This is a sample introduction. In a finished essay, this paragraph introduces readers to the family: who they are, where they came from, where they settled, and when they moved. This sample imagines a family that left their home because of conflict, spent time in uncertain circumstances, and eventually resettled in a new country with the help of sponsors and community organizations. A student would write about 100 to 120 words here, naming the people, places, and years that matter most to the story.
Conflict, displacement, and resettlement
This sample paragraph connects one family’s story to the wider history of migration. It might explain the political events that forced people to leave, the journeys that followed, and the policies that governed who could be admitted and resettled. It might also discuss the role of faith groups, relief organizations, and local sponsors in helping newcomers begin again. A real essay draws on class readings and other secondary sources here and cites them in Chicago style, in about 150 to 250 words.
In their own words
Listen
Sample placeholder. A family member recalls leaving home and arriving somewhere new. Interview by the student, City, Month Day, Year.
Use a sentence or two to introduce the clip and explain why you chose it.
The journey, an object, and a sense of home
This sample paragraph describes the journey as a whole, including the decision to leave, the travel, and the first years of resettlement. It would introduce an object that the family kept, such as a photograph, a document, or a keepsake, and explain what it means to them. It would reflect on identity and place: what it means to belong in two places at once, and how younger generations carry the story forward. Students draw directly on the oral history and cite it. This section runs about 300 to 350 words.
Sample placeholder. Describe what the image shows, why it matters to the story, and where it came from.
Other stories of refuge and resettlement
This sample paragraph compares the family’s story with other migration stories from class. It might note how other groups sought refuge, how the policies they faced differed, and how each generation remembers the journey. Students name specific readings or examples and cite them. This section runs about 125 to 175 words.
Sample placeholder. Describe the archival image, how it relates to other migration stories, and cite its source.
What this project taught me
This sample conclusion reflects on what the student learned about their family, about migration, and about history. It might note how listening closely to one person’s memory changes how we understand larger events. A student would write about 70 to 85 words here.
References
Primary sources
Last name, First name. Oral history interview. Interviewed by Student Name. City, Month Day, Year.
Secondary sources
Sample citations go here, in Chicago style.