Perhaps the single greatest change to American life in the 19th century, besides the ending of slavery, was the growth of business. We used to be a largely agrarian (farming) society, but that slowly began to change.
When factories and machines began to produce steel and mine coal at record speeds, cities became more modern and jobs became more plentiful.
With more jobs came a need to fill those jobs. Where would the workers come from?
Well...often these jobs were filled with immigrants from Europe. Most of those immigrants entered America through a processing station in New York harbor called Ellis Island.
This week, take some time to explore this fun website. There is a lot of great info and old pictures from this immigration age. Click "start the tour" to begin and follow it all the way to the end.
For the comments....
1) Create a list of the 10 most interesting things you learned from this "Ellis Island Tour".
2) Write a paragraph detailing what you think was the most difficult part of being an immigrant at Ellis Island.
Each part should be at least 100 words.
10 Most Interesting Things:
ReplyDelete1. Many of the immigrants who came to America through Ellis Island were from eastern and southern Europe.
2. The trip to America across the Atlantic ocean lasted one to two weeks!
3. Sometimes as many as 3,000 people would fill the ships for the trip.
5. Immigrants on the ship were given numbered tags to "label" them.
6. Many immigrants had never been in a room the size of the "Great Hall" before.
7. Doctors would closely check each immigrant for health issues.
8. The "Six-Second Physical" was a great way for doctors to quickly check the immigrants health.
9. Each immigrant was interrogated with 29 questions.
10. Those who failed their health inspections called Ellis Island "The Isle of Tears".
(Word Count: 122)
Paragraph:
Being an immigrant on Ellis Island definitely sounds extremely difficult. Each and every person trying to come to America had to go through so much to become an American citizen. Every bit of the process sounds very overbearing, and you would really have to want to become an American Citizen to go through everything. I personally think the hardest part of this would be the boat ride to America. Being on an overcrowded boat for one to two weeks while most likely being uncomfortable, hungry, thirsty, and ill would be a horrible situation. Although the final result may be worth it, the process would be very hard to deal with. (Word Count: 110) -Eric Badger
All immigrants from Ellis island were from South and Eastern Europe.
ReplyDeleteThey came to escape poverty and religious intolerance.
The cases happened in small towns in Italy, Poland, and Russia.
Many trekked miles across Europe to get to the Sea port.
The trip across Atlantic Ocean lasted one to two weeks.
3,000 people were on the ships.
The large rectangular rooms were 200 ft by 102 ft.
Wooden benches were add to great hall in 1903
They had a 6 second physical to look for diseases.
The first of the building where they had physicals and were booked was known as “the kissing post.”
103
The hardest part about being an immigrant from Ellis island is the travel. By the travel I am talking about the travel for the lower class that stayed in the bottom of the ship. They had 1 to 2 weeks that stayed in the bottom of the ship. They had a very extensive process of physicals compared to the first class and second class people on the boat. The second and third class were immediately booked in to the US. These people were exposed to disease, and it was I easy for the, to get it because they were packed at the bottom of the ship like sardines. Also you could communicate with everyone on there because they all spoke different languages.
113
Tillman
Top 10
ReplyDelete-12 million immigrants made their first stop in America at the Ellis Island Immigration Station. That’s super cool.
-They began their journey to America on foot, horseback, or train.
-As many as 3,000 people crowded the ships. They often came from different countries, spoke different languages, and belonged to different religions.
-Third-class passengers often would wait for hours or days until a smaller ferryboat took them to Ellis Island for immigration processing.
-From 1903 to 1914, immigrants were checked for trachoma, a contagious eye disease.
-Doctors used a tool called a buttonhook to lift a person's eyelid to look for the disease.
-If someone was considered a risk to the public health, his or her clothes were marked by a piece of chalk with an identifying letter.
-An "X" denoted insanity. A "P" denoted pulmonary (lung) problems.
-The manifest, as this list was called, had the name and a description of each passenger.
-For most people, Ellis Island was the "Isle of Hope." But for the unfortunate few who failed the health or legal inspections, it was the "Isle of Tears."
Word(184)
The third class immigrants had it the worst, in my opinion. The first and second class were able to breeze on by through the whole experience, but the third class had stop, after stop, after stop. Imagine being cramped with over 3,000 people in one area and then waiting with all those people for days. Imagine waiting all that time and it getting to your turn for inspection and they tell you,”no, you’re diseased, that would be heartbreaking, I mean It'd be heartbreaking either way, but it’d be much worse being in their situation. Since, these 3,000 people were third class they probably couldn’t speak some English, the majority spoke a different language, the process would take days, and they were treated like low-lives. They all probably had to go by foot as well, since they were thought of as the “poor”; horses or trains were probably too expensive.
Word(156)
1.I learned that more than 40 percent of Americans can trace their family history back to Ellis Island.
ReplyDelete2. These people came to Ellis Island traveled by walking, by horseback or by train.
3.The first Ellis island immigrant was a 15 year old girl.
4. Other people traveled to Ellis island by ship.
5.The ship were usually crowded and dirty.
