenements buildings. Usually immigrant families had many children and they lived all together in small apartments of 1 or 2 rooms. As the reformer Jacob Riis described a visit to one of the tenements building on the Lower East Side said:

“I have found in three rooms father, mother, twelve children, and six boarders. They sleep on the half-made clothing for beds. I found that several people slept in a subcellar four feet by six, on a pile of clothing that was being made.” (qtd. Riis).

Overcrowding led to many hazards such as fires that often happened in the Lower East Side. Lack of clean water and infectious diseases took the lives of many people. However, the barriers the Eastern European Jews faced in the Lower East Side were relatively safe compared to dangerous Anti-Semitic Eastern Europe where they were under the fear of being persecuted or even murdered.

Once Jewish immigrants made money, they opened up their own garment shops and other businesses such as kosher restaurant, bakeries and delis. They even originated entrainments such as Yiddish theater, Vaudeville, and Burlesque on the Lower East Side. Education was very important for Jewish immigrants. As they were not permitted to attend schools in their old countries, many Jewish children were sent to the schools to get education. When there was a big and stable enough community of Jewish immigrants they opened self-help societies where they donated money to help those in needs and to newly arrived Jewish immigrants. They also opened synagogues where they could spend their traditional Sabbath and yeshivas where they sent their children to learn Hebrew and Torah. Thus, Eastern European Jewish immigrants have created their own subculture on the Lower East Side in New York City and successfully integrated into the American society by becoming a part of the big melting pot.

By the 1960s most Eastern European Jewish immigrants moved out of the Lower East Side due to the rise in crime and drug dealers in the neighborhood. However, there is one place left that preserved the life of Jewish immigrants on the Lower East Side. The Tenement Museum that is located on 97 Orchard Street was once a tenement where Jewish immigrants lived. The word tenement came from Latin verb “tenere” that meant property. The immigrants adopted this word and used it to mean a shared building with multiple housing units. (qtd. Horn)

The Tenement Museum has five floors and four apartments on each floor.

Kitchen view in Tenement Museum

Each apartment consists of three rooms: a front room, a bedroom, and a smaller kitchen area. There is only one window in the whole apartment. During the 1900s the only toilet was an outhouse and was used by all tenants from the entire building. Then, in 1935, the landlord closed his building and evicted all its residents because he wasn’t able to pay for a toilet in each apartment as city law later demanded. The tenement on 97 Orchard Street remained vacant for about fifty years, until Ruth Abram, a historian, and the museum’s founder established the Tenement Museum. (qtd. Horn).

Today the Lower East Side which was one of the most diverse and poor neighborhoods in the city is replaced with luxury buildings, fine dining and collections of fancy boutiques.

Thus, New York City, the Lower East Side in particularly, became a home for many Eastern European Jews in 20th century. They came here for one reason mainly, to escape persecution and discrimination in their native countries. However, moving to another country was not an easy event in their lives. They encountered many challenges and barriers on their way. But most Jewish immigrants didn’t fear those difficulties and courageously came to the country of freedom and independence. They changed their lives and lives of their offspring, and became a part of the diverse and multinational country free of persecution and discrimination.

Horn, Dara. “The Tenement Museum.” American Heritage 51.2(2000)

Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 28 Apr. 2011.

Jackson, Kenneth T. The Encyclopedia of New York City. 2nd ed. Vol. 1. New Haven: Yale UP, 2010. Print.

O’Donnell, Edward T. “THE ETHNIC CRUCIBLE.” Journal of Urban History 32.1 (2005): 138-146. America: History & Life. EBSCO. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. United States.

Library of Congress Home. “Polish/Russian Immigration.” Library of Congress Home, 08 July 2004. Web. 28 Apr. 2011.

Vogelsang, Peter. “Anti-Semitism. XIX Century.” The Danish Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. The Danish Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, 6 Feb. 2002. Web. 28 Apr. 2011

Weinfeld, David. “At the Edge of a Dream: The Story of Jewish Immigrants on New York’s Lower East Side, 1880-1920.” Shofar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies 27.1 (2008): 89-90.

America: History & Life. EBSCO. Web. 14 Apr. 2011.

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Posted by wencong.zhu under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

Ellis Island (Extra Credit)

A tour to The Ellis Island Immigration Museum

Ellis Island is the site of the first Federal immigration station. It is known as the historical Museum because it documents the story of over twelve million immigrants entered the United States from 1892 to 1954. Ellis Island is a small island in New York Harbor and it is located in the upper bay just off the New Jersey coast. View from afar; it is like a secular and isolated island, an island can be reached only by vessels. It seems to me it plays a role of defending the country. As the important gateway to the United States, it helps to select the qualified immigrants as new members of the country.

This was my second time to Ellis Island.  The feeling between the first tour and the second visit is obviously different. Remember that my first time to Ellis Island was led by our summer class teacher. At that time, for an unenlightened boy who just immigrant to the United States, I was interested in all the new things in America, and there is no other feeling.  I just followed the mass and did not really pay attention to those historic relics. But now, I must admit to feeling ashamed of my conduct at the time.

When the first time I saw this picture, I just felt that the person who contributed this photo wall is awesome. But now, I will think it as the history. The wall that records those immigrants came to the United States in the early period. They were the people who brought more color and prosperous to the country. I carefully viewed this flag with head photos from different sides, and wanted to keep in mind that all these people who brought effects to the city we are living right now.

