-
Introduction
My name is Amelia Montolivo and I am seven years old. I live with my mother and father on a farm in southern Italy. At school, I learn history, art, and music. I also enjoy cooking with my mother at home. -
Period: to
Amelia Montolivo's Immigration
blahblah -
Taxes
The government is demanding oppressive taxes. Now we don’t have enough money to buy the new supplies we need such as tools and water for our crops, so they are dying. My parents have seen a flyer for free land in the west of America so they are thinking of starting a new farm there. -
Earthquake
The big earthquake has struck and our crops and home are completely destroyed. The only valuable items that survived are the money in the safe, the silver plates, and our livestock. Basically, we have almost nothing left and our only option is to start a new life in America. We sell our livestock for a high price and prepare to leave. -
Journey to Ellis Island
The ship ride was long, pricey, and uncomfortable. I have gotten seasick many times, but we finally made it to Ellis Island. My parents and I have gone through many long, terrifying, and weird exams but at last we got accepted into America. -
Life in America
My father slaves away at a stuffy, dangerous factory for ridiculously long hours. It is hard for him to find a job. Most people won’t hire him because he is Italian. My parents both refuse to let me work so my mother looks after me in the stinky, dirty room we got for one dollar a week. We can barely afford it. My mother and I pray that my father will be safe in the factory and we will finally have enough money to move west. -
Short on Money
My father’s arm was badly injured in the factory today. Now my mother and I have no choice but to sell the silver plates we brought with us. I am very hungry but I try to limit myself to only a few scraps a day to save food for my father. -
My Father's New Job
My father’s arm has finally healed. We have no money left except for the few scraps left in the safe. On the bright side, he found a new job in a factory with a higher rate than before. However, the manager is short-tempered and irritable and today my father got whipped for daydreaming. -
The Homestead Act
Finally! We have enough money to move west. Instantly, we pack our bags and take the transcontinental railroad train to the west. When we step off the train though, the landscape doesn’t look right. We eventually realize the horrid truth which is the Homestead Act: we might not get our land because we have to race for it. -
Sign ups
We rush to sign up for the race and see many people lined up. I am very sad at the thought of no land. I am so scared and tired of all this. I wish we were still back in Italy. My father assures my mother and me that he will get land for us, no matter what. -
Racing Day
It is racing day. When the shout is called to start, my father darts ahead on his horse. My mother and I follow behind at a slower pace. It soon gets harder to follow him, but we finally hear a triumphant shout that can only be my his. We arrive on a stretch of land just to see him stick a flag into the ground. -
After Immigration
I rock back and forth on my rocking chair in my son's house in Italy. Playful shouts of my grandchildren come from the garden. In my serenity, I suddenly remember the hectic days of my immigration. I smile as I think about the land my father got for my mother and me with such determination. Our crops had thrived. We had built a cozy house next the crops that had a little stream flowing behind it. Even in my old age, I hope to go back to America again.
