Jay M. Brown
Using the film
Introduction: We are about to see a film that deals with the period 1901-1919. It is about the rise of the union movement, and is particularly concerned with the birth of the Amalgamated, a union composed mostly of Jewish immigrants.
What is a union, a strike?
Why was it necessary to form unions and to conduct strikes in the early 1900s?
What were working conditions like?
Discussion questions after showing:
What do you think most immigrants thought of their experience on Ellis Island?
What did the man mean when he said that in the Old Country he had worked like an animal?
What were his hopes for his children?
Why was America described in the film as “half dream and half nightmare”?
Activities for Students
The following activities may be used either for class discussions or homework assignments:
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1.
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Write a diary entry recounting the events of a pogrom.
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2.
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Write a summary of the May Laws.
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3.
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Imagine yourself as a Jewish child living in N.Y. in the 1900s. Write a letter to a Russian cousin describing life in the United States.
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4.
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Interview or invite a current Russian immigrant to discuss his experiences.
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5.
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Describe the life of a Jewish worker who was forced to labor in a sweatshop.
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6.
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Write a newspaper story about the Triangle Fire.
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7.
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Make a list of some of the accomplishments of immigrants.
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8.
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Describe the conditions under which the immigrants lived in the Lower East Side.
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