Paper 1
Ellis Island was America’s largest immigration station from 1892 until 1924. Over 12 million immigrants came to this island in hopes of a better life. Ellis Island is a small island in the New York Harbor that is within shadow of the Statue of Liberty. Ellis Island was called the “Island of Hope,” since it was the first stop in these immigrants’ lives for their first American experience, along with their desire for new opportunities. Unfortunately, on the other hand it was known as the “Island of Tears” because families were separated, and some individuals were denied access to America (Allen).
Immigrants came from all over the world, northern and western Europe- Germany, Ireland, Britain, and the Scandinavian countries. The growth of the cities Russian Jewish immigrant population was around 14,000 in 1880, and then went to 484,000 in 1910. Russian Jewish and Italian immigrants accounted for close to a fifth of the city’s population. Also, Poles, Hungarians, Czechs, Serbs, Slovaks and Greeks came to the United States because their homes were being ruined by war, drought, famine and religious persecution (Foner, 2000).
In 1891, the Immigration Act was passed which was created to regulate immigration through the states. Since the federal government was responsible for this, they began making changes to take control of the immigration (Allen). Ellis Island’s first immigration building was opened in January 1, 1892. Since there was an economic depression, many immigrants were not passing through Ellis Island. But, on June 15, 1897, a fire destroyed the buildings; luckily no one was killed, but Ellis Island had to be rebuilt. A New York architectural firm of Boring and Tilton rebuilt the buildings, and made them with fireproof materials (Allen).
The new Main Immigration Building, which opened on December 17,1900 was the first building to be built. Then in 1901, the Kitchen and Laundry and Powerhouse buildings were constructed. Landfill was brought on the island to make it larger, and to make more space for the hospital (Allen). The Main Hospital Building was opened in March of 1902, and was crowded due to patients diagnosed with contagious illnesses. Additional buildings were added including
The Hospital Addition / Administration Building, the New Hospital Extension, and the Psychopathic Ward. Since more buildings were needed, more landfill was brought to the island in order to make it larger. This then furthered construction of a Contagious Disease Hospital and Isolation Wards (Allen).
As time progressed, more and more immigrants were entering Ellis Island. On April 17, 1907, there was an all time high of 11,747 immigrants, and that year Ellis Island experienced the highest number of immigrants, which was 1,004,756 arrivals. Since there were so many arrivals a federal law was passed that excluded individuals with physical and mental disabilities, along with children that were not with adults (“Ellis Island”).
More than 600,000 immigrants that entered Ellis Island have their names inscribed in the American Immigrant Wall of Honor, which is located in the Main Building. Although there are many uncelebrated people that have written their name, there are two famous people that entered Ellis Island and have their names inscribed. Irving Berling, a Russian-born composer, that wrote “God Bless America,” and “Lucky” Luciano, a Sicilian-born Gangster which are two examples of famous people that entered Ellis Island (Wright, 2008).
Ellis Island is such an important fact of American history because these immigrants sailed into America in hopes of beginning a new life, and creating new destinies for themselves. Whether these immigrants were fleeing from persecution, political oppression, and economic hardships, they were all going to America for the same reason, a better life. Due to the economic standing of these immigrants, it helped determine the future for them and their families (Foner, 2000). The first and second-class passengers were the first ones to pass inspection and they were able to go directly ashore without having to go through the hardships of Ellis Island. Whereas the steerage passengers had to take the ferry to Ellis Island for their inspections in hopes that they would be able to pass through as well. The trip itself was unsanitary, some immigrants got sick, some were forced to travel on overcrowded ships that traveled through hazardous weather, but they were still willing to take the chance for their opportunity of freedom (“Ellis Island”).
The Registry Room was filled with hopeful arriving immigrants waiting to be registered by Immigration Service officers, and to be inspected. As the desperation began to grow, and people were more eager to leave their homelands, this room would become completely full, so the American bureaucracy would have to grant or withhold permission of these immigrants. U.S Public Health Service Doctors were stationed at the tops of the stairs, and would watch as the immigrants walked up the stairs to see if they looked short of breath, or any noticeable heart conditions. Immigrants whose ailments were incurable or disabling were sent back to their homes. Some of these immigrants’ names were changed as they stood behind an inspector’s desk in order to make them be more apart of America’s oral tradition. Most immigrants processed at Ellis Island stayed between three and five hours, about 20% stayed overnight in dormitory rooms until they were able to be passed, and to be free in the America (“Ellis Island”).
