Assignment in Preparation for Thursday's Field Trip

Mulberry Street, Lower East Side (circa 1900)

Mulberry Street (circa 2010)

Hello all!  I hope everyone got a chance to rest and relax this weekend (I certainly did!).

ASSIGNMENT
As mentioned in class, I would like you to familiarize yourself with the history and the stories behind tenements in the Lower East Side.

1. Go to The Lower Eastside Tenement Museum Virtual Tour.
2. Visit each of the six tenements at the very top of the website.
3. Read the description for each apartment and listen to the accompanying audio (if available).
4. Answer these four questions:
• Why did the Rogarshevskys change their names to "Rosenthal"?
• How many daughters did the wife, Nathalie, have?
• What did the Levins do for a living?  (i.e. What was their profession?)
5. Optionally, you can visit The History Channel's excellent article on NYC tenements here.
6. There is also a 10-minute video slideshow featuring a very haunting look at tenement life.
   

As for our field trip itinerary, we will be exploring four distinct ethnic neighborhoods and learn how their heritage and traditions helped to shape the fabric of New York City, as well as American, life:  the Italians, the Chinese, the Jewish, and the Hispanic.