American Immigrants Moving West Essay

Words: 1280
Pages: 6
Open Document
During the 1840s and 1850s, American emigrants packed up their lives and headed west. The decision to move west was dominated by the men and resulted in large groups of only men or groups of men and women that traveled west. The end goal was California and the emigrants not only faced a tough journey across the foreign lands but also encountered the foreign culture that impacted their lives. American emigrants came into contact with many Hispanic and non-white people during their journey. These records were kept in journals and diaries of the travelers and explained the reactions of the cultural differences they faced. Many Americans experienced differences among religion, race, gender and social norms and acted on these differences with their old eastern American mindset. Religion had an impact on how emigrants saw the Hispanic and non-white peoples. Many Americans traveling west had Christian (Protestant, Methodist, etc.) backgrounds so experiencing new a …show more content…
During the 1840-1850 time period, the women dressed in modest fashion and kept to a private life. During Susan’s trip to California, she encountered gender norms that seemed odd to her. For example, at Bent’s Fort, she witnessed a Mexican woman who combed her hair in front of a man. She also witnessed an Indian woman go to the river and wash her baby off thirty minutes after giving birth. Susan defined this a heathenish custom because when she experienced child labor she was in a tremendous amount of pain and in the end lost her baby. She thought it was odd how the Indian woman could recover so fast after just birthing a healthy baby. Susan’s reaction of confusion to how these women could live this way was her showing how she was unable to relate to their customs because she already had opinions in her head from the gender norms of her old and familiar way of
Show More

Related Documents: American Immigrants Moving West Essay

American Immigration 19th Century

Americans, especially during the nineteenth century, glorified the idea of Manifest Destiny, which proclaimed that they were destined by God to settle land in the West and beyond. Having this idea in mind affected the American population, and caused them to work to fulfill it. People moved in masses to the West looking for better opportunities. The concept of American Exceptionalism, stating that America is unique and greater than other nations, grew as a result of a better economy. By the second…

Words 1498 - Pages 6

The Manifest Destiny Reflected Native Americans In The 1800's

such a great time for the new settlers, how could it have ruined lives of Natives who already lived in the west? This time period, otherwise known as the Manifest Destiny, changed many lives; some for better, some for worse. In this essay, it will display what the Manifest Destiny is, and who moved west during it; how this time period affected Native Americans; the inaccuracy of Native Americans in media shown today; the accuracy (or inaccuracy) of movies and television shows about the time period;…

Words 1104 - Pages 5

Essay about Storming Heaven: the Land Before Time

Storming Heaven: the Land before Time Essay In the book Storming Heaven by Denise Giardina, education, and the lack there of, plays one of the largest roles in the character's lives. At this time in West Virginia, where the book is set, many children had to leave school and actually go into the coalmines, as Rondal Lloyd did, or work on the family farm. Racial ignorance is also a key element Giardina confronts in the novel. The characters, chief and secondary, equally cultural and racially…

Words 1008 - Pages 5

The Populist Party: A Historical Analysis

Making connections is a critical component for historians to help them understand the events that have taken place. In this essay, I’m going to compare the similarities between three groups and how they relate to a certain history theme. Each term within each group relates to a particular theme, however, eventually each term will connect to one theme overall. Trusts, labor unions, the Patrons of Husbandry, and the Populist Party all relate to the historical theme of Work, Exchange, and Technology…

Words 790 - Pages 4

A Comparison Of Immigration Patterns Between San Francisco, New York City And Jacksonville

New York, and Jacksonville History Zizhao S Wang Candidate #____________ 05/27/14 WC: 4,038 1 Abstract Research Question: What are some similarities and differences between the immigration patterns of Chinese Americans in San Francisco, New York City, and Jacksonville? For this essay, I conducted my research mainly through books and interviews. Originally, I was planning on using mainly census information, but after I realized that most of the statistics I sought did not exist online, my adviser…

Words 5439 - Pages 22

geo notes Essay

Read Re-Read+highlift Write (in your own words). The key points Organize- headings and sub-headings Point Form The Geography of Canada-Canada 2nd largest country in world -Has 6 time zones -Landmass is gigantic -Bigger than Europe -Stretches 5,500 km west-east -4,500km north-south -Canada is so big that’s its landmass equals to 9,000,000 square km of land, and more millions of square km of water surrounding its outskirts. -Coastline is the biggest out of all the world-touching 3 oceans. -Canada has…

Words 2440 - Pages 10

The Market Revolution: The Antebellum Era

Essay 1 The Market Revolution The antebellum era was a period not only of profound political change but also of significant technological, economic and social innovation. The Industrial Revolution that began in Europe in the 1700s had produced new inventions and different methods of production. For instance, the American inventors transformed the U.S. economy with innovations of their own. The overall rapid development of manufacturing and improved farming had such a profound effect on the American…

Words 1928 - Pages 8

Essay on Review Us

Geography-study of people, places, and the environment Economy-the production and consumption of goods and services of a community regarded as a whole Political-relating to civil administration or government Compact-a formal document such as a treaty Immigrant-people who came to an area from a foreign place Puritan-Protestants who, during the 1600s, wanted to reform the Anglican Church Pilgrim-Separatists who journeyed to the colonies during the 1600s for a religious purpose Quaker-people who came…

Words 1898 - Pages 8

Essay about The Future of Marriage in America

rutgers.edu/Publications/SOOU/TEXTSOOU2007.htm The State of Our Unions The Social Health of Marriage in America 2007 Essay: The Future of Marriage in America David Popenoe © Copyright 2007 Introduction In this year’s essay, David Popenoe argues that long-term trends point to the gradual weakening of marriage as the primary social institution of family life. More Americans today are living together, marrying at older ages or not at all, and rearing children in cohabiting or solo parent households…

Words 9365 - Pages 38

Massachusetts Bay Colony and New England Essay

had a large commercial network that allowed it to be a center of trade where travelers would buy goods like obsidian. The urban area also served as a cultural mecca with pyramids and the temple of Quetzalcoah. Sexual Division of Labor in North American Cultures- The sexual division of labor was that the women would gather food while the men hunted. The woman would also take care of the children until they were old enough to go off with their same sex parent. They also would collect shellfish in…

Words 3709 - Pages 15