While the process of coming to America nearly came to an end, and the immigrants were inspected and given permission to leave the island, they were able to make travel arrangements to their final destinations. Many of the immigrants boarded ferries to New York and New Jersey, and were finally free to the land in America (“Ellis Island”). Today, over 100 million Americans are able to trace their ancestry to the immigrants who first arrived in America at Ellis Island.
Millions of immigrants left their homelands to come to America as a quest for liberty and freedom. Although these immigrants underwent hunger, over crowded living conditions, and demeaning physical exams, they were still in high spirits for a new life. Nearly a hundred years ago, these immigrants arrived at Ellis Island dirty and disheveled and now they are emerging from wealthy, upper class towns, dressed in fashionable attire. Ellis Island gave these immigrants the opportunity to a better life, and although it was not the most pleasant of journeys, these immigrants were granted new lives (Fonder, 2000).
References
Allen, S. G. (n.d.). History & Culture - Ellis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument.
U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America. Retrieved September 14, 2013,
from http://www.nps.gov/elis/historyculture/index
Foner, N. (2000). Who They Are and Why They Have Come. From Ellis Island to JFK: New
York's two great waves of immigration (pp. 9-18). New Haven: Yale University Press.
Wright, C. V. (2008). Ellis Island. New York (4th ed., pp. 39-40). Taunton, Somerset: Somerset
Books.
Ellis Island. (n.d.). History Made Every Day — American & World History. Retrieved
September 17, 2013, from http://www.history.com/topics/ellis-island/
Ellis_Island. (n.d.). Through America's Gateway. Retrieved September 18, 2013, from
http://www.powayusd.com/online/usonline/
Immigrants came from all over the world, northern and western Europe- Germany, Ireland, Britain, and the Scandinavian countries. The growth of the cities Russian Jewish immigrant population was around 14,000 in 1880, and then went to 484,000 in 1910. Russian Jewish and Italian immigrants accounted for close to a fifth of the city’s population. Also, Poles, Hungarians, Czechs, Serbs, Slovaks and Greeks came to the United States because their homes were being ruined by war, drought, famine and religious persecution (Foner, 2000).
In 1891, the Immigration Act was passed which was created to regulate immigration through the states. Since the federal government was responsible for this, they began making changes to take control of the immigration (Allen). Ellis Island’s first immigration building was opened in January 1, 1892. Since there was an economic depression, many immigrants were not passing through Ellis Island. But, on June 15, 1897, a fire destroyed the buildings; luckily no one was killed, but Ellis Island had to be rebuilt. A New York architectural firm of Boring and Tilton rebuilt the buildings, and made them with fireproof materials (Allen).
The new Main Immigration Building, which opened on December 17,1900 was the first building to be built. Then in 1901, the Kitchen and Laundry and Powerhouse buildings were constructed. Landfill was brought on the island to make it larger, and to make more space for the hospital (Allen). The Main Hospital Building was opened in March of 1902, and was crowded due to patients diagnosed with contagious illnesses. Additional buildings were added including
The Hospital Addition / Administration Building, the New Hospital Extension, and the Psychopathic Ward. Since more buildings were needed, more landfill was brought to the island in order to make it larger. This then furthered construction of a Contagious Disease Hospital and Isolation Wards (Allen).
As time progressed, more and more immigrants were entering Ellis Island. On April 17, 1907, there was an all time high of 11,747 immigrants, and that year Ellis Island experienced the highest number of immigrants, which was 1,004,756 arrivals. Since there were so many arrivals a federal law was passed that excluded individuals with physical and mental disabilities, along with children that were not with adults (“Ellis Island”).
More than 600,000 immigrants that entered Ellis Island have their names inscribed in the American Immigrant Wall of Honor, which is located in the Main Building. Although there are many uncelebrated people that have written their name, there are two famous people that entered Ellis Island and have their names inscribed. Irving Berling, a Russian-born composer, that wrote “God Bless America,” and “Lucky” Luciano, a Sicilian-born Gangster which are two examples of famous people that entered Ellis Island (Wright, 2008).
Ellis Island is such an important