Questions to think about when doing the second term essay.

 

When did your first Italian (other) ancestor come to Canada? Where did your ancestors come from: Village, Province, Region

What was family life for your ancestors generation? rules for courting,. raising boys, raising girls.

How much schooling did they receive? Were parents consulted about what went on in schools? What kind of jobs did they do?

What was the role of the local priest? How did they feel about the church?

Were they involved in Politics: (political parties) Local Regional National. What did they think of politicians?

Did they participate in social life (males and females equally?) How did they consider women in their society... as equals?

As the 'boss' of the family? Who made decisions about budgets, raising children, the decision to emigrate,

the choice of Canada etc. etc. What was the Socio-Economic structure like? Big landowners?

Counts and Countesses? Contadini? Braccianti? Where did your ancestors fit in to the social structure?

What were their attitudes like, in Italy, just before they came to Canada: boys get more freedom than girls?

religious? children of both sexes should receive education? curfew?

chaperoning? quitting the family home to live on your own? trial marriages? separation?

divorce? abortion? Were they at all directly or indirectly affected by Criminal elements?

What are your ancestors doing today? Think about returning to Italy for good?

Have they visited Italy since emigrating? When? What did they think of Italy and Italians

and their specific relatives, friends, village? do they have relatives in US? do they ever see each other?

 

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