Final Exam Essay

1. Tales from the Travels of Watson Wordsworth: Ellis Island
The moment I stepped out of the cabin and into the open deck was one of the most unforgettable moments of my life. The sound of sea gulls flying above us cawed through the cold sea breeze. The sun shone brightly, blinding me temporarily as the door opened and I went out for the first time. When the blindness faded, the first thing I saw were the people thronged outside the deck, looking at the land that lay ahead. The land was huge, with thousands of buildings and smoke and bustling noises. It was a sight that inspired awe and excitement to most of us who came here. But for a 12 year old boy like me, who had left many a friend in London to join my father's mad quest to seek fortune in the land of opportunity, the land felt somewhat intimidating for me.
The initial awe and excitement soon faded when we arrived at Ellis Island. Here, we joined more people who had come from different places all over the world to file for our passage into America (The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation Inc., 2000-2010). My father did most of the talking to the men who were in charge of the Island, since I had no idea what to do. At times, I would sit in a corner that my father told me to stay on and play with a bell that my late mother gave to me when I was 7. At times, I would talk to some of the kids who were near me, but most of the time they did not talk to me back. It was only when they got to talk to their parents that I realized that they could not speak or understand a word of English.
Later that day my father returned, slightly peeved. He had told me that the people in charge would check our papers tomorrow, so for now we had to wait. He asked me if I was hungry, and when I said yes we went to a large dining hall filled with people. We ate what food that they were able to give to us: bread and a stew of carrots, cheese and beans. Afterwards, we huddled with some people near the large hall, where the people gathered when they were called for inspection (as my father had explained earlier). Here, my father talked to some of the people who could speak English (or German, as my father learned the language from a German friend that he had met from his travels), and learned their story for coming to America. There was an old couple that came from Berlin, seeking passage to the country in the hopes of finding their wayward son who came before them. There was also a young lady from Ireland, who explained that she was running away from a life that she never wanted. There were also some people who faked their nationalities, since some of them were running away from the law. And there were others like us, who seek the opportunity to start a new life.
The next day my father was called and he left me again in a corner whilst he fixed our papers. However, as soon as I left I was called by some kids of my age to play since their parents were also away. We played a game of tag that was only limited in a small space since the place was crowded and more people came into the hall by the hour. It took half a day until my father found me playing, and scolded me for not staying in the corner like he told me. He then dragged me back into the hall where I joined a line that went straight into a room where they asked me and my father questions: Where did we come from? What was our purpose of coming into America? Do we have any known relatives? Were we sick of any diseases prior to entering the Island? Some of the questions I have answered, but my father did most of the talking, since I was too shy to answer. Afterwards, we were sent back to the hall and told us that they will call us again tomorrow.
That night, we slept in a large place that was filled with lots of beds. My father kept me in a bed above him whilst he talked with the people beside us, asking for any particular jobs or businesses that he could expect in the new world. Since I could barely sleep with the talk that came below, I talked with the girl that was near the bed that I was on, who was also unable to sleep because of the talk that came from the adults below. She was from Norway, and had little knowledge of English save for what her father taught her. I asked her what she wanted to do once she reached America, and she answered as best as she could, saying that she was going to help with her mom's business. When she asked what I wanted to do when I get to the real world, I shrugged and told her that I haven't thought about it, and told her that I was only dragged into the trip by my father. I also told her that if I was lucky, I could probably make new friends once my father settled down.
We were finally granted entrance into America the next day. As I said goodbye to the friends that I have made in the Island, I boarded a small boat that took us into the mainland. As my dad looked for the friend he had made that knew connections to certain jobs, I could only do nothing but follow him. In due time, I would have to learn how to map my course in the land that I am now in, and hopefully I could muster enough courage to undertake the challenges. Even if the prospect did not fascinate me one bit.
2. On the Development of New York from the Revolutionary Wars to the 19th century
New York: One of the largest cities in the world and known capital of culture and commerce. It’s a wonder how a small outpost known in the early 16th century as New Amsterdam has developed into one of the most well-known and well-visited cities in America. Even during the height of the Revolutionary wars towards the 19th century did little to faze the economic and infrastructural growth of the city. And whilst trade played a big role in bringing prosperity and opportunity to the city and its ever-growing citizens, its overblown development rate could not have been realized had not for 3 advantages that the city had.
The first advantage that the city had was location. As ...