6.Most passengers on this ship when they arrived in the New York harbor.
7.Third class passengers would often wait for hours or days before they could get off.
8.The Ellis island had concession stands to get food.
9.The steerage passengers traveled with bundles
10.The immigration process began on winding staircases leading to the Registry Room.
(113 words)
It was sometimes hard being an immigrant traveling to Ellis island. I think that the most difficult parts of being an immigrant was that they had to stand in a large room crowded with people. Another difficult part was that they had to be checked for an eye disease called trachoma which was contagious with a tool called buttonhook which the doctors used to lift their eyelids. Another difficult part the immigrants had was that they had to answer a series of questions like where they were from and if they were married or not and other kinds of questions.
(100 words)
1.)More than 12 million immigrants stopped here between 1892 and 1954
ReplyDelete2.) More than 40 percent of Americans can track their family history back to Ellis island
3.) Most of the immigrants who came to America through Ellis island was from Eastern and southern Europe.
4.) They came to escape the poverty and religious intolerance that existed where they came from
5.) The trip to get to Ellis Island lasted one to two weeks to get across the Atlantic Ocean
6.) As many as 3,000 people crowded the ship
7.) One of the first things they saw was the Statue of Liberty
8.) They often came from different country spoke different languages in belong to different religions
9.) The ships wasn't the cleanest
10.) Health officers would board the ship to look for diseases
(Word count:136)
There was many difficult things people had to go through coming here to Ellis Island. One main problem I would say is leaving their native lands and moving to a place they never been to. One problem with leaving their homes is they had to leave family and friends behind and having to make new friends. Another reason is trying to talk to people from different place and people who don't speak the same language. Lastly because they have to board a ship where they didn't have much food and resources for weeks and I'm sure many died during this.
(Word Count:100)
1. On the ships, there was a diverse set of people. They would come from different countries and they spoke different languages.
ReplyDelete2. They allowed many first and second class passengers to leave the ship as soon as they docked, but they didn’t allow the third class passengers to leave until they boarded a ferry that took them to immigration processing.
3. Immigrants were forced to leave their stuff in a room until their inspections were done.
4. If immigrants had trachoma, they were sent back home no matter what. They didn’t get help.
5. They questioned the immigrants and if they didn’t answer right... they would be detained for further inquiry.
6. Some of the people that didn’t make it passed their inspections considered Ellis Island the “Isle of Tears.”
7. “The Kissing Post” was where immigrants got to see family and friends after a long journey.
8. They would separate the passengers by their class and wealth.
9. They had a technology that detected sickness in people. (Such as red eyes, laziness, or how they walked.)
10. Most immigrants came to America to escape the poverty or religious intolerance.
(Word count: 191)
The immigrants had it hard when it came to getting to America. They had to be in good condition. They started off traveling on foot, horseback, or train. They had to travel many miles to get to the loading docks. When they loaded the boats, they had to go through inspections and be poked and prodded to make sure they weren’t sick. If they were sick, they were sent back to their home country. To me, that was extremely unfair because they spent all the time traveling just to be sent back. It was all for nothing. I think they should’ve been treated better and taken care of. They are humans just like the first and second class people. They were judged because they were poor, but they were trying to get to America to change that. They wanted a better life.
(Word count: 142)
1. More than 12 million immigrants made their first stop in America at Ellis Island.
ReplyDelete2. 3,000 people crowded every single ship.
3. One of the first things they saw after arriving in the New York Harbor was the Statue of Liberty and some cheered when they saw it and others wept with joy.
4. The very first immigrant to Ellis Island was a 15 year old girl.
5. All of the immigrants had to have and wear a numbered tag they were given by the officers.
6. The Registry Room was nicknamed “The Great Hall” because it was 200 feet long and 102 feet wide.
7. Many women were detained at Ellis Island.
8. 120,000 people with diseases or disabilities were sent back home.
9. 355 babies were born on Ellis Island.
10. Ellis Island was the "Isle of Hope” for most people but for others who failed the health/legal inspections was the "Isle of Tears." (150 words)
I think the most difficult part of coming to Ellis Island was leaving your country and traveling with 3,000 other people on a ship with you for one to two weeks. The ships were divided into two categories, Wealth and Class. The 3rd class was known as the “Steerage” and they were put at the bottom of the ship. A lot of people had diseases or sicknesses and you were stuck with them until you got to Ellis Island. The officers rarely came to check on the immigrants. 120,000 people were sent back home that had diseases or disabilities. It’s just wrong and unfair to travel all that way and get sent back home after what you went through the whole trip to Ellis Island. (127 words)
1) Between the immigrants there 3 levels of people that stayed in different places on the boat; third on bottom and first and second on top.
ReplyDelete2) When they docked all the people where crying and shouting because of America, while the doctors came in to check the people for diseases.
3) They walked to the Baggage Room, and then walked up the stairs to the Registry Room for registration.
4) On the way up to the Registry Room Doctors were watching the people for any signs of diseases.
5) Everyone had to go through inspection as doctors looked for trachoma among anyone.