While there were many reasons to immigrate, the United States becomes the popular choice for them, especially during the time period 1892 to 1954.

From the picture, we can see that the luggages are old and heavy. When looking at them, the questions that come out in my mind, like “how many stuff they can bring with them to come to the U.S.;” “did these heavy luggages affect their speed to move on when they were in the confusion period?” These suitcases is a symbol, it symbolizes their new life in a foreign country. They record the immigration story from people. For me, these boxes filled with not only their property and their clothing, but more with tear for the not living from their hometown.

I realize and know more immigrant stories of our ancestors through to participate in this class. Although I did not experience their hardships, when I get into the Museum, those objects with historical meaning make me think of their plight and frustration they had at the time.

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Posted by Sujan under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

Museum of the City of New York

Museum is a place where we can find historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest stored and exhibited. After visiting museum I have a better understanding about the people who have worked hard and changed the shape of city. Different people such as Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Dewitt Clinton and so on are kept in the museum to show their importance and how they made the city modern.

These peoples with their hard work have contributed in changing the shape of the city. Their hard work cannot be forgotten and is part of the history. By going to the museum I learned about the importance of the above described people. Moreover, visiting the museum of the city of New York made me more curious to learn about these people.

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Jul 12 2011

Posted by under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

The museum of the city of New York

Located at the Fifth Avenue and 103 rd Street, the Museum of the City of New York is a great resource for learning the history of New York City. The museum was a three-story building (including the Ground Floor). There were different exhibitions on each floor, such as The American Style: Colonial Revival and the Modern Metropolis, Joel Grey/A New York Life, and Timescapes , covering time periods from Dutch New York to present New York. Among all the exhibitions, three of them will be discussed in this blog post— Moveable Feast: Fresh Produce and the NYC Green Cart Program, On the Move: Transportation Toys, and New York Interiors . These exhibitions introduce New York City history from different points of views—from food, to transportation and interior design, providing a more comprehensive awareness of New Yorker’s life.

On the Move: Transportation Toys introduce New York City history in a very entertaining way. This exhibition, located on the Ground Floor, depicts the history of New York City transportation by showing childhood plaything—toy vehicles, including carts, trains, ships, buses, cars, and taxis, opening a window into history. It was interesting to see how the railroads that connected New York to different markets look like, and how boats were important in carrying people and goods in and out the city. An MTA New York City Bus , which looks almost identical to today’s bus, was in fact an electric streetcar that thrived in the late 20 th century. Nicknamed “trolleys”, these electric streetcars were one of the ways that the city provides transportation for large numbers of people, powered by overhead electrical wires or electrified rail underneath the car. These electric buses can still be seen today in Europe countries such as British, or their colonies such as Hong Kong. However, it is surprising to know that there were also electric buses in New York City, which were then began to be replaced with motorized buses in 1934 by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia.

Of course, other exhibitions are also great resources for learning New York City history. For example, the Timescapes , provides a 25-minute video that illustrates 400-year New York City history. It is very concise, but also is very educating. All these exhibitions, from the introduction of general New York City history to the detailed information of specific aspects—food, transportation, and interior design—make the museum an interesting, alternative textbook for New York City history.

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Posted by Kate Pioreck under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

Fraunces Tavern

The Long Room is the most famous room in the Tavern.  This is where General George Washington gave a farewell address to his officers at the end of the Revolutionary War.  During the American Revolution New York was captured and held by the British.

The Long Room

When the British retreated on November 25, 1783, Washington and his troops marched into New York City victorious.  Evacuation Day, as it is known, was celebrated in New York up until World War I, at which point America’s alliance with Great Britain undermined the celebration.

The complete list of who was in attendance to hear the General’s heartfelt goodbye is unknown.  Most of the information that we have regarding that day and Washington’s words comes from the journal of Benjamin Tallmadge, who was in attendance.  Tallmadge recorded in his journal, which is on display, the words of Washington at the request of his children.  Historians will never know for certain whether or not what Tallmadge recorded were Washington’s exact words but his description of the moving event helps to paint  a picture of what it must have felt like to stand in that room on December 4, 1783.  Tallmadge records Washington as saying,

With a heart full of love and gratitude, I now take leave of you. I most devoutly wish that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy as your former ones have been glorious and honorable. I shall feel obliged if each of you will come and take me by the hand.

Tallmadge recalled that Washington was quite moved and emotional during his brief remarks.  Washington certainly felt a connection with the soldiers who had served with him through the long years of the war.

There are several other artifacts from the colonial period that are on display in the museum.  The museum does a good job of explaining how taverns were integral in the political and commercial activity of the city.  Taverns were a place where leaders met to discuss matters.  Samuel Fraunces, the proprietor of the Tavern, was a supporter of independence and allowed the Sons of Liberty to meet at his establishment.  The focus of the museum is very narrow with lots of information about the history of the Tavern and how it functioned in colonial society.  There is little about women or daily colonial life in New York.  There is also little mention of slavery in colonial New York.  The thrust of the focus of the museum is on the period prior to 1799, when New York began gradual abolition.  There is one example of a birth certificate that was issued to a freed slave, Cato Ramsey.  According to the text panel that accompanies this document, Fraunces Tavern was the location of trials that granted freedom to enslaved African Americans by British officials.  Freed African Americans with a documented birth certificate were then able to travel to England or join the British Army.  From my visit this appears to be the only reference to slavery in colonial New York in the museum.

