To get a personal perspective on the importance of internal migration and its effects, you will construct a
personal migration map accompanied by a narrative account of one family’s experiences. You may choose to
use information gathered through interviews in previous lessons, or to conduct other interviews focusing on
your own family’s migration history.
Gather information through an interview. Prepare a set of questions that will help you trace the family’s
migration history, including instances of internal migration. Specifically address the types of immigration
(internal or international), the characteristics of the immigrants (age, sex, and economic and family status at
the time), reasons for the migration, where the migrants settled (Was it an ethnic enclave?), the existence of
chain migration, and intervening obstacles in the migration process.
Prepare a map that is illustrated and annotated with the names of towns and cities of the migration and
include arrows to indicate movements, dates for moves, and basic push-pull factors (such as job
opportunities) that prompted migration. Organize the information you will use to present a narrative account
of the migrations. Note that your narrative should also address what types of social, cultural, economic, and
political effects each step in the migration had.
Select a way to present a narrative account of the family’s migrations. You have several choices for
presenting your narrative. You may wish to use the Web 2.0 tools feature to learn more about these options.
Essay