3. Africans in the Americas
The U.S. has many types of people meaning we have
diversity. There was a time when blacks such as
Frederick Douglass (below) were slaves some 300 years.
Douglass was able to escape and be free. In slavery,
blacks worked for no money and could not freely move
about. Many slaves were beaten or killed.
In spite of hard times,
many blacks did start
businesses and some later
went to school. In the
1860s, slavery was no
longer legal.
This school house was for blacks after slavery became illegal.
4. Moving to the West
People came from all over the world to live here. They are called immigrants because they left their country
to move to another country. In 1542, Europeans came to California, which used to belong to Spain. In 1848
California became part of the U.S. Many came to find gold. Others came from Japan, Korea and the
Philippines. Most people today in California came from Spanish-speaking countries.
1. These poor people in the 1850s searched for gold to give them a better life. 2. Many also came here to build
railroads in the 1860s. 3. Many immigrants left their countries to go to Angel Island in the 1910s for better lives.
4. Californians today live a much easier life like this family riding bicycles.
Railroads in 1860s
1. 2. 3. 4.
Angel Island 1910s
5. Moving to the East
While many immigrants were glad to
be in the U.S., life in the 1800s and
1900s was very hard. The Statue of
Liberty was here to welcome
thousands of new people to the U.S.,
but Americans who were already here
thought these new immigrants would
take their jobs.
Zworykin, who is from Russia,
invented the TV in 1927.
Many immigrants like Vladimir
Zworykin invented things like the
TV. Others worked hard on the
railroads to make a better life. More
people still come from other
countries today bringing us diversity.
The Statue of Liberty is on
Ellis Island in New York.
6. Write Your Story
• From what country did your family immigrate? ______________________________
• What was it like when your family first came to the U.S. as immigrants?
_________________________________________________________________
• Why did they come here? Was life hard or easy before they left their country?
__________________________________________________________________
• Was it hard when they first came here? How was it hard?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
• Is it easier now? Tell us how it is easier.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
7. The Amazon is the
second longest river in the
world. This river makes
the soil in Brazil very
fertile for farmers to
grow crops to sell and to
feed animals. Their
ancestors, relatives born
a long time ago, were able
to make a living. Now
many Brazilians work in
the city, use cell phones,
the Internet and enjoy the
of beaches.
Some people follow the old culture like this mom and
daughter. Some mix old and new ways of doing things. These
groups of people born either long ago or recently are called a
generation. Your generation was born in about 2008; your
parents in the 1980s; your grandparents in the 1960s or earlier.
Pacific Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Amazon River
BRAZIL: South America Some Brazilians are from Japan!
8. Traditions: Ways of Doing Things
• Does your family follow the ways of your original country?____________
• What are some of the ways or traditions they follow? Is it the types of food, holidays, music or
clothes from your original country?
Some of the food we eat are _____________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
The holidays from my country we celebrate are__________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
My family wears clothes from our country when we celebrate
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
9. Sources
• Designed and edited by Eugenia Drye primarily for English Language Learners.
• Photos and text from Houghton Mifflin 2008 Social Studies: Communities as well
as Google and Bing photo galleries.