Another interesting artifact in the museum is the lead tail from the statue of King George III on a horse that used to stand in Bowling Green only a few short blocks from Fraunces Tavern.  The statue of the King was pulled down by the colonists and melted down to make musket balls for the Continental Army.

Fraunces Tavern is worth the trip downtown to get a glimpse into New York at the time of the American Revolution.  Once inside the museum it is easy to forget the 21 st century world outside and gain a better understanding of the hustle and bustle of 18 th century New York.

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Posted by sharmin.sultana under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

Museum of the City of New York (extra credit)

The early transportation system happens to be the electric street car or trolley of the turn of the century. MTA bus of the late 20th century are examples of the way the city provides transportation for large numbers of people. The first motorized buses were introduced in the early 1900s; Brooklyn had trolley as the main means of transportation until the 1919.After being appointed as the Mayor of the city in the year 1934, Fiorello La Guardia created a plan for replacing electric trolleys with buses.

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Ellis Island “The Immigration Museum”

Ellis Island main building

Ellis Island, one of the historical sites of the United States, is located in New York City Harbor and the upper bay just off the New Jersey Coast within the shadow of the Statue of Liberty. Ellis Island used to be the gateway for the immigrants. From 1892 to 1954, over twelve million immigrants entered into the United States through the portal of Ellis Island. Today this Island is known as the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Even though I been to Ellis Island before, I didn’t have that much of knowledge about the history of the United States and most specifically of Ellis Island. However, this time when I went to Ellis Island I had a different feelings and emotions in my mind.

Wooden boxes and baskets

When I went inside, I saw the pictures of wooden and steel boxes, the bamboo baskets, the pillows which compel me to smell of their hometown. Even when I saw immigrants who were standing on line with their luggage and everybody’s face looked nervous at the same the hope inside them. I remember the similar situation when I came to the United States; I had the same feelings, the feeling of nervousness on my face and the new hope in my heart.

The pictures and the other things were same; however, the way that I perceived

Registry Room

 those pictures and other stuffs weren’t the same way which I did perceive in my first visit. Honestly, this time I was more connected with the pictures and the things which were inside there. When I was there first time the huge hall on the second floor seemed to me just a hall (Registry Room, but after learning in class and reading the description on the display board I stand there for a while and imagined how people lined up in the fence and waited for their turn for inspectors to ask the information from them and to confirm the answer in the manifest.

I was imagining how each person was inspected by the doctors within six seconds. The doctor viewed a person and if there was something wrong with the person, then the doctor chalked them letters like “H” which meaning heart problem or “E” which meaning eye problems. I was thinking how one would feel that when the doctors chalked them in their clothes. Do they lose their hope to start the new life, does their dream die? How would one feel that?

Kissing Post

Immigration that passed legal inspection proceeded down the west stairway. Here many were greeted by the waiting relatives. Because of the emotional reunion take place here, it was known as the “Kissing Post.” I can’t imagine how one would feel at that moment in the new land with the new dreams, and then new life. It would have been thrilling movement. I was kind a feeling the same sentiment when I was standing there.

West stairways

The experience which I had before visiting Ellis Island was totally different this time. The reason I must mention was because of the materials which I learned in my class. It helps me not only to know about the immigration process for the new comers, but also gives me a sense of how one would feel to go inside and tries to experience the same way which new comers did during 1892 to 1954. I think it was great to see those old pictures and things inside the museum which forced us to go back in the past and think how life would be at that time.

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Posted by Hailie J under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

Experience of Immigrants in the Lower East Side

Tours of the Tenement Museum

Piecing It Together: Immigrants In the Garment Industry

The Levine’s family’s place is one examples of this period. This tenement, Levine’s family (his wife and 5children) had lived, is very small and includes one room which is barely 8 feet wide. However, this family couldn’t even use whole this tiny place for themselves because its living room was a garment workshop that at least 5 people used to work all day. To me, it is just hard to believe that over 10 people stayed all day in that small place to survive.

Second, because of the Tenemente Law, the condition of these living place was getting better although it was still imperfect place for a family with 7children. By 1910, when Rogarsheysky’s family was living here, it seems much better than Levine’s. To be specific, municipal engineers helped the city safer and healthier from all kinds of diseases, crimes and so forth. Moreover, the law insisted on landlords to get minimum facilities for fire escape, indoor plumbing and also at least one window for each room so that people inside could get fresh air and sunlight. Even though Rogarsheysky’s place is still too small for 9people but shows us many improvements from 20 years before that time. Compare with Levine’s family, one another big difference is they went to outside for work. In early twentieth century, new mass production techniques developed and people started to work at factories or buildings that had assembly lines or machines. Nevertheless, there were no regulation or law to protect workers’ right, especially for women. Rogarsheysky’s daughters represent this generation who were very much Americanized and smart enough to raise their voice for their rights. Over all, Rogarsheysky might have had better circumstance for living with his family than the past. However, even this time period, early twentieth century, immigrants from Europe, especially many Irish in Lower East Side Manhattan, were struggling very much with their low wage jobs and reluctant living circumstances.

Finally, no matter what had been changed those period when both Levine and Rogarsheysky’s family lived, their life were very tough. At this point, whoever lives in the Lower East Side, they earned and saved money to escape this small, dirty and crowded town for better life. Ironically, two generations after, people are willing to pay over 25,000 a month to live this downtown area. Nowadays, this place is one of the most fancy and antique places in the city where many people desire to live.

