Exploring America's Diversity: Motel Garber (Beginner)
Making Connections
All documents and text associated with this activity are printed below, followed by a worksheet for student responses.Introduction
In this activity, you will learn about the life of a man named Motel Garber – including when he came to the United States as an immigrant, settled in the United States, and became a U.S. citizen.
You will see a ship passenger arrival list, a census record, and a naturalization document. These kinds of documents contain details about the lives of millions of Americans.
Look at each document below — click "View Document Details" to see it more closely. After each document, read the questions that follow, and answer them in the response boxes.
Name:
Class:
Class:
Worksheet
Exploring America's Diversity: Motel Garber (Beginner)
Making Connections
Examine the documents and text included in this activity. Fill in any blanks in the sequence with your thoughts and write your conclusion response in the space provided.Manifest of Alien Passengers on the SS Pretoria
Questions About the Ship
1. What was the name of the ship Motel Garber arrived on?
2. What city or country did the ship come from?
3. What year did the ship arrive in America?
1. What was the name of the ship Motel Garber arrived on?
2. What city or country did the ship come from?
3. What year did the ship arrive in America?
Enter your response
Questions About Motel Garber
1. What number row is Motel Garber listed on?
2. How old was Motel Garber when he came to America?
3. What was his job (Hint: see calling or occupation)?
4. Was he able to read and write?
5. What was his nationality and race?
6. What was his final destination in America?
7. How much money did he have when he came to America?
Note: A ditto mark is a symbol (") which signifies ditto, meaning the same as above or before.
1. What number row is Motel Garber listed on?
2. How old was Motel Garber when he came to America?
3. What was his job (Hint: see calling or occupation)?
4. Was he able to read and write?
5. What was his nationality and race?
6. What was his final destination in America?
7. How much money did he have when he came to America?
Note: A ditto mark is a symbol (") which signifies ditto, meaning the same as above or before.
Enter your response
Population Schedule for the 1930 Census for East 12th Street, Brooklyn, NY
Questions About the Neighborhood
1. In 1930, in what state and city did Motel Garber live ?
2. What street did he live on in 1930?
1. In 1930, in what state and city did Motel Garber live ?
2. What street did he live on in 1930?
Enter your response
Questions About Motel Garber's Household
1. What number row is Motel Garber listed on?
2. Who is listed as “Head” of Household; on what line is the “Head” listed?
3. Who else was Motel Garber living with in 1930?
4. Did he rent or own his home? What was the cost?
5. Did he have a radio set at home?
Note: Head of Household was the person in charge of the household and generally the Census designated the head of the family as the husband or father, widowed woman, or unmarried person of either sex.
1. What number row is Motel Garber listed on?
2. Who is listed as “Head” of Household; on what line is the “Head” listed?
3. Who else was Motel Garber living with in 1930?
4. Did he rent or own his home? What was the cost?
5. Did he have a radio set at home?
Note: Head of Household was the person in charge of the household and generally the Census designated the head of the family as the husband or father, widowed woman, or unmarried person of either sex.
Enter your response
Questions About Motel Garber
1. Was Motel Garber married? If so, how old was he when he married?
2. What language (or mother tongue) did Motel speak before coming to the United States?
3. What did he do for a job in 1930? (Hint: See occupation and industry.)
1. Was Motel Garber married? If so, how old was he when he married?
2. What language (or mother tongue) did Motel speak before coming to the United States?
3. What did he do for a job in 1930? (Hint: See occupation and industry.)
Enter your response
Declaration of Intention for Max Garber
Questions About Motel Garber
1. What district court did Motel Garber declare his intent to naturalize in?
2. What was his street address when he naturalized?
3. What was occupation?
4. What were his eye and hair color?
5. What were his height and weight?
6. What were his race and nationality?
7. In what city and country was Motel Garber born?
8. What was his birthday?
9. Did he change his name after arriving in the United States?
10. What year did he declare his intent to become a U.S. citizen?
1. What district court did Motel Garber declare his intent to naturalize in?
2. What was his street address when he naturalized?
3. What was occupation?
4. What were his eye and hair color?
5. What were his height and weight?
6. What were his race and nationality?
7. In what city and country was Motel Garber born?
8. What was his birthday?
9. Did he change his name after arriving in the United States?
10. What year did he declare his intent to become a U.S. citizen?
Enter your response
1
Activity Element
Manifest of Alien Passengers on the SS Pretoria
Page 1
2
Activity Element
Population Schedule for the 1930 Census for East 12th Street, Brooklyn, NY
Page 1
3
Activity Element
Declaration of Intention for Max Garber
Page 1
Conclusion
Exploring America's Diversity: Motel Garber (Beginner)
Making Connections
- What did you find most interesting about this activity?
- What did you find most difficult about this activity?
- If you could ask Motel Garber any question not asked through these three documents, what would you ask him? Why?
Your Response
Document
Manifest of Alien Passengers on the SS Pretoria
12/29/1907
This document lists arrivals in New York, NY from the vessel SS Pretoria. The list was recorded on a standard manifest form and contains 33 columns of information, including age, occupation, address, nearest relative or friend, destination, physical description, and place of birth.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Full Citation: Manifest of Alien Passengers on the SS Pretoria; 12/29/1907; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1/1/1883 - 12/31/1945; Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, ; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/manifest-of-alien-passengers-on-the-ss-pretoria, May 6, 2024]Manifest of Alien Passengers on the SS Pretoria
Page 1
Document
Population Schedule for the 1930 Census for East 12th Street, Brooklyn, NY
4/4/1930
This page from the Fifteenth Census includes houses located on East 12th Street, Brooklyn, New York. This form includes a wealth of information about the individuals recorded, including place of birth, occupation, and military service.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Bureau of the Census.
Full Citation: Population Schedule for the 1930 Census for East 12th Street, Brooklyn, NY; 4/4/1930; Population Schedules for the 1930 Census, 1930 - 1930; Records of the Bureau of the Census, ; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/population-schedule-for-the-1930-census-east-12th-street-brooklyn-ny, May 6, 2024]Population Schedule for the 1930 Census for East 12th Street, Brooklyn, NY
Page 1
Document
Declaration of Intention for Max Garber
2/20/1933
Max Garber emigrated from Hamburg, Germany entering the United States at New York aboard the Pretoria on December 30, 1907. He filed this Declaration of Intention to become a U.S. citizen on February 20, 1933.
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
Full Citation: Declaration of Intention for Max Garber; 2/20/1933; Petitions for Naturalization, 1865 - 1991; Records of District Courts of the United States, ; National Archives at New York, New York, NY. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/declaration-of-intention-for-max-garber, May 6, 2024]Declaration of Intention for Max Garber
Page 1
