Wednesday 22 January 2014

http://www.kawvalley.k12.ks.us/schools/rjh/marneyg/05_history-projects/05_mccune_Immigrants.htm

This is a project done by an 8th grade American History student, and provides a summary of the main ethnic groups that immigrated to the United States from 1830 up until the 1950s. Immediately this brigns to mind a subject touched upon in the lecture - the idea of viewing immigration as a thing of the past whereas actually it is ongoing. At the end the conclusion given is that this immigration shaped America for the better and was essential to its development, pointing out a selection of small things generally taken for granted that would not be present otherwise (such as Chinese restaurants). This seems to follow the idea of the salad bowl: many cultures integrating and taking influence from each other but not wholly merging into a new single culture. Much attention is also given to the hardships suffered by the immigrants, but ultimately their decision to move to the US is presented as a good one for both parties. If this project is indicative of the general US consciousness, then, the country is not unwelcoming of the idea of foreign cultural influences but it is somewhat unaware that new ones are still being added to this day.

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