This module over-simplfies the story of the humble nail. It should be noted that one style of early American home was left out- the clapboard house which was being constructed at Jamestown by at least 1610, which made use of hand hewn boards that were fastened with nails. These nails were massed produced by low-skilled nailsmiths in England and sent to the colony in casks. Nails may have been scarce as the frontier was pushed west into the early 19th century, but their more widespread availability (perhaps from producing them by machine) transformed construction styles which transformed and facilitated development of the frontier.

Moving into the Great Plains required adaptations in order to make the "treeless wasteland" inhabitable for easternersThe lack of lumber dictated the use of sod for housing, but with the development of the transcontinental railroad, building supplies became more attainable. The ease of transport afforded by the railroad made locating to the west easier for those that wished to bring the eastern comforts and traditions in construction with them. Lumber and nails arrived, and fewer and fewer "soddies" were to be found.

I had always thought that the improvements in farming technologies were coincidental to the growth of cities and towns. I see now that it was a prerequisite. The reaper's ability to produce surpluses encouraged efforts to build infrastructure that would transport that surplus to market. Without that infrastructure, the development of urban areas would have been unneeded if not impossible.

The reaper is an example of the revolutions in farming techniques that pushed people (labor) out of rural areas. Revolutions in industry were also at work to pull people (labor) into urban environments. Carnegie's use of the Bessemer process, and Ford's use of the assembly line come to mind as examples. Displaced farm labor needed an alternative, and advancements in industrial techniques and processes provided that alternative. The push in rural areas required a pull in urban areas- the transformation from rural to urban in the 19th century could not have happened without both aspects of our society essentially working together.

As non-white populations began to flock to our shores, they faced resistance. While the need for labor made America fling open the doors, the racial background of the arrivals did not go unnoticed. Asians faced severe restrictions in the Northwest, and southern and eastern Europeans as well as Caribbean Blacks faced similar "welcomes" in the east.
The song is performed by a Jew who has anglicized her name. She passes as white, and the selection of a patriotic song completes the process of defining how this new wave of immigrants can become full fledged Americans. For those who can not simply change their name to transform their identity, the path to the American dream will be significantly more difficult.

To understand immigration, students need to be aware that population migration results from a combination of push and pull factors. There are plenty of secondary sources to explore historical push factors present around the world at any given time, as well as the pull factors in the United States that made us the logical option for oppressed people seeking relief.
Primary sources like diaries, arrival logs, employment records, marriage and birth records would be useful to flesh out the story as well.