In conclusion, it was a great opportunity to take a look two immigrated families’ living place. Although I can’t feel 100% how much hard time they went through, this experience gives me an idea that how miserable working and living conditions immigrants had to cope with without any choice to survive. We have to remember that the foundation these immigrants built made the United States stronger and greater.

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Posted by natalia.tatishvili under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

The Role of Ellis Island in American Immigration History

Most of people think of Ellis Island as an immigration station, but before becoming one it was a “ammunition and ordinance depot named Fort Gibson” (Ellis Island). From 1794 to 1890, the island played a mostly uneventful but still significant role in United States history.  No fighting took place at Fort Gibson it was mainly a munitions storage fort. The fort at Ellis Island was named Fort Gibson in honor of brave officer killed during the War of 1812 (Stakely).

At first, immigration was managed in the United States through a mixed federal-state system. When immigrants began arriving at New York City, New York State processed them at an old fort known as Castle Clinton at the Battery, at the tip of Manhattan. When it became too small for the large number of immigrants arriving in the country, the government chose Ellis Island as the new immigration center. After making new wooden buildings, it opened in 1892 to serve “The Newcomers”. “ On  January 1 st ,1892; Annie Moore, a 15 year old Irish girl, with her two brothers entered the Island and was a first immigrant  to be processed  there, on January 2 nd”   (Ellis Island ).

Ellis Island has not affected my life tremendously but it did affect the native New Yorkers who were born after Ellis Island was closed, slightly in ways of their ancestors might have come through it. It was the Gateway to America, it was needed, and it was built.

I wanted to experience and see for myself one of the most important places in immigration of America. I went on Ellis Island and spent several hours in main building, Ellis Island Immigration Museum, and I was taken by what I saw. For example, when I took a tour of all “special” rooms, that immigrants had to go through in order to complete medical inspections and finish their registration process, there was one story of immigrant written on the wall that really touched my heart. This story was written by Fiorello H. LaGuardia in his autobiography, The Making of an Insurgent, 1948.            

Another story that shows us a dramatic experience of immigrants passing through Ellis Island was written in the article “Ellis Island’s forgotten Hospital” in New York Times, by Sewell Chan. It states that “In the documentary movie, John Gauqer, who emigrated from France in 1929, at age 5, recalls that he only spoke French when he arrived at Ellis Island. He was held at observation.” He said “They took me away from my mother. I did not know what was happening, she did not know what was happening, and I was here in this place away from her, never know if I was going to see her again.”

Both stories show us how ironic life could be. On one hand people coming to America in a hope of starting new life and live in the land of freedom, but on the other hand they could end up not so lucky and experience unfortunate situations like that . Ever since I read this story, I have been thinking how fortunate I am to not have to experience these kinds of situations.

At the end, I am happy that I went to the Ellis Island and was able to learn so much about the experience of immigrants that came to the USA through Ellis Island and the historical imporatnce of this place.

Bibliography

Eastman, Dick. “The Ellis Island Expeirience.” Ancestry . 2006. 11 Jul 2011 <http://www.ancestry.com>.

  Ellis Island . 2000. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island foundation, Inc… 11 July 2011 <http://www.ellis island. org>.

Stakely, Tracy J. Cultural Landscape Report For Ellis Island . Brookline, Massachusetts: National Park Service, 2003.

Yans-McLaughlin, Virginia, and Marjorie Lightman. Ellis Island and  the Peopling of America . New York: The New Press, 1997.

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Posted by Gabriela Serrano under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

New York Transit Museum

Through out this course I have learned many new things about New York City that have caught my interest. We have gone back in time when the Native Americans once called New York City “Manhattan Island”; we have seen how it has evolved from being a successful port city up until the present time. The commencement of the “Rapid Transit Railroad,” now known as the MTA, took place on March 24 th 1900 in City Hall Park; the changes have been great ones and its history is well told in the New York City Transit Museum.

In class we learned that the majority of men who helped built the subway system were unskilled immigrants. Construction for the subway was not easy nor was it safe for these workers. They had to deal with dangerous conditions around them all the time. Dynamite blasts were common working conditions that would lead to rockslides.  The worst dynamite blast construction accident occurred on October 24, 1903, in the Washington Heights tunnel near 190 th street and St. Nicholas Avenue. A dynamite explosion led to a rumble where a 300-ton boulder crashed down onto working men. Floods were also unsafe conditions and many miners suffered from lung disease.

This museum also has a section on Robert Moses. Robert Moses despised mass transit. He cared more on accommodating the use of cars by creating the expressways. The museum gives him a great section on showing how he also contributed to the transit of New York by his creation of the interstate highways. After all the car, and mass transit is what gets us from point A to point B in such a grand city.

The Transit Museum has a great exhibition on everything that has to do with the evolution of the subway. There have been about ten turnstiles, a paper ticket worth a nickel to use the subway, and six different types tokens; now of course, we use the metro card to ride the subway.

Overall I enjoyed this museum. It has a great visual and physical experience of the past. It had things I learned in class so it felt good walking into a familiar place, even though it is history.

