Immigration: Ellis Island & Life in America The late 1800’s to 1920’s

Why were people leaving home?? Leaving crop failures Land & job shortages Rising taxes Famine

Steam-powered ships crossed the Atlantic in 2-3 weeks….

Major port cities in the US: From Europe: Boston, MA Philadelphia, PA Baltimore, MD From Asia: San Francisco, CA Seattle, WA

The largest US port, however, was Ellis Island in the New York Harbor….

Lady Liberty greeted the newcomers…

TOUR OF ELLIS ISLAND: The Arrival New arrivals were taken by ferry to the main building at Ellis Island. Opened in 1892, the first immigrant to arrive was a 15-year-old girl from Ireland named Annie Moore to join her parents in New York City.                                                                                                                    

TOUR OF ELLIS ISLAND: Baggage Room Immigrants entered the main building through its ground floor baggage room. They left their bags, etc. here until they were finished. Immigrants with only a few belongings carried their things as they climbed the stairs to the Great Hall for medical and legal examinations.                                                                                                                    

TOUR OF ELLIS ISLAND: Stairways to the Great Hall The first test the immigrants had to pass became known as the "six second medical exam.“ Doctors would watch them climb these stairs…if they had problems, they were sent for a full examination.                                                                                                                    

TOUR OF ELLIS ISLAND: Medical Exam By 1917, complete medical exams were required for every immigrant. Purpose= to find out if they had a contagious disease. If their problem was curable, immigrants were sent to the island's hospital. If it was not, the steamship company that brought them would have to pay to send them back.                                                                                                                    

TOUR OF ELLIS ISLAND: The Great Hall The Great Hall was the large waiting room. Immigrants waited here for their interviews with legal inspectors after finishing their medical exams. At best, the entire process through Ellis Island took 3-5 hours but could take days or months.                                                                                                                    

                                                                                    

TOUR OF ELLIS ISLAND: Money Exchange After being cleared from the Great Hall and had completed their interviews, immigrants could go to the money exchange.

TOUR OF ELLIS ISLAND: Journey’s End Just beyond the money exchange was the exit from Ellis Island. 2/3 of the new Americans then boarded a ferry to New Jersey & the remaining 1/3 took the ferryboat to Manhattan to begin their new life in New York City, only one mile away.

Immigrants came to America with grand visions of what life was going to be.. No more poverty! Lots of jobs! No class system! Land of opportunity!

But in reality, life was not so grand for the American immigrant…

Immigrants faced…. Poverty, overcrowding, & neglected neighborhoods Life in the slums Poverty, overcrowding, & neglected neighborhoods Dark, pollution- filled air Open sewers which attracted rats and disease                            

Prejudice, racism, & discrimination against their ethnic backgrounds And also…. Prejudice, racism, & discrimination against their ethnic backgrounds Were unable to get jobs in some areas White Americans often confronted immigrants with violence

Immigrant families often made homes in ethnic ghettos… Immigrant families often made homes in ethnic ghettos…. Neighborhoods that were divided by ethnic groups where people shared culture (and often provided protection from white Americans)

Results of Immigrant Urbanization Political divisions because of social needs (different groups fighting for power) The rise of “Political Machines” and “Bosses” Unofficial organizations designed to keep a certain political group in power Buying votes, intimidating immigrants, trading jobs or housing for votes, etc.

The Impact of Immigration in America…. What would “America” be without it??

Resources America Pathways to the Present, Prentice Hall. 1998 Edition Ellis Island Home page http://www.ellisisland.com/ Scholastics Teacher page http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/index.htm