Thursday, September 3, 2009

Which Would You Rather Be?

Slaves were taken from their home country and brought to America to work on large plantations in the South. They were the property of their masters. Slaves were given small quarters to sleep in and a meal to eat everyday. Families worked together on the plantations from “sun up to sun down.”

Immigrants came to America to make a better life for themselves. They found work in the large factories of the North. They worked 12 to 16 hours a day and were paid very little wages. Factory work was dangerous and some people lost fingers or hands. Families had to live in overcrowded apartments and sometimes didn’t have enough money for food or new clothing.

Both slaves and immigrants had difficult lives when they came to America, if you had to choose one who would you rather be?