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Posted by audrey.ryals under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

Pizza in The City

Throughout the course of this class, we’ve touched on the evolution of many different things that were pivotal in the evolution of New York as a whole. We’ve discussed the evolution of entertainment such as the Barnum Museum in the mid 19th century. P.T Barnum pushed the envelope with the shows held at his museum. His shows were capivating and up until the opening of the museum in 1841, no one dared to entertain the general public like he did. We also took a glance at the evolution of fashion in the early 1900’s. Woment were beginning to get more into fashion and trendy wearing shirtwaist blouses that were flattering and popular during this period. What we didnt talk about was the evolution of cuisine in New York.

Its no surprise that Americans love food. One of our all time favorite food is Pizza. Pizza has been adopted into American culture for over 100 years. Its simple ingredients and delicious taste is what makes pizza so easy to love.

Three weeks ago, I was invited to come along on a pizza tour in lower Manhattan. Our pizza tour guide, Scott, of ‘Scott’s Pizza Tours’ is a fanatic if i’ve ever met one and was uber excited to show us why pizza is so important to New York. Our tour began on Spring Street between Lafayette St and Mulberry St. in front of a restaurant called ‘Gatsby.’ Gatsby used to be called Lombardi’s Pizza back in 1905 (one year after the Subway system was built.) Lombardi’s Pizza was the FIRST pizzeria to be opened in New York. The pizzeria became very popular over the years. The reason why is because they used a brick oven stove that was built into the establishment. The pizza was fresh and the turnaround time for brick oven pizza is faster than pizza made from electric stoves. Unfortunately, the stove broke 80 years after the opening of Lombardi’s Pizza due to the trains that run directly underneath the restaurant. The shaking and rattling of the trains cracked the bricks inside of the oven rendering the oven useless. The amount it costs to fix such an oven is very pricey and the owner didnt want to have to repair it in another 80 years. Lombardi’s Pizza moved one block down to the corner of Spring St and Mott St. where it still stands today.

–Here is a clip of Lombardi’s kitchen. That oven reaches over 800 degrees on any given day.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/vSbBdIF6NUc" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

On our way to the second Pizzeria, we passed by the Bayer-Condict Building on Bleeker St between Lafayette and Broadway. Scott explained to us that this building was built in the late 1800’s early 1900’s (during the rise of the industrial revolution) by an architect named Louis Sullivan. The building is considered to be a sky scraper because of its steel frame and very avante garde during this time because of its architectural design.

–Heres a clip of the facade of the Bayer Condict Building

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/IA67TSTrjeo" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

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Jul 11 2011

Posted by Mendo under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

Exploring the Museum Of City Of New York

      It was my second visit to the Museum of City of New York where i found that an artifacts and things were totally being replaced in compare to my first visit in 2009.While going to the museum i saw the immigrants people who were sharing their shelter and culture with each other living in a similar environment which displayed and made me realize the consequences of all those historic wars and movements that an immigrants like Irish and African Americans people stood and fought for their moral rights; the rights for an equality. It was the perfect day for my visit to the museum; as the things went well without any disturbance and conflicts.

Though the museum was not big, it was very well displayed and organized either in terms of portraying anyone’s background or showing the historic evidence or culture that has been followed by today’s world. Since i read and had some knowledge about the power of Dutch and British leader during 1600s, i didn’t find hard on understanding the words and the video called, “Timespace” that showed the evolution of the city and its gradual development until now.

The most interesting exhibits  i enjoyed in the museum was in the area titled, ” New York Interiors 1690-1906)” where things were presented and arranged reflecting the changes over time in styles, production and wealth growth from the colonial era through the dawn of 20 th century. The gallery mainly highlighted the furniture and decorative arts made in New York City. It showed the evolution of New York interior design that initiated through the Dutch furniture influence found in early colonial period.

Despite the fact that an architectural features used in this area doesn’t contain an actual interiors, it highly constituted historic incorporating materials, color schemes used in the rooms like ones used to display during those periods. The museum also highlighted on the roles of two immigrants named Duncan Phyfe (1768-1854), born in Scotland, and Charles- Honore Lannuier ( 1779-1819), born in France who played a key role on shaping the city’s character during the early 19 th century by bringing the distinctive European- based classical styles to New York. It shows that most of an American styles, Interior designs are originated through a European ideas which we can still see in today’s world.

After exploring the interior styles of both British and Americans, I stepped down to the cafeteria in order to get some snacks and drinks. But as I was walking I saw an exhibition of small cars, horses, ships, that looked like a toys and which attracted my attention to know what it was all about . As I was looking at the exhibits, the information about the fire trucks reminded me of the movie “Gangs of New York”, which relates to late 19 th century. Due to the advanced change in technology various changes occurred in the city in terms of rules and regulations. In New York City the volunteer firefighters were replaced by a paid municipal fire department where horses were used to pull the fire engines in 1865. As early fire trucks used to carry everything necessary to fight a fire, including hoses, hooks, and ladders; by the late 19 th century, separate hose carriages and hook-and-ladder trucks accompanied the fire wagon to the fire.

 So in overall visit and exploration, I learned about the cause of making the New York City and how and what aspects changed the New York City gradually in terms of art, culture, politics, technologies, and economy of the nation.

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Jul 10 2011

Posted by John Fernandes under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment , Uncategorized

When we paid and went in ad looked around, I felt like a historian watching “Gangs of New York”. I was terribly disappointed. Maybe we just chose the wrong time to go but half the museum was closed for renovations. There were some beautiful pictures on the first floor on one side and The American Style: Colonial Revival and the Modern Metropolis exhibition on the other. The pictures were modern and so its placement in this museum was lost on me.

