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EXPLORATION, ENCOUNTER, EXCHANGE IN HISTORY
omen’s immigration offers students opportunities to
explore a wide range of topics or examine a subject
through a different lens. For example, the Triangle Shirtwaist
Factory Fire is not only a story about workplace safety, it
is also a study of the female immigrants in the workforce.
Students may follow an issue across borders or over time.
They may identify subjects that are relevant to their home
communities. Some students may choose to explore their own
family histories, creating projects rich in personal meaning.
Exploration
• What were the individual or group’s motivations
for immigration?
• What were the conditions that she or they were
leaving and what were her/their expectations
regarding life in America?
• What were the virtual boundaries that women
crossed? (Political, economic, or social)
• What were the physical boundaries that
immigrants crossed? (Oceans, deserts, geographic
borders, or national lines)
• What were the conditions of the trip?
(Crowded steerage compartments, difficulty of
communications, etc.)
Encounter
• What surprised women about living in the United
States? Were all women successful in establishing a
better standard of living?
• How did native-born Americans view the cultural
beliefs or practices of the target immigrant group?
How did immigrant women experience racism or
ethnic or religious prejudice?
• What was America’s view of women’s roles, and
how did immigrants fit into this model?
Exchange
• How did immigrant women affect change (political,
economic, social)?
• When did women from different groups come
together for a common purpose?
Inspection room, Ellis Island, New York, c. 1900–1915
Library of Congress
Motivations for Immigration
While women’s reasons for immigration varied, there are five common
motivations.
Opportunity
The United States represented opportunities not available in home
countries. This could include better paying jobs, more diverse job
opportunities, education, or, for some, better marriage prospects.
Family Reunification
While solo immigration was common, individuals were often links in
migration chains. Husbands, parents, or children frequently immigrated
first to establish a toehold in the new world and then worked to bring
over other family members.
Forced Immigration
Not all immigration is by the individual’s choosing. Enslaved individuals
were forced migrants. There were also numerous examples of women
compelled by law or culture to follow husbands or husbands-to-be.
Flight from Oppression
Many immigrants chose to leave their home countries due to war,
violence, and other forms of oppression. The United States represented
enhanced safety and freedom.
Mavericks
Perhaps the smallest group, mavericks did not necessarily lack
opportunity or were not oppressed but rather sought greater freedom of
self-expression than was allowed in their home countries.
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