RESIDENTS TO AMERICA

By Sharon Mary Mathew.

In the 62 years between 1892 to 1954, more than 12 million people landed in New York City,

America. There were all kinds of immigrants like men, women, children and the rich and poor. Most of them

came from China and Japan. Some were from other countries, too. Almost all of them came because of the

huge flood that hit these two countries. Others came for employment and other needs like that. People from

both of these countries jumped into the ships that were going to New York City thinking that it would be a

good place to go. China and Japan were two fast developing countries at the time in the world but because

of this natural disaster, the nations’ were destroyed and would take a lot of time for the area to be what it

once was.

In the year 1909, there was a ship no: AH 2151 going from China to New York City. There were

many people on that ship. There was a particular family who came from a China. Their family name was

Feing Wei. The man’s name was Chang, his wife’s name was Cheya. They had two children, Lee and

Leya. They were very rich in China. They lived in Daqing. That was the place where most of the rich people

in that country used to live. There were good and bad rich people in that place.

Feing Wei family was one of the rude, greedy and selfish families. They never liked seeing beggars

that used to come to their doorstep and beg. They used to push them harshly. They never gave their

money to anyone but just held on to it until it was their family financial problems . Chang had 10 brothers

and 8 sisters. They all worked in government offices in good posts. They had good hold in politics. Their

father was a rich businessman and their mother was a singer who had been booked up all the days for

singing. But, Chang’s parents and his 2 brothers and 4 sisters died due to the flood. Chang and his family

left for America. They all went to different boats which went to different countries so, they all got separated

and lost all of their belongings.

In the ship, all the passengers were given little, dirty food which was covered with maggots and the

water that the got to drink was in brown colour because it was muddy water. There were little fresh air or

sanitary facilities. Chang and his family did not like to eat the food that the ship owners gave them but had

to eat rather than starving. In China they had so many servants to give them and cook them what they

wanted and desired. The servants would give them in which way they decided, too.

When the ship reached New York City, Chang and his family got out of the ship. They were stunned

by the beauty of the city and saw many more tall buildings, noisy cities, rich people and that made their

heart jump with joy because they thought as all people that ‘America was the land of Opporunity.’ They

understood that they no longer could sit sround as a boss but really had to work hard and earn money to

eat food rather than starving.They had to beg for food and jobs until they got one job or a plate of food.

Now they came to know the feelings that the people who came to them with jobs and the people that asked

for food and were rejected. They did not like doing jobs which were offered to them like working in rich

people’s home as servant,cooking for them, taking care of their kids and were given low money for these

kind of jobs.Tthey knew that if they want get rich they would have to work hard. So, they took whatever jobs

that were given to them. The kids however attended schools for poor people and learned many things and

also did partime jobs like cleaning dishes and babysitting. In the schools that the kids’ went they were not

taught that much as a normal good educated American school. They soon started liking their jobs and

schools as the days went by. They found it easy as they were trying to make their dreams come true.

All the while in New York City, Chang and his family were working really hard to make their family

survive.They got a little more money than they thought they would. Chang’s dream was to stay in America

and get a good job as a manager in a company or get a government job. Cheya’s dream was to be a

professor in a good disciplined college rather than sitting at home. Their kids’ dreams were to get a good

American education and get good jobs when they grow up.

They did not want to go back to China because they knew it had been all trashed by the flood and

would take a long time to develop the area and return it to what it once was.They loved each other and

cared for each other. They all supported each other’s dreams. They all are working hard to get their dreams

fulfilled.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Residents to America takes place in United States of America during a massive immigration. The story

is about the immigrants who came from two countries when a flood hit there. These countries where China

and Japan which were fast developing in that particular time. These immigrants landed in the harbor of the

state New York, City.

This great immigration was from 1892 to 1954. A huge lot of people came from many countries

especially from China and Japan. All the immigrants went to Ellis Island to be checked if they are okay

without any illness or should be sent to their native countries. Immigrants actually crossed seas to get here.

Americans did not like people from other countries coming to their country. Immigrants lost their jobs,

families and some of their belongings with the flood.

People thought that America was the land of oppurunity and that’s why they came here. People came

for all kinds of jobs. In 1892 to 1954, the immigration changed the lives of many people. The people or the

citizens of America did not like people from other countries or immigrants coming to their country. Actually,

the citizens or Americans were Nativists. The people gave small jobs to the immigrants like working as

servants in homes or babysitting and were given no wages or money for the work that they did.

But as the technology was changing people or immigrants started to develop their spirits which made

their lives easier because their spirits gave them courage and strenght to to support their dreams and live.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Markham, Lois. “Coming To America.” Kids Discover May. 2002: 2-3.