Molly Maguires

The Molly Maguires were a Militant group that came from an Irish Fraternal society that fought with the same purpose as labor unions (but much more violent). The Molly Maguires sometimes used terrorist tactics to intimidate the employers into giving the laborers more reasonable wages and working conditions.

The Molly Maguires only helped the perception that unions were full of a bunch of "radicals" and "anarchists. The extreme tactics could have made the population dislike the idea of unionizing.

"A Nation of Immigrants"

America is truly unique because it is a "nation of immigrants".
To be a nation of immigrants implies that the country and the people there would be accepting of different people no matter political beliefs, ancestry, or religious preference. (Although, it may not be true all the time.) Unlike many countries in the world, America can't use one type of person to be the "face" of the country because the population is such a mish-mash of different types of people.
To leave a place familiar to you, a place you knew as home, for a new place that was said to have "new opportunities" is something that requires a lot of bravery. This characteristic has shaped America in making America a country full of courageous men and women. It has made America into believers that anything is possible, and has turned it into a country of "dreamers."

Recently, I have felt more connected to my ancestry. I have discovered that I am Romanish (Southern Switzerland) and I feel the more people that feel connected to their ancestors, the more good qualities it will bring to America.

Faces of America

"The faces of America" should really be considered more of a moral of collage than anything. Almost everyone (if not everyone) has ancestors in their background. This country is a country of immigrants. Take me, for example. I thought "Varenhorst" was dutch, but it turns out no one in my family has lived in Holland since the 1700s and most of my family is Swiss. With more and more immigrants coming to America, for a number of reasons, the collage grows a little bit more unique.
The television show, Faces of America, is actually a really interesting study. It goes deep into the family history of some recognizable people that have all helped advance America either culturally, scientifically, or politically. People could learn a lot from this show. Like me, they could become interested in their own family history and find out that their ancestors aren't really from where they thought they were.

The statue of liberty could be seen from Ellis Island, where thousands and thousands of immigrants came into the country, and it was used as a symbol of America and a gateway into the country for the immigrants.