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I am born to my loving parents.
I was born to Mr. and Mrs. O’Callaghan. I was born as an only child with all my parents’ love. With no brothers or sisters to play with, I constantly experienced boredom and got into trouble. My parents gave me all my schooling until I was five years old. When I was five, I learned all about my family’s situation and how I had to start helping my father. -
My parents raise me on a farm where I learn to be many skills.
I was raised on a farm and learned how to tend land.Since I was an only child helping my dad, I was raised strong and tough. My father had been farming on our landowner’s land for many years prior to my birth, so I learned all of my skills from him. My mother taught me how to respect all life. My parents remembered experiencing the Great Potato Famine of 1845. My parents said I should head for America, where I can gain free land and never worry about famines. -
There were many reasons that could influence my move to America
The factors pulling me to America were good, free land and rich and fertile soil. These things would make my dream of owning farmland easier. There were also factors pushing me away form Ireland, which included escaping possibility of bad land and another famine. I was hearing that these things weren't a problem in America. -
There were three very important details I feel I have to mention about my Immigration to America.
To start with, a person who was immigrating back to America for a second time told me how lucky I was to be traveling after the Passenger Law of 1855 was put into place. Second, I learned all about how America has changed since a few years ago, but had trouble believing a stroy about tall buildings that touched the sky. Lastly, I got seasickness from all the tossing and turning on the boat. Luckily however, it went away by the time I could see Lady Liberty. -
I make it onto American Soil
The first thing I did when I reached real American soil was start looking for information about how to gain land. When a nice- looking gentleman told me all about how land was being given out for free in the west, I immediately started looking for a job to help me get west. I ended up working for an American who also had the dream of heading west, but needed help carrying his luggage. -
I immigrate to America.
I finally immigrated to America, carrying nothing but a change of clothes, 20 American dollars, and a few photos. When I landed, I made it through Ellis Island without many problems and headed on to New York.Since I had been living on a farm from the time I was born, all the tall towers and advanced technology was new It was clear what toll urbanization had done to the city since it started in the late 1800’s. The towering skyscrapers loomed over me, as I wondered how they still stood upright. -
There were many reasons for me to move west, but there were also resons for me to stay in New York.
There was one main factor for me to go to the west, there was rich, fertile land being given away fro free.There were a lot of push factors. These included my fear of Americans and harsh treatment if staying in slums and working in factories. -
I head west on a wagon train looking for land.
We set off a year later, heading west on the wagon train with the nice fellow, who granted me food and shelter for carrying his luggage that didn’t fit in his wagon. I was treated terribly, but knew that if I pushed through it, I would accomplish my parents’ dreams and gain land for myself. I endured harsh prejudice from Americans who claimed they deserved the land more than any low-life from some distant place. They said I should have stayed in New York until I became fully assimilated instead. -
I have experienced three things worth telling while i have lived in the west.
The three most important details that I experienced in the west would have to be traveling along the wagon train while learning about American history, learning new skills from hunters and missionnaries, and ,because I was an Irish immigrant in the heart of America, I was called a “Dirty Irish” from Americans who claimed they deserved the land more than me. -
I participate in the race.
Now that the corner marker was in sight, I raced straight to it, quickly hopped off my horse, and drove my stake into the ground while ripping the other one out. -
I reach the last western town and find out how to gain land in the west.
When I met a small group of other Irish Immigrants, they informed me that land could be won in a race, but the horse that would gain me the land would take most of the rest of my money. These Irish people were my only friends, since everyone else treated me like I wasn’t important. I went to the main office in the center of town and bought myself the finest horse. When the day of the race finally came, I already was prepared to race to the most fertile land closest to the beginning of the race. -
I gain my land in the west and live happily with my few neighbors.
Due to the Homestead Act of 1862, I gained 160 acres of my own land. I started building a small shack to live in. When I had my shack built and a small area set off for farming, I wrote my parents of my success story. My parents said that they would be heading here soon in hopes of escaping their old land before an uprising occurred. -
I live peacefully on my own land.
I soon realized I was going to have to make peace with my neighbors, for I would be living with them for a while.Since I had already been a farmer for a long time before owning this land, I knew it would turn out alright. We made our own little town, became great friends after we put our differences aside, and lived many years afterwards happily and in peace.