At the other end, The American Style exhibition was a lot more fascinating and interesting. There were many interesting exhibits – and what I liked most about it was trying to figure out which era it belonged to and what historical significance it had. Unfortunately, most of my guesses ranged from way off to pathetically way off. But as they say, alls well that ends well. Just as we were about to leave the room, the last exhibit was depicting George Washington’s inauguration. At this my girlfriend said, “Ohh I didnt know this happened in NY”. I realized it was another opportunity to show off – I went into a lengthy narration starting with the British coming thru NYC and George Washington’s army fighting well but having to retreat in the night to the French assisting America win the revolutionary war and George Washington declaring independence in NYC. How I would love to say at this moment that my girlfriend was very impressed with my knowledge – all I got was “Good for him! Is this enough for your extra credit?”

Timescapes left me happy but even unsatisfied. As you can imagine, getting the history right from Hudson landing in Manhattan in the early 1600s to 9/11, 2001 within 22 minutes is an impossible task. When they skimmed over the revolutionary war and Alexander Hamilton, it was saddening but to not mention the Draft Riots, Tweed, or Amsterdam Vallon (kidding) did make me feel like I was being robbed. Overall, in the limited time available they did do a pretty good job – I can attest to that as my girlfriend with a nice big smile said, “now that was interesting”.

Overall, it was a very fascinating trip, which reiterated the fact that I do have a passion and liking for history – something that I did not realize before this class. Just as we stepped out of the museum into the pouring rain (I swear I am not making this up) and took a left to go towards the subway on 103rd st, we realized that we were standing at the statue of DeWitt Jackson. I felt like this was the perfect ending for a trip to the NYC Museum, as I strongly believe that DeWitt Jackson played the most important role, with the grid and the Erie Canal, in the modernization of NYC.

My visit to Ellis Island

Taking the trip to Ellis Island was a great adventure. Waiting through the long lines, and taking the ferry to the island, gave me just a taste of what it felt like for the immigrants that came to New York City in the 1892 to 1924. This was my first visit to Ellis Island, and seeing this gorgeous building was an amazing site to see in person. Walking through the museum i saw old luggage that some immigrants carried with them to Ellis Island. This really gave me a sense of how much they could carry with them to NYC at the time. Over 100 million Americans, today can trace back to the immigrants that crossed Ellis Island before settling in other regions of the country.

This museum told the story of many immigrant families that came to the US. Each person had a different story to tell. When i saw the Registry Room in person, it was an amazing site to see. In the years of 1900- 1924 the Registry Room was filled with immigrants, upto 5,000 people a day would walk through this room. The Registry Room was used to determine whether or not the incoming immigrants can pass through or deny their entrance to the US. Manuals where also given to immigrants who just arrived, to show them where they can get jobs and find housing. Manuals where given in many different languages so anyone can find a job and housing.

Walking through the museum, i visited an area where there were images of children and how they lived. The schools and living conditions were in really poor shape. Most children where news boys and many had to learn English. Many children learned English because they were young, and it was easier for them than their parents.Children were mostly translators for their parents, that is why they were called the “Go- Betweens”. Children were also used as cheap labor for many factories across the US. Many families depended on their children to either work in a textile factory, or pick up the chores at home so the parents can work. The conditions that the children worked in were worse than the adults and many worked 10-12 hours a day. The rate for accidents with children was three times higher than adults. Soon in 1904, the National Child Labor Committee, formed labor laws for children by exposing the cruel conditions that they work in. By 1914, 35 states didn’t allow children under 14 to work and required minors to go to school. They also lowered their work days to 8 hours a day.

Reading through some stories, and seeing these pictures in person made me get a closer look on how immigrants lived and worked. I also saw posters of Public schools giving out free textbooks for immigrants. These textbooks were to help them get an American Citizenship, and to learn the language and laws of the government. Also when America entered World War I, they encouraged immigrants to serve in the army, and be more American to show their loyalty to America. So not only did they have to learn the language, and dress American, they were encouraged to join the army to show their true loyalty, and if they didn’t join, immigrants would be harassed by jingoists. Jingoists are extreme nationalists who use extreme foreign policy.

My visit to the museum on Ellis Island was really interesting. It gave me an inside view of the lives of many immigrants that make up the US today. I wish i had more time to stay and see all the exhibits. But for the time spent in the museum I’ve come to appreciate my family’s’ journey to the US even more, and also how many other families left their homes in other countries to start a new life in a new unfamiliar land.

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Jul 09 2011

Posted by under ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment , Uncategorized

Governors Island (extra credit)

Governors Island, in the heart of New York Harbor, is only 800 yards from Lower Manhattan, and even closer to Brooklyn. It is one of the longest continuously active military posts in the United States. Since the late 1700s the island has served as a major Army headquarters and later as the largest Coast Guard base in the nation. Its military role ended n 1996 after over 200 years of service.

