In Angela's Ashes, Frank decided to leave for America and he certainly was not the only one. In fact, people have left Ireland for America much earlier than in the 1930s and 1940s. Even Jack has some distant relatives in New York, they left Ireland as early as in 1847. Why have Irish people emigrated, especially to America? Did they get a chance for a better life across the Atlantic? Finding out about earlier generations and their experiences in America could help you make up your mind.

Task

Although your primary task is to help Jack in decision-making, it might be a good idea to consider the phenomenon of immigration from a different point of view. Leave Jack for a moment and complete the following task: In the links below you will find information about Irish immigration in America during different time periods. Based on the information in the links, please write a short (max. 2 pages) five-paragraph essay on the following topic: compare two different waves of Irish immigration in America (immigration in two different centuries/eras). Please check the links for essay writing in step 1 (Ireland in the 1930s and 1940s). Pick out the main points of Irish immigration in America, compare the reasons for emigration from Ireland and give some examples of the immigrants' initial experiences in their new homeland in two different eras. What kind of possibilities did Irish emigrants have? In addition, you can also discuss the option of staying in Ireland: you can search for stories of those who stayed in Ireland while their loved ones decided to leave. What was the situation like for those who stayed in Ireland? Save your essay in the course workspace in Moodle. Remember to indicate the sources you used!

Links

Irish migration:
- Lots of information about Irish emigration, in general, during different times. For example, World War II. Click Origins, Journeys, Settling, Growing up, Working Lives, Culture and Festivals, Politics and the numerous sub pages under those titles, listen to the audio clips
http://www.movinghere.org.uk/galleries/histories/irish/irish.htm

Irish immigrants in America:
- Basic information about the different waves of Irish immigration in America, beginning with Colonial Immigration. See also: Irish-Catholic Immigration to America, Adaptation and Assimilation, Joining the Workforce, Religious Conflicts and Discrimination etc.
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/immigration/irish.html

- Difficulties faced by Irish immigrants in America
http://www.kinsella.org/history/histira.htm

- Brief introduction to immigration, short comments from immigrants
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAEireland.htm

- information about the Irish potato famine and the emigration caused by it
http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/famine/index.html

- immigration in America especially in the 19th century
http://library.thinkquest.org/20619/Irish.html

- "The Making of a Melting Pot", some facts about Irish Immigration to America From 1700 to the early 1800s by The American Immigration Law Foundation (AILF)
http://www.ilw.com/articles/2001,0817-AILF.shtm

Stories of those who stayed in Ireland

- Poem: Irish mother http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/3241.html

Information about how to organize your essay answer:

http://www.uefap.com/writing/organise/answer.htm