Immigration Songs Activity
Name ______
Class Period ______
Read through the different songs about Immigration and answer the questions following each song.
After reading all the songs choose one to create a picture of. Use colored pencils to create a picture of the song you choose.
Due: ______
"American Land"- Bruce Springsteen
What is this land of America, so many travel there
I'm going now while I'm still young, my darling meet me there
Wish me luck my lovely, I'll send for you when I can
And we'll make our home in the American land
Over there all the woman wear silk and satin to their knees
And children dear, the sweets, I hear, are growing on the trees
Gold comes rushing out the river straight into your hands
If you make your home in the American land
There's diamonds in the sidewalks, there's gutters lined in song
Dear, I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who will make his home in the American land
I docked at Ellis Island in a city of light and spire
I wandered to the valley of red-hot steel and fire
We made the steel that built the cities with the sweat of our two hands
And I made my home in the American land
There's diamonds in the sidewalk, there's gutters lined in song
Dear I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who will make his home in the American land
The McNicholas, the Posalski's, the Smiths, Zerillistoo
The Blacks, the Irish, Italians, the Germans and the Jews
The Puerto Ricans, illegals, the Asians, Arabs miles from home
Come across the water with a fire down below
They died building the railroads, worked to bones and skin
They died in the fields and factories, names scattered in the wind
They died to get here a hundred years ago, they're dyin' now
The hands that built the country were always trying to keep down
There's diamonds in the sidewalk, there's gutters lined in song
Dear I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who will make his home in the American land
Who will make his home in the American land
Who will make his home in the American land
- List the things in the song that the immigrants thought they would find in America
- What are the things the immigrants helped contribute to in America?
NEIL DIAMOND LYRICS "America"
Far,
We've been traveling far
Without a home
But not without a star
Free,
Only want to be free
We huddle close
Hang on to a dream
On the boats and on the planes
They're coming to America
Never looking back again,
They're coming to America
Home
Don't it seem so far away
Oh, we're traveling light today
In the eye of the storm
In the eye of the storm
Home
To a new and a shiny place
Make our bed and we'll say our grace
Freedom's light burning warm
Freedom's light burning warm
Everywhere around the world
They're coming to America
Ev'ry time that flag's unfurled
They're coming to America
Got a dream to take them there
They're coming to America
Got a dream they've come to share
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
They're coming to America
Today, Today,
Today, Today, Today
My country 'tis of thee (today)
Sweet land of liberty (today)
Of thee I sing (today)
Of thee I sing
Today, Today, Today
Today, today, today......
- What do the immigrants coming to America hope to find when they get there?
No Irish Need Apply- Pete Seeger by John F. Poole, 1862, sung by Brendan Nolan .
I'm a decent boy just landed
From the town of Ballyfad;
I want a situation, yes,
And want it very bad.
I have seen employment advertised,
"It's just the thing," says I,
"But the dirty spalpeen ended with
'No Irish Need Apply.' "
"Whoa," says I, "that's an insult,
But to get the place I'll try,"
So I went to see the blackguard
With his "No Irish Need Apply."
Some do count it a misfortune
To be christened Pat or Dan,
But to me it is an honor
To be born an Irishman.
I started out to find the house,
I got it mighty soon;
There I found the old chap seated,
He was reading the Tribune.
I told him what I came for,
When he in a rage did fly,
"No!" he says, "You are a Paddy,
And no Irish need apply."
Then I gets my dander rising
And I'd like to black his eye
To tell an Irish gentleman
"No Irish Need Apply."
Some do count it a misfortune
To be christened Pat or Dan,
But to me it is an honor
To be born an Irishman.
I couldn't stand it longer
So a hold of him I took,
And gave him such a welting
As he'd get at Donnybrook.
He hollered, "Miliamurther,"
And to get away did try,
And swore he'd never write again
"No Irish Need Apply."
Well he made a big apology,
I told him then goodbye,
Saying, "When next you want a beating,
Write `No Irish Need Apply.' "
Some do count it a misfortune
To be christened Pat or Dan,
But to me it is an honor
To be born an Irishman.
- What happens to the Irish Immigrant in the song?
"Immigration Blues"
I came here to work
And take up the rope
Give contributuion
In this land of hope
I'll bleed for your king
I'll die for your queen
Give all and some more
To your western dream
Locked in the ghetto
Waiting for news
Standing on the corner
With those immigration blues
My cousin told me
Steal your mother's ring of gold
Raise every single dollar
Oh before we get too old
Now I'm standing in an endless line
Waiting for some news
My dignity cries for mercy
With those immigration blues
Don't know where my cousin went to
Maybe they sent him back alone
I miss the ones I left so badly
Maybe I should have stayed back home
Somebody knows a dealer
Now it seems I don't get to choose
So I got to try whatever
Kick out these immigration blues, yeah
Those immigration blues
- What are some of the things that the person in the song is sad about?
The Refugee Lyrics
U2
Wa, War...
She's the refugee
I see your face
I see you staring back at me
Wa, War...
She's the refugee
Her mama say one day she's gonna live in America
In the morning
She is waiting
Waiting for the ship to sail
Sail away
Wa, War...
Her papa go to war
He gonna fight but he don't know what for
Wa, War...
Her papa go to war
Her mama say one day he's gonna come back from far away
Help me
How can you help me?
In the evening
She is waiting
Waiting for her man to come
And take her by her hand
And take her to this promise land
Wa, War...
She's a pretty face
But at the wrong time in the wrong place
Wa, War...
She's a pretty face
Her mama say one day she's gonna live in America
Yeah, America
Wa, War...
She's a refugee
She's coming back, she's coming
Keep you company
Wa, War...
She's a refugee
Her mama say one day she's gonna live in America
- What event(s) have the girl in the song leaving her homeland?
My poster of an immigration song: