Smithsonian's History Explorer Resources Related To "Coming to America"

Preparing for the Oath: A Growing Nation

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:42:04 GMT

Explore the history of the peopling of America through short videos, mini-activities, and practice questions in this segment of Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship. The eight questions included in this segment cover topics such as American Indians, British colonists, slavery, westward expansion, and immigration.

This site was designed with the needs of recent immigrants in mind. It is written at a “low-intermediate” ESL level.

Gateway to the 19th Century: The William Steinway Diary Homepage

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:21:59 GMT

Beginning eight days after the first shots of the American Civil War were fired and three days before his wedding, William Steinway’s remarkable diary bears witness to one of the most dynamic periods in American history. This website examines the life of William Steinway and the display of his diary at the Smithsonian.

From Ellis Island to Orchard Street

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:44:33 GMT

This online exhibition, produced by the Tenement Museum, allows students to play the role of an immigrant to New York City in the early twentieth century. Students will learn about the immigration experience by creating an indentity and making decisions about making a living and making a living in the Lower East Side. Video clips of an an actress playing the role of an immigrant add context and give students helpful advice. Panoramic photographs of rooms in a tenement apartment give students a unique perspective into the lives of immigrants in the early twentieth century. This website was a 2009 Museums and the Web Best of the Web Award nominee.

Ocean Crossings 1870-1969

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:53:13 GMT

Ocean liners were ships of transport for immigrants and machines of leisure, status, and national prestige. Students will learn about the roles that these ships played during the massive immigration of people to the United States from both Europe and Asia during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries in this section of On the Water: Stories from Maritime America, an online exhibition. Students will also learn how passenger liners such as the Mauretania, Titanic, and the S.S. United States became a popular, and sometimes dangerous, mode of leisure travel for those who could afford it.

Creating Stories Activity Kit

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 13:57:31 GMT

In this activity kit, students will use primary and secondary sources, and conduct oral history interviews to construct a family immigration or migration story. The kit contains step-by-step instructions, sample interview questions, and research guidance. The kit can be used in conjunction with a 28 minute streaming video called Creating Stories: America on the Move Electronic Field Part 2. It is included in the online exhibition entitled America on the Move, which focuses on transportation in US history.

Reading Feivel’s Flying Horses

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:55:56 GMT

Use this guide to actively read Feivel’s Flying Horses a picture book about an immigrant who comes to America in the late 1800’s. Part of an OurStory module entitled Coming to America, this activity includes discussion prompts, a glossary, and background information. OurStory is designed to help children and adults explore history together through the use of children's literature, museum objects, and hands-on activities.