6) They has a six-second physical, which everyone had to go through. If you were marked you had to stay behind longer.
7) Each immigrant was called on to answer 29 questions the people asked them.
8) Ellis Island was the Isle of Hope for some and to others it was the Isle of Tears because those people were detained for a long time.
9) There is a staircase that is divided by three aisles. Left was the North and New York City, Right was the South and West and Center is for the detained. They had to exchange currency for US money.
10) There’s this place called “the kissing post”, where the families would come together and hug and kiss each other. (222)
I think the toughest part of being an immigrant would be the whole intire thing. They have to get on the boat and travel for about one to two weeks to America. They have to get off the boat with all valuables and walk in to the Baggage Room then upstairs to the Registry Room. Also have to get through the six-second physical and other medical inspections to go into America. Just as they thought they were done they have to get their intire family back together and get the US money to be able to go into America. I think the whole is rough. But I actually thing that if they were in detain and had to go back home, that would be the most terrible part about it all. (132)
First one is actually 214
ReplyDeleteSecond one is actually 140
1.They came to America to escape poverty and religious intolerance.
ReplyDelete2.One of the first things passengers saw as they entered America was the Statue of Liberty.
3.The immigrants were given number tags as they left the ship but did not understand due to the different languages.
4. There were many doctors waiting to inspect all the immigrants for diseases and sickness as the immigrants entered the registry building.
5.A very well known disease doctors looked for was called the trachoma which was a contagious eye disease.
6. If immigrants had an X or P on them they were further examined because the symbols showed they had some sort of illness.
7. Another key part to the inspection was to ask every immigrant 29 questions that would describe their life at their original country.
8. Immigrants who showed a sign of illness were either deported or let in and we’re decided by the Board of Special Inquires.
9.There were three aisles in the Great Hall,one sent you West,one deported you and the other took you to NYC.
10. There was a section of the Great Hall called the Kissing Post ,it got its nickname from when families would gather and rejoice that they have made it into America.(205)
Paragraph: I believe the hardest time out of the time were the numbers that the immigrants were given. As a foreigner who just arrived to a brand new country and was given a number I’d be pretty scared. They understood nothing and had no idea what was going on. For all they know they could have been slaves. Many families were even separated due to these safety registrations due to many safety percautions from illnesses.These people were happy but scared at the same time. They had each other but some were separated for a temporary amount of time but some were sent back to their country. To travel this far and be sent back would be the hardest thing to go through.(123)-Samuel Griffey
*Many of the immigrants who came to America through Ellis Island were from eastern and southern Europe.
ReplyDelete*They would separate the passengers by their class and wealth.
*The trip to America across the Atlantic ocean lasted one to two weeks
*Sometimes as many as 3,000 people would fill the ships for the trip.
*They allowed many first and second class passengers to leave the ship as soon as they docked, but they didn’t allow the third class passengers to leave until they boarded a ferry that took them to immigration processing.
*On the ships, there was a diverse set of people. They would come from different countries and they spoke different languages.
*Children under 16 could be sent back to their home countriesIf they weren't, traveling with a parent.
*120,000 people were sent back home either for incurable contagious diseases or disabilities.
*During Ellis Island's 62 years as an immigration station, 355 babies were born on the island. More than 3,500 immigrants died there.
*By 1911, 39 foreign languages were being translated at Ellis Island.
I believe that the immigration had it all hard because first of all they had to move away from there home land which is really hard. They would have to leave their family and friends. Second of all they started out on foot or in train to get to there dock. After that, they had to be in a boot for 1-2 weeks. There was first, second, and third class passengers. 1 being the best 3 the worst. After all their traveling the people had to arrive in America with good health or else they would get sent home. 120,000 people were sent back home either for incurable contagious diseases or disabilities.
Word count: 113
1. More than forty percent of americans their family history back to Ellis Island.
ReplyDelete2. Many people who came to Ellis Island, were trying to escape poverty and intolerance of their religion.
3. They would arrive at New York Harbor, most of them were very tired but the first sight they got to see was the statue of liberty.
4. Doctors and Officers were constantly checking the boat and the people on the boat to make sure everybody was in a good health condition.
5. Immigrants who would experience the trachoma disease were often sent back to their countries.
6. As interpereters would help me Immigrants understand what was going on, each Immigrant was asked 29 question.
7. Ellis Island was known as the island of hope but unfortunately some immigrants could not pass and the island of hope because the island of tears.
8. The kissing post is where family and friends waited on their loved ones.
9. Ships to America were extremely crowded and dirty.
10. Each immigrant needed a number identity card.
(wc: 175)
I personally think the most difficult part would be the travel to America. On the journey to Ellis Island, you aren’t sure if you are going to even be able to pass through all the procedures and get to a destination out of poverty. You have to load on a dirty ship after traveling on foot for several miles. You also go with thousands of other people and could potentially get very sick on the way there. If you were to get certain diseases you may even be sent home. Especially if you couldn’t understand other languages. I think all the stress from traveling and passing through would be the hardest part of being an Immigrant. (wc: 116)