M2A1- HIS 330:Analyze primary sources to draw conclusions about the patterns of Irish immigration in the 19th century. (CO#1, CO#2, CO#4)
This essay addresses the following outcome(s):
Analyze primary sources to draw conclusions about the patterns of Irish immigration in the 19th century. (CO#1, CO#2, CO#4)
Before beginning this essay make sure to read the assigned material for this week and the Module Notes. Also read the following letters from the Historical Society of
Pennsylvania written in the aftermath of the Irish Potato Famine. Some of these are written by family members in Ireland to those who have emigrated, while others are
written by the émigrés back to their relatives in Ireland.
Hannah Curtis to her brother John Curtis (1845)
William Dunne to his nephew John Curtis (1846)
William Dunne to his nephew John Curtis (1846)
Hannah Curtis to her brother John Curtis (1847)
William Dunne to his nephew John Curtis (1851)
John and Jane Curtis to their mother, Bridget Dunne Curtis (1845).
In addition to the sources above, read the following letter from an earlier Irish immigrant in the aftermath of the American Revolution: John Doyle (1818), “Suffer for
About the First Six Months After Leaving Home.”
Once you have read the primary sources above, compare them to what you have read in Takaki and the Module Notes about Irish immigrants. In a 3-4 page (750-1000 word)
essay, consider the following as jumping-off points for your own analysis:
What can these letters tell us about the common patterns of Irish immigration in the early to mid-19th century, including the “push” and “pull” factors for leaving
Ireland and coming to the US? What conditions did they face on the trip over and in the United States? How did native-born Americans react to them?
What do they reveal about the individual, personal experiences of immigration in the early to mid-19th century?
Sources should be cited and referenced in eitherAPA or Chicago/Turabian format.
Your essay should include:
An introduction paragraph with a clear thesis statement outlining your overall argument
Body paragraphs with specific evidence from the primary and secondary sources
In-text citations and references in APA or Chicago/Turabian style
A conclusion paragraph that synthesizes the information you present and summarizes your main points
