Immigration
Coming to America
People immigrated to Wisconsin for many reasons. Some were looking for better opportunities and some were escaping dangers in their old countries. Transportation to America was limited to ships which took a few weeks to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Once they arrived to America, they had to travel by covered wagons or train to reach Wisconsin.
People immigrated to Wisconsin for many reasons. Some were looking for better opportunities and some were escaping dangers in their old countries. Transportation to America was limited to ships which took a few weeks to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Once they arrived to America, they had to travel by covered wagons or train to reach Wisconsin.
Packing a Trunk
Many immigrants gave up everything from their original homes to come to this country. In the nineteenth century, passengers brought very little with them because the shipping lines charged them for every parcel brought on board. Guidebooks offered suggestions for necessities, and immigrants used them to determine which items to bring. Immigrants often bought or made trunks in which to pack their belongings.
Many immigrants gave up everything from their original homes to come to this country. In the nineteenth century, passengers brought very little with them because the shipping lines charged them for every parcel brought on board. Guidebooks offered suggestions for necessities, and immigrants used them to determine which items to bring. Immigrants often bought or made trunks in which to pack their belongings.
Arriving in Wisconsin
When people arrived in Wisconsin, they had only the belongings they could carry. Many families had to build new homes from scratch. House designs varied depending on the traditions of the family and the amount of resources that family had. Look through the pictures below to see what different houses looked like in Wisconsin.
When people arrived in Wisconsin, they had only the belongings they could carry. Many families had to build new homes from scratch. House designs varied depending on the traditions of the family and the amount of resources that family had. Look through the pictures below to see what different houses looked like in Wisconsin.
Blending Old With New
Many immigrant families blended their traditional ways of life with their new American lives. One of the ways this was done was by becoming farmers. Many families in early Wisconsin would raise sheep. The wool from the sheep would then be used to make clothing. Watch the following video on wool carding, part of the process to make yarn.
Many immigrant families blended their traditional ways of life with their new American lives. One of the ways this was done was by becoming farmers. Many families in early Wisconsin would raise sheep. The wool from the sheep would then be used to make clothing. Watch the following video on wool carding, part of the process to make yarn.
Typical School Day
Getting to school in the 1900s was different from getting to school today. In 1900, there were few cars in rural America, so children walked to school, hitched a ride on a neighbor’s wagon or, if they were very lucky, rode their horse.
If the children arrived at school early, they would play with their friends who had also arrived early. This was like a recess before school had even begun. The teacher would ring a bell to signal to children dilly dallying on their way to school that they were to hurry or risk being late. If a school had a bell tower, this bell would be rung as a signal. If the school did not have one, a handbell would be used. After that, the teacher would ring the handbell to signal that it was time for school to start. The children would file into the classroom, girls on one side and boys on the other and stand by their desks ready for morning exercises such as saying the Pledge of Allegiance and singing a song or two
Students ranging in age from four to eighteen attended one-room schools. The youngest students would sit in the front and the oldest students would sit in the back. The girls sat on one side of the room, and the boys on the other. Behind the teacher was usually a black board and a wood stove heated the classroom.
One teacher instructed all the children in the school. She taught as many as eight grades at a time. The teacher did more than teach the children. She also had to keep order in the school. With children of all ages learning different things at the same time, good behavior was important. Teachers rarely had enough time to teach more than three subjects. The three subjects, or the “three Rs,” of early education were reading, writing, and arithmetic – or “reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic.”
Arithmetic was taught by DRILL. Children learned to add, subtract, multiply, and divide by solving problems in their head. They had to know the answers as soon as the teacher flashed the cards. Schoolbooks and writing paper were scare in settler times. Students did much of their learning by ROTE, which meant memorizing long poems and stories and reciting them to the teacher. Students also had to write and deliver speeches. In geography class, students memorized the names of countries, capital cities, lakes, rivers, and mountains.
Getting to school in the 1900s was different from getting to school today. In 1900, there were few cars in rural America, so children walked to school, hitched a ride on a neighbor’s wagon or, if they were very lucky, rode their horse.
If the children arrived at school early, they would play with their friends who had also arrived early. This was like a recess before school had even begun. The teacher would ring a bell to signal to children dilly dallying on their way to school that they were to hurry or risk being late. If a school had a bell tower, this bell would be rung as a signal. If the school did not have one, a handbell would be used. After that, the teacher would ring the handbell to signal that it was time for school to start. The children would file into the classroom, girls on one side and boys on the other and stand by their desks ready for morning exercises such as saying the Pledge of Allegiance and singing a song or two
Students ranging in age from four to eighteen attended one-room schools. The youngest students would sit in the front and the oldest students would sit in the back. The girls sat on one side of the room, and the boys on the other. Behind the teacher was usually a black board and a wood stove heated the classroom.
One teacher instructed all the children in the school. She taught as many as eight grades at a time. The teacher did more than teach the children. She also had to keep order in the school. With children of all ages learning different things at the same time, good behavior was important. Teachers rarely had enough time to teach more than three subjects. The three subjects, or the “three Rs,” of early education were reading, writing, and arithmetic – or “reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic.”
Arithmetic was taught by DRILL. Children learned to add, subtract, multiply, and divide by solving problems in their head. They had to know the answers as soon as the teacher flashed the cards. Schoolbooks and writing paper were scare in settler times. Students did much of their learning by ROTE, which meant memorizing long poems and stories and reciting them to the teacher. Students also had to write and deliver speeches. In geography class, students memorized the names of countries, capital cities, lakes, rivers, and mountains.
The Pledge of Allegiance
Each day would start with the students saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Read this article about the changes that the Pledge of Allegiance has gone through.
Each day would start with the students saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Read this article about the changes that the Pledge of Allegiance has gone through.