The island was the first place settled by the Dutch West India Company in New York Harbor in 1624. The British officially acquired the Island in 1698 and named it “Governors Island,” for the benefit and accommodation of His Majesty’s Governors. In 1776 Gen. George Washington’s colonial army made a valiant attempt to fend off the British siege of New York. Patriot cannons on Governors Island fired some of the first shots of the Battle of Brooklyn. The British prevailed and held New York for the duration of the Revolutionary War, but the experience steeled the resolve of the young nation to protect its harbors. In one of its first initiatives that was truly national in scope, the United States began in the 1790s to fortify important harbors with a series of coastal defenses. Fort Jay and Castle Williams represent this early national effort. Castle Williams was one of a series of fortifications built in the early 19th century to defend New York Harbor. The circular red sandstone fort was built between 1807 and 1811 and named after its designer, Jonathan Williams.  Fort Jay was completed in 1798 and deterred the British from attacking the city during the War of 1812. The Army established a major arsenal on the island in 1833 and although advances in naval armaments reduced its tactical importance, the island remained an important military base through the second World War. In 1966 the Army left the island and the U.S. the base was transferred to the Coast Guard.

As time pass, the role of Governors Island has changed. Today, the island is open for public, it is not only a good place for people to have fun and relax, but also it is a valuable resource for people to learn about the American history. Whatever the past or the present, the Governors Island is always important for the city development.

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My visit to The Museum of the City of New York

New York City is one of the biggest metropolises in the U.S.A and has a rich and diverse history of growth. It was first discovered by the Dutch in 1625 then taken over by the British in 1664. Since its earliest formation New York City has always been the center of economical, cultural, and social development. Its concentrated power was brought created by those who came to this great land to work hard and contribute to its prosperity. The city that never sleeps soon became the original city, dominating over the other cities in the U.S.A. The Museum of the City of New York is one of the most intimate museums in the city. It is a great source of education and learning about the history,culture and the personal struggles the people had to contend with ,in order to make a new land their home. The Museum of the City of New York  is a large museum with five floors of exhibits. At the moment only the first two floors are open for visitors, the rest of the exhibits are closed for renovation.I was fortunate enough to visit the museum myself, and would like to talk about what is so interesting about the Museum of the City of New York and why we should all visit it.

The very first exhibit I have discovered was “New York Interiors (1690-1906)”. This exhibition views New York City in chronological order starting from the city as a Dutch colony onwards until the 20th century. What I noticed after studying the Dutch Alcove, which is represented by the example of the early colonial New York settlement, was that the room seems to contain only basic necessary items, such as bed, table and chairs, and some other furniture. There is no decorations or fancy accessories here. As discussed in class, the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam was a leading commercial center of trade. However,The Dutch colonizers were not interested in the well being of New Amsterdam’s immigrant inhabitants. They didn’t contribute much to the city’s economic growth. Thus, the Dutch political approach in ruling over the city resulted into a poor social growth.

Museum of the City of New York, second floor, New York Interiors exhibit / Dutch Alcove

The second alcove replicates New York’s desire to imitate the Democratic ideas of ancient Greece with the Republican virtues of the ancient Rome. This time range coexists with the Classical era (1750-1820) and is famous for the cultural enlightenment in art and music. Affluent New Yorkers soon enough picked up some of the basic themes of Classical style, which is depicted by the different type of furniture, center tables, sofas, decorated by a beautiful painting on the wall, and the statue of ,most likely, one of the Greek mythological goddess. It is also interesting to note the “roundness” of everything ,especially the table,,this is due to the idea that corners would force people to sit on either side signifying division. Much like the round table in king Arthur’s court ,round tables were adopted in the classical era to show an equality among those who sat.

Museum of the City of New York, second floor, New York Interiors exhibit / Cherry Street Alcove

The third alcove and the last one that I am going to discuss in my paper is called Pierrepont Alcove. The window wall and the ceiling of this alcove came from Pierrepont Place in Brooklyn, named after the gentleman Henry E. Pierrepont (1808-1888). It was designed by the English immigrant R. Upjohn who was also famous for his design of the Trinity Church (1839-1846) in lower Manhattan. Looking at this room I was thinking on how much English culture still shaped the development of interior design in one of its former colony. This room was dominated by sophisticated ornaments covering the walls, the floor and the top of the chimney. The wooden chairs accompanied by the sofa underlined the comfort and elegant style of the middle class society of New York.

The inventions in public transportation

Another exhibit that grabbed my attention was presented by the public transportation of New York in 19th and 20th century. The Electric streetcar and the MTA bus of the late 20th century were examples of the most commonly used types of transportation provided by the city. The nickname for the electric streetcar was the”Trolley”; it was introduced in Brooklyn in the 1890s and until 1919 the railways expanded between all the city’s boroughs. Power was provided by overhead electrical wires that each streetcar was connected to. Trolleys

were a quicker and more convenient option for public transportation and were highly appreciated by New York’s population. This particular type of transportation had become quite popular in New York during this time and it surpassed the subway by the end of 19th century. Motorized buses,however, replaced trolleys around the 1930’s as they were considered to be more practical in use. Historically New York City has struggled with fires of different origins throughout the centuries. This led to the prompt development of the fire truck, which where divided by three types: horse carriage, hook and ladder trucks and fire wagons. Although being owned by separate companies, horse carriages and hook and ladder trucks, worked together to fight fires.

