1. Immigration

2. KNOW YOUR Europe! Russia Germany England Poland Portugal France Italy
Spain

3. Turn of the Century Immigration to the United States
1910
1880
27% Eastern and Southern Europe
73% Eastern Europe
and Southern Europe
49%
Northwestern
Europe
NW: England, France, Spain, Ireland, Portugal
E & SE: Italy, Greece, Russia
24%
Rest of World
16%
Northwestern
Europe
11%
Rest Of
World
Percent of Immigrants by Region of Origin
NW: England, France, Ireland /// S & E: Italy, Greece, Russia

4. Reasons for Immigrating to America
Escape religious and economic persecution
Money/Jobs
Free Land – Homestead Act
Personal Freedoms
“Land of opportunity” – streets are paved with gold

5. Immigration from Europe The Journey Across the Atlantic
Steamship Accommodations – ships held 1200 to 2000 people, journey took 8 – 14 days
Steerage – under the ships deck in the back and front of the boat, limited toilet facilities, privacy and poor food

8. Arrival in America
Most immigrants will enter through Ellis Island or “Island of Tears” in New York Harbor – processing center for immigrants
Statue of Liberty – first thing most immigrants will see
America had an open door policy to immigrants until 1921

11. Medical Inspections Weed out the sick and mentally/physically disabled
Traumatic experience for most immigrants
Inspected by doctors for contagious diseases, abnormalities

12. Legal Inspections
Prospective immigrants were lined up through a maze of metal fences in the Great Hall at Ellis Island
As many as 11,000 people each day would be checked
For the majority of people, the procedure took between 3 to 5 hours.
Only 2% were denied entry and sent back across the ocean at the steamship line's expense

13. The questions they were asked...
What is your name?
How old are you?
Are you male or female?
Are you married or single?
What is your occupation?
Are you able to read and write?
What country are you from?
What is your race?
What is the name and address of a relative from your native country?
What is your final destination in America?
Who paid for your passage?
How much money do you have with you?
Have you been to America before?
Are you meeting a relative here in America?  Who?
Have you been in a prison, almshouse, or institution for care of the insane?

14. Are you a polygamist?  Are you an anarchist?
Are you coming to America for a job?  Where will you work?
What is the condition of your health?
Are you deformed or crippled?
How tall are you?
What color are your eyes/hair?
Do you have any identifying marks? (scars, birthmarks, tattoos)
Where were you born? (list country and city)
Who was the first President of America?
What are the colors of our flag?
How many stripes are on our flag?  How many stars?
What is the 4th of July?
What is the Constitution?
What are the three branches in our government?
Which President freed the slaves?
Can you name the 13 original Colonies?
Who signs bills into law?
Who is the current President of the United States?
What is America’s national anthem called?

15. Ethnic Ghettos
Immigrants moved to close knit ethnic communities or ghettos
2/3 of the immigrants settled in urban areas
Ghettos provided immigrants with newspapers in their native language, grocery stores with familiar foods, churches and clothing from homeland
Since immigrants were treated with no respect they created their own communities

17. Living Conditions
Tenement Buildings – run down, low rent apartment buildings
Little ventilation, light, or conveniences
Fires, disease, and death were common
Poverty and slum conditions

19. Working Conditions
Immigrants viewed as cheap and plentiful source of labor
Most were unskilled or semi-unskilled, so sought factory jobs
Low wages, long hours, unsafe working conditions
Children were paid half of what adults made

20. Nativism What is Nativism?
Favoring native-born Americans over Immigrants
Fear of immigrants taking American jobs
Racist against different groups, ex. Chinese, Irish, Catholics
Want immigration to stop or carefully monitored – fear of dangerous people are entering country

21. Cartoon shows native-born citizens trying to stop the immigrant coming ashore. The shadows behind them represent their fathers/grandfathers/ancestors who were once immigrants as well…. (how quickly we can forget!!)

22. Immigrants on the Pacific Coast
Angel Island
Immigrants on the Pacific Coast

23. Arrival in American along the Pacific Coast
Angel Island is created for immigration on the west coast
Japanese entered through Hawaii
Chinese helped build the transcontinental railroad
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 – prohibited Chinese laborers from entering the country, was not repealed until 1943
California prohibited all alien Asians from owning land

24. Entering America
from the West Coast
Angel Island State Park today - beyond the
Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay

25. Physical Examinations
After being assigned a barrack and bunk, new arrivals underwent a medical examination shortly after reaching the island.
Unfamiliar with the language, customs, and Western medical procedures, the examination was often characterized by newcomers as humiliating and barbaric.

26. Interviews and Interrogations
Interrogations were conducted by two immigration inspectors and a stenographer.
A government interpreter translated the questions and responses, which were typed into an applicant's file during the sessions.