"Give Me Your tired, Your Poor ... "

Millions of immigrants who passed through Ellis Island were welcomed by the sight of the Statue of Liberty on Bledsoe Island in New York Harbor. The base of the statue is inscribed with a poem written by American poet Emma Lazarus (1849-1887):
 " ... Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" 

Imagine you are an immigrant seeking freedom from war in Russia or hunger in Ireland. Write how you would feel seeing the Statue of Liberty after your long voyage across the Atlantic. 

Andrew Carnegie's "Gospel of Wealth"

Andrew Carnegie made a fortune in the steel industry and went on to give a good deal of it away. In an 1889 speech, "The Gospel of Wealth," Carnegie proclaimed that the rich had a responsibility to use their money to help others. He said, "The man who dies . . . rich dies disgraced."

Do you agree with Carnegie that the rich have an obligation to help others? Explain your reasons. If you had millions of dollars, what would you do with it? Would you feel you should help others less fortunate than you? Give reasons for your answer

Monopoly

A monopoly is a company or group of companies that controls the supply of a product or a service. In the late 1800's, individuals such as John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937) and J. P Morgan (1837-1913) established large monopolies that came to be known as trusts.

Imagine there is only one company that makes blue jeans. How do you think that would affect the price, supply, and variety of blue jeans available? Do you think that any monopolies exist today? If so, what, if anything, should be done about them?

Robber Barons

Robber Barons In the late 1800's, many men made fortunes by taking unfair advantage of natural resources, cheap labor, or their influence over the government to build up their businesses. These men became known as robber barons.

What do you think would drive a person to become a so-called robber baron? Do you think the way such people run their businesses is wrong? Explain whether or not you think there are robber barons today.

Westward Expansion

How did mining, railroad building, and ranching  affect the development of the west.

Railroads and Native Americans

There were many wars between the U.S. government and the Plains Indians. How might a railroad worker have experienced these conflicts?

Farmers and Populism

How did farmers interact with the railroads? What changes might have been apparent to a railroad worker?