Museum of the City of New York, first floor, The American Style: Colonial Revival and the Modern Metropolis / Transportation exhibit

Boss Tweed and the political machine

One of my favorite exhibits was a small exhibit on New York City’s political machine which was represented by a little piggy bank in a shape of Boss Tweed, the leader of a political club known as Tammany Hall, founded in 1789 in New York. The bank advised: ” Put a coin in his hand, and see how promptly he pockets it, and how politely he bows his thanks.” In this way the historians highlighted the most corrupted time period of the city of New York. Boss Tweed ,up until these days symbolizes a wealthy and powerful political figure, whose goals were achieved by stealing and cheating people who did not vote for him and on contracts which he and his “gang” would take a portion of the profits. This style of politics was notably called “the spoils system”. I personally found it well illustrated by this one little bank.

The Museum of the City of New York is a masterpieces of architecture that communicates its purpose in contrasting styles. It gives the viewer a sense of progress and the tribulations that NYC had gone through from its very beginning. It is simply beautiful and worth visiting especially if you are a true New Yorker and wish to know the history of, and future of this city.

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Jun 15 2011

Posted by under ADMIN ONLY - assignments , ADMIN ONLY - featured , Extra Credit Assignment

Extra Credit

As mentioned in class, you have an opportunity to earn extra credit.  It is worth between 1 and 4 points on your final grade depending on the quality and depth of your report.  To get credit, you must complete the blog post by the time of your final exam.

Requirements: 1) visit a site that relates to NYC sometime during this semester (provide ticket stub or some other evidence of visit) 2) Write a 1-6 paragraph report *as a blog post* connecting what you learned at the site to topics and materials covered in this course.  I encourage the use of images and/or video to highlight your points.

Some recommended sites: –Lower East Side Tenement Museum –African Burial Ground –Ellis Island –Museum of the City of New York –New-York Historical Society

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• Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Extra Credit Assignment (Houston Community Coll.)

Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Extra Credit Assignment

Institution: Houston Community College

Location: Houston, Texas

Participant: Cheryll Cody

One way to begin your understanding of the Atlantic Slave Trade is to view a series of maps from the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade website .  Take a few minutes and look through these maps you may enlarge them for detail.  Be sure to read the commentary with each map as well as look at the illustration.  This exercise seems to work most efficiently if you do this first.  Look at all of the Maps and answer the following questions about specific Maps. 

Map 1: Overview of the Slave Trade Out of Africa (between 1509 and 1900)

• From which African region was the largest number of slaves exported?
• What were the destinations within Africa for the slave trade? in the Near East? in South Asia?
• What were the two major destinations for enslaved Africans in the western hemisphere?

Map 2: The Migration of Sugar Cultivation from Asia into the Atlantic

• When did sugar production first move from Persia through the Near East to Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean?
• What were the two main islands (one Spanish and one Portuguese) where sugar was introduced between the mid-15th century (1450s) and the late 16th century (1500s)?
• According to the commentary what percentage of captives carried from Africa were taken to sugar producing areas?

Map 6: Countries and Broad Regions of the Atlantic World Where Slave Voyages were Organized & Shares of Captives Carried Off from Africa 1501 – 1867

• What European nation organized the slave voyages which removed the most slaves? What percentage of slaves were removed by voyages which originated there?
• What were the seven largest ports involved in organizing slave trading expeditions? What share of the trade was handled through these ports?
• What New World colony organized the greatest percentage of slave voyages? What percentage of enslaved captives were transported on voyages organized from this colony? (You may have to do some addition here)
• What percentage of total captives were transported on voyages which originated on the North American mainland?

Map 7: Major Coastal Regions from Which Captives Left Africa, All Years

• What region supplied the largest number of enslaved captives? Approximately how many enslaved people left through that region? What river system was a likely avenue of slaves exported from this location?
• What region ranked second?
• What percentage of the total number of embarkations do the authors of these maps and website maps believe they has located in the records?

Map 8: Major Regions Where Captives Disembarked, All Years

• What region within the territory that became the United States received the largest number of enslaved Africans?
• What were the top four ranking islands in the Caribbean for the number of enslaved captives disembarked?
• What region received the greatest number of slave arrivals?

Map 9: Volume and Direction of the Transatlantic Slave Trade from All African to All American Regions

• What are the estimates for the number of slaves imported into the northern US colonies, the Chesapeake? South Carolina? Jamaica? Barbados?
• How many slave captives were exported from West Central Africa?

Post-War Prosperity and Cold War Fears, 1945-1960

Extra credit assignment: dr. strangelove.

One of the most famous American films that deals with the Cold War is Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove .  Exploring the dangers of Cold War tension, nuclear policy, and military strategy, Kubrick’s film depicts “what might happen” in a Cold War worst case scenario.

Watch Dr. Strangelove * and complete the attached film guide .  Submit it for up to 10 extra credit points me through Blackboard. The answers to the analytical questions need to be about a paragraph in length.  The other questions can be just a sentence or two.

The film is rather dense in terms of concepts, while at the same time it’s a dark comedy.  In the past students have said they had to watch it twice; once to simply get the idea of plot, characters, etc., then a second time to actually start looking for answers to the questions.

*You will need Microsoft Silverlight installed to be able to watch the film.  If your computer doesn’t have it you will be prompted to download it when you try to watch the film.

NOTE: The analytical questions will require knowledge and comprehension of historical themes and information that lies outside the film. In other words: you will need to use what we’ve covered in class about the Cold War in order to correctly answer some of them.

• Authored by : Chris Thomas. Provided by : Reynolds Community College. License : CC BY: Attribution

Stevenson's AP Human Geography

Extra credit opportunities.

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