SIGHT - one way to look at primary source images: Angel Island

One Entry Point to One Entry Point to the American Lifethe American Life

SIGHTSIGHT

SS SScan for important detailscan for important details

II IIdentify the topic/issuedentify the topic/issue

GG GGuess the artist’s intent or uess the artist’s intent or message message

HH HHear the voicesear the voices

TT TTalk about interpretationsalk about interpretations

Look at this photograph from the early 1900s?

What do you see in it?

SScan for important detailscan for important details

IIdentify the topicdentify the topic

What do you see here?

What specific details provide

clues?What theories can

you establish?

What do you see in this portion of the photograph?

What specific details provide clues?

What theories can you establish?

Now what do you see?

What specific details provide

clues?What theories

can you establish?

What do you see now?What specific details provide clues?

What theories can you establish?

Guess the artist’s intent or message

Hear the voices

Someone (other than the photographer) might be viewing this scene in person.

Who might that person be?

What do you think that person might be thinking?

TTalk about interpretationsalk about interpretationsIf you just traveled across a large ocean, what would you think if this building was to be your first stop in the United States?

Angel Island Immigration Station around the time of WWI

How does this image affect your thoughts about Angel Island?

Now think about these buildings from an immigrant’s perspective.

You are an immigrant who just landed in the United States. What are your thoughts as you head toward Angel Island? What are your thoughts as you head toward Elis Island?