atreideslioness: (No man's spoil of war)
Ghanima Atreides ([personal profile] atreideslioness) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2010-11-17 11:55 am

Cultural Appreciation, Week XI [Wednesday, Periods 4 & 5]

Today's portal would take students to New York City. Specifically, to the ferry that would take them out and about for the day.

"We'll be spending an hour on Ellis Island, and then taking the ferry over to the Statue of Liberty," Ghanima said. "These two places have had a large impact on the cultural fabric of the United States."

"From 1892 to 1954, over twelve million immigrants entered the United States through Ellis Island, a small island in New York Harbor. Ellis Island is located in the upper bay just off the New Jersey coast, within the shadow of the Statue of Liberty. Through the years, this gateway to the new world was enlarged from its original 3.3 acres to 27.5 acres by landfill supposedly obtained from the ballast of ships, excess earth from the construction of the New York City subway system and elsewhere."

"Now, prior to 1890, the individual states -- rather than the Federal government -- regulated immigration into the United States. Castle Garden in the Battery served as the New York State immigration station from 1855 to 1890 and approximately eight million immigrants, mostly from Northern and Western Europe, passed through its doors. Throughout the 1800's and intensifying in the latter half of the 19th century, ensuing political instability, restrictive religious laws and deteriorating economic conditions in Europe began to fuel the largest mass human migration in the history of the world. It soon became apparent that Castle Garden was ill-equipped and unprepared to handle the growing numbers of immigrants arriving yearly."

"The Federal government intervened and constructed a new Federally-operated immigration station on Ellis Island. The new structure on Ellis Island, opened on January 1, 1892; Annie Moore, a 15 year-old Irish girl, accompanied by her two brothers, was the very first immigrant to be processed at Ellis Island. Unfortunately, after five years of operation, the Ellis Island Immigration Station burned down. The Treasury Department quickly ordered the immigration facility be replaced under one very important condition. All future structures built on Ellis Island had to be fireproof. On December 17, 1900, the new main building was opened and 2,251 immigrants were received that day.

"The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886. The statue, a gift to the United States from the people of France, is of a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, who bears a torch and a tabula ansata, a tablet evoking the law, upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence. A broken chain lies at her feet. The statue has become an iconic symbol of freedom and of the United States."

"Since the Statue was a joint effort between American and France, it was agreed that the American people were to build the pedestal, and the French people were responsible for the Statue and assembly. In France, public fees, various forms of entertainment and items with the Statue on it were ways to raise money. This was also tried in the United States- but with limited results. Joseph Pulitzer stepped in and was able to raise the remaining money for the pedestal using his newspaper "The World". The Statue was completed in France in July of 1884, then disassembled and shipped to the United States. She arrived in NY In June 1885. Once the pedestal was finished, the statue was re-assembled in four months. On October 28, 1886 the dedication of the Statue of Liberty took place in front of thousands of spectators."

"Not yet seen as an international, much less national symbol, the Statue saw many physical changes and many administrative changes. She was cared for by the Lighthouse Board, the War Department, and finally the National Park Service after 1933 (although she had already been declared a National Monument in 1924). Bedloe's Island was renamed Liberty Island in 1956 in honor of its most famous resident and in 1965 President Lyndon B Johnson added Ellis Island to the Statue of Liberty National Monument. In May of 1982, in anticipation of the Statue's 100th birthday a restoration project was initiated. At the start of the Statue's restoration, the United Nations in 1984 designated the Statue of Liberty as a World Heritage Site. The newly restored Statue opened to the public on July 5, 1986 during Liberty Weekend, which celebrated her centennial."

[OOC: OCD is raised high!]

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] swordsandsoccer.livejournal.com 2010-11-17 06:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Rudolf Wega

Re: The Statue of Liberty: Ranger Tour

[identity profile] swordsandsoccer.livejournal.com 2010-11-17 06:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Dolf only had half an ear to listen to the Park Rangers talk. He was mostly fascinated by the statue itself, and how huge it was. Liberty wasn't a topic he had to reflect on; he'd done enough of that.

Still, knowing that they would eventually go from 1212 to this... meant something.

He returned to himself for just long enough to catch the end of the tour.

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] nothornlessrose.livejournal.com 2010-11-17 06:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Cassidy

Re: The Statue of Liberty: Lobby, Promenade, Museum, Fort Wood & the 10th Floor Observation Deck

[identity profile] nothornlessrose.livejournal.com 2010-11-17 06:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Cassidy was half-entranced by everything she was seeing and reading.

The other half of her was concerned and a little worried as she kept looking around for people who weren't there and should be.

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] theotherpeter.livejournal.com 2010-11-17 07:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Peter Bishop

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com 2010-11-17 08:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Rilla Blythe

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] mathletenomore.livejournal.com 2010-11-17 09:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Lindsay Weir
nohaircutsplz: (chin up)

Re: Sign-In XI

[personal profile] nohaircutsplz 2010-11-17 10:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Medusalith Amaquelin

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] boho-to-be.livejournal.com 2010-11-17 10:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Christian

Re: OOC

[identity profile] boho-to-be.livejournal.com 2010-11-17 10:36 pm (UTC)(link)
My great-grandma came through Ellis Island. (Actually, all of my Polish great-grands probably did, but her record is easiest to find.)

... yeah, that's all I have. Sharing is good?

Re: Ellis Island: Self-Guided Tours

[identity profile] boho-to-be.livejournal.com 2010-11-17 10:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Christian walked slowly through the exhibits. He knew about immigration, of course -- but it was still strange to realize that while he was going about his life in London a hundred years ago and more, other Europeans were giving anything to come through this place.

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] pastmewrong.livejournal.com 2010-11-17 11:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Effy Stonem

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] inneedofcoffee.livejournal.com 2010-11-18 12:09 am (UTC)(link)
Maladicta

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] notlikebobby.livejournal.com 2010-11-18 12:12 am (UTC)(link)
Jack McCallister

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] snarkyhealer.livejournal.com 2010-11-18 01:28 am (UTC)(link)
Shira

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] whateverknight.livejournal.com 2010-11-18 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
Squall Leonhart

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] she-sheds.livejournal.com 2010-11-18 02:30 am (UTC)(link)
Joolushko Tunai Fenta Hovalis

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] elephantgadget.livejournal.com 2010-11-18 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
Helen Haras-Uquara

Re: The Statue of Liberty: Museume Exhibits

[identity profile] she-sheds.livejournal.com 2010-11-18 03:30 am (UTC)(link)
Museums were also a popular destination for Joolushko. Particularly historical ones. So she would be spending the majority of her time perusing the exhibits over here.

She'd probably head over to the observation deck next if there was time.

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] robinthefrog.livejournal.com 2010-11-18 06:16 am (UTC)(link)
Robin

Re: Sign-In XI

[identity profile] notlikejack.livejournal.com 2010-11-18 12:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Bobby McCallister
wwiii: (Shirtless Comic JOY)

Re: Sign-In XI

[personal profile] wwiii 2010-11-18 08:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Warren Worthington III