Pictures from the Past explores the contributions made to American popular culture, music, and dance by nineteenth and early twentieth century European immigrants.

We focus on three groups of immigrants: the Italians in early California, the Irish on the East Coast, and the Germans of the Midwestern United States. Among other dances we see the Italian Tarantella, the Irish Reel, and the German Laendler (a precursor to the waltz). Everyone joins in to perform the famous Chicken Dance from Germany.

We learn that these immigrants brought us such things as the hot dog and Christmas Tree from Germany, Halloween customs such as the Jack o' Lantern from Ireland, and pizza as well as the vegetable and wine industry of the California Central Valley from Italy.

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