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Traveling to America
My name is Carlee Hudson and right now I’m on my way to America. The population in Ireland has dropped by 20 percent due to the potato famine. My mother and father have both died and now I am all alone with my brother. All that I have brought with me are clothing, and my special miniature teacups that I hope to sell. I have heard many great things about America, and I am hoping for a fresh start here. Me and my brother hope to own our own land one day. I hope for more freedom and respect here. -
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Immigrating to America
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In America
It has been two weeks and our ship has finally docked in Ellis Island. I cannot believe that I am actually in America! A nice man has helped us rent a room for both me and my brother. The room is small, but I think it will do. The pay is $50 per month. My brother and I are struggling to find jobs; there is a lot of discrimination towards the Irish here in America. -
Settling in America
My brother and I have finally found jobs working at a convenient store. However, the pay is very little. We work for eight hours a day and yet we only get paid a quarter an hour. I offered the store clerk my teacups to sell but he laughed and threw them away. I don’t like all the discrimination against us Irish and even other cultures. I came to America to get more freedom and respect. I hope that one day I will be able to find a job where my hard work will be recognized. -
Lost jobs
My brother and have just lost our jobs. It was hard for us to show up on time to work every day due to heavy rain and snow and the fact that we had to walk three miles to get to the store. The manger was very angry and fired us after two weeks. We were also kicked out of our rented house because we could not keep up with the payment fees. We are alone on the streets and it is a struggle to find jobs. -
Moving to the West
My brother has talked about moving to the West. I have heard that there are many jobs in the West and that there are less prejudices against Irish immigrants. My brother has told me about how immigrants can find jobs on the railroad to make money. I have also heard that they have passed a new “Homestead Act”. This act gives away free land to anyone who can improve it for five years. My hope is that we can buy some of this land of our own in the West. -
In the West
We have just settled in Denver, Colorado and have agreed to maintain 160 acres of land as a part of the Homestead Act. My brother works on the railroad with many other immigrants while I work on our land farming. My brother works on the railroad eight hours a day on the tracks. This railroad is called the Transcontinental railroad and will eventually connect eastern America with western America. However, many diseases and lots of dust float around the railroad. My brother is getting very sick. -
Jerry McDougal
After a few weeks in Colorado, I have met a man who has immigrated from Ireland also. His name is Jerry McDougal. He works on the railroad with my brother. He and I have had very similar experiences in America. He also moved to the West for land and more freedom. I hope that I will get to know him better in the future. -
All alone
Unfortunately, my brother has died of an unknown disease. Now I am all alone and I do not think that I can keep up this land on my own. I don’t know what I am going to do without him; this was very unexpected. -
Recovering Part 1
It has been two weeks and I am still recovering from the loss of my brother. Not only is it heartbreaking, but it is very hard to maintain the land that we agreed to work on for the next five years. Hopefully things will get better now that I have also agreed to marry Jerry McDougal. He is a very kind, hardworking, and caring man, and I think that we will both have a successful future together. -
Recovering Part 2
Jerry and I are going to maintain the land that my brother and I had bought together. Immigrating to America had been rough, but it has also made me a stronger person on the inside. I have learned many new ways of life and I know that I have a bright future ahead of me.
