1. ELLIS ISLAND The Immigrant Experience

2. Immigrants In 1860 the resident population of the U.S. was 31.5 million people. Between 1865 and 1920, close to 30 million additional people entered the country. These people were fleeing crop failures, land and job shortages, rising taxes and famine. Some were also escaping religious or political persecution.

3. Characteristics of the “New Immigrant” From Southern and Eastern Europe Many young males Many Catholics and Jews Mostly unskilled agricultural laborers Little money or education “I once thought to write a history of the immigrants in America. Then I discovered that immigrants WERE American history.” --Oscar Handlin

4. Push and Pull Factors

5. Push Factors (Get OUT!) Economic decline in Europe 1.Effect of Industrial Revolution 2.Rising populations, decreasing death rate 3.More people + fewer resources = TROUBLE!! Political and Religious Persecution in Eastern Europe 1.Legal restrictions on Jews 2.Pogroms=violent mob attacks 3.Other ethnic minorities

6. Pull Factors The Lure of Life in America (Work, land, and LIES!!) –“That was the time, you see, when America was known to foreigners as the land where you’d get rich. There’s gold on the sidewalk– all you have to do is pick it up!”-Lithuanian immigrant

7. Journey Across the Atlantic Steerage on the SS Pennland 1893

8. Steerage Conditions Crowded, unsanitary, little food, enclosed! –Journal 3

9. The Island Ellis Island served as the portal for a majority of new immigrants from 1892 till it closed in 1954. More than 12 million immigrants were processed here.

10. Unloading and Baggage

11. Stairs of Separation As the immigrants walked up the staircase, U.S. Public Health Officials watched them for signs of a number of illnesses.

12. The Great Hall

13. Time For Inspections

14. Medical Inspections

15. Medical Exams The Inspector would take about 7 seconds to determine if the immigrant had any infectious diseases. Some would be sent back and some detained in quarantine. Only two percent of the arriving immigrants were excluded from entry.

16. Legal Inspections– Registry Hall

18. The Final Inspection Journal Entry 4

19. Cafeteria Here immigrants were served their first “taste of America”. They were often introduced to new dishes—such as ice cream.

20. Dormitories Immigrants that were detained for medical or other reasons stayed in these rooms, tightly packed with rows of bunk beds.

21. The Kissing Post After immigrants were approved for admission, they would walk down the stairs to meet their loved ones. This area became known as the kissing post.

22. Final Destination Only one third of the immigrants who came to the United States through Ellis Island stayed in New York City. Most scattered across the country. Immigrants were given tags to pin to their hats or coats. The tags showed railroad conductors what lines the immigrants were traveling and what connections to make to reach their destinations.

23. Ethnic Enclaves 2/3 settle in urban centers (community, familiarity) Newspapers, customs, food, churches, clothing “Here no one goes to bed on an empty stomach because one Pole will save another, if he can.” –Polish immigrant

25. Urban Living Conditions Immigrants often lived in buildings abandoned by middle-class residents and converted into multifamily units. These tenements soon became identified as “slums”. Many families would cram into spaces only meant for a few. Many immigrants tended to settle with others from the same country creating the ethnic neighborhoods and sections that can still be found in many big cities today.

26. Urban Living Conditions Outside the tenements, raw sewage and garbage littered the streets. Contagious diseases raged in such conditions. Babies were especially susceptible. In NYC, in one district of tenements, six out of ten babies died before their first birthday.

27. Living Conditions 5 cents a spot

28. Tenement Living 60% die before 1 st birthday 120 rooms for 1231 people Journal Entry 5

29. Working Conditions Immigrants Seek Industrial Jobs 1.High supply/high demand 2.Prefer to agricultural work 3.80% unskilled workforce

30. Struggling Families

31. Child Labor Journal Entry 6

32. Immigration From Asia

33. Immigration from the East 1. Gold Rush and Railroad Work pulled Chinese to America. 2. Worked for less pay which created conflicts.

34. Exclusion Act: Shutting the Doors on the Chinese Depression A. Blamed Chinese for 1870s Depression. B. Mob Violence C. Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) 1. Prohibited immigration for 10 years

35. Angel Island: The Ellis Island of the West Angel Island 1. Angel Island Immigration Station (1910) 2. Harder to get into America 3. Detained

36. Other Asian Groups Immigrate to the United States Chinese Exclusions Act created shortages. 1. Korea, Philippines and Japan 2. Gentlemen's Agreement

37. Immigration from North and South Immigrants From Mexico 1. Cheap Labor 2. Faced Discrimination French Canadians 1. Faced Discrimination

38. Americans’ Treatment of Immigrants/Nativism

39. Motivation For Nativism Fear, hostility, and suspicion Prejudices based on race, ethnicity, religion Old Immigrants vs. New Immigrants “The immigrants are an invasion of venomous reptiles…long- haired, wild-eyed bad-smelling, atheistic, reckless foreign wretches, who never did a day’s work in their lives.” –from a newspaper editorial Some similarities to today (i.e. jobs)

40. The ‘Golden Door’ Slams Shut Literacy tests to prevent ‘inferior races’ Call for laws restricting immigration –1921 Dillingham Bill sets quotas Journal Entry 7