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A Virtual Tour of Ellis Island
Have you ever wondered why there are so many different cultures in the United States? How did they get here? And, what did they encounter searching for that Great American Dream?
For over a century America has become what is known as a “melting pot.” The”melting pot” is a metaphor used to describe how immigrants who come to America eventually become assimilated into American culture, thus creating multiple cultures that have blended into one.
There are many reasons why people from all over the world came to America. Those reasons included religious and political oppression, war, work, school, and ultimately a search for a better life or what many called the American Dream.
In the late 1900s, immigrants began their journey to the New World via steamboats. Those steamboats would take them into New York Harbor where depending on their social class they would be able to begin their new lives in America or be ferried to Ellis Island. Immigrants who were taken to Ellis Island would have to undergo a very long process, sometimes lasting hours to see if they were healthy enough to pass inspection. If not, there was a chance they could be sent back to their country of origin. In fact, 2% of immigrants did not pass and were deported almost immediately on the same ships that they had come in on.
Thanks to modern technology we can learn so much more about the immigrants who first came to America including their journey to America and their experiences at Ellis Island through the virtual interactive tour. The virtual tour is almost as incredible as being there in person. The tour includes a summary of each process an immigrant had to go through at Ellis Island and included photos, videos, and commentary from actual immigrants from the 1920s. Listening to their stories, you are able to get a sense of what it was like on Ellis Island before it became a museum and landmark. You will also be able to find out why immigrants no longer pass through Ellis Island. To find out more check out the Virtual Field Trip.
Thanks for checking out my blog post!
Bayta Owens #GEN2108
Roma: La città di magico eternità
![[Image description: Rome's Trevi Fountain.] Via Unsplash.](https://blogs.stockton.edu/webtools/files/2021/11/photo-1525874684015-58379d421a52.jpeg)
Is there a city in the world more iconic than Rome, Italy? Society was practically built on Rome, which housed an empire that influenced the Western World for centuries to come. For my virtual tour, choosing Italy was a no-brainer, but I didn’t feel like a tourist for immediately leaning toward this iconic tourist city.
I am not going to focus on the Colosseum, because that’s just too touristy. So I started on Capitoline Hill, which was one of Rome’s original 7 hills. It was here that Rome’s first mint was created in The Temple of Juno Moneta (today’s Church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli). The hill became the seat of the city’s government in the year 1,000, which was also where the Senate Building and the Tabularium (Rome’s archives) stood.
Another iconic image in the Eternal City is the Spanish Steps, located in Piazza di Spagna. Thanks to its Baroque architecture that hosts the famous Barcaccia Fountain, tourists throng here every year (except for during COVID in 2020, of course).
The steps go to the Trinita Church, another Baroque marvel commissioned by Pope Innocent XII who had Francesco De Sanctis build it in the 18th century.
Perhaps nothing is more formidable than the Castel Sant’Angelo, the towering papel fortress that towers in the elegant neighborhood of Prati. This mighty structure is the guardian of the Tiber River, towering over its flowing waters for thousands of years. In 123 AD, Emperor Hadrian built the fortress as a tomb for himself and his family, and throughout the ages, it was used as an imperial mausoleum for Roman emperors until the Middle Ages when it became a fortress to protect the city. Despite this iconic stone structure’s many uses, it’s fair to say that no matter what time period it was, it symbolizes Rome’s imperial power and solidifies the city’s place as an iconic world heritage site.
The best part about taking a virtual field trip in such an iconic city is being able to learn about the history behind such imposing monuments. The Capitoline Hill was where such important politics occured throughout the empire’s history, and Castel Sant’Angelo’s 2,000+ existence over the Tiber River is a perfect symbol of the city’s significance.
Rome’s history spans centuries, but what makes it unique is its fascinating combination of ancient paganism and Old World Catholicism everywhere you look. The very cobblestones lining the piazze breathe history, whether it be ancient or from the modern era. It isn’t called the Eternal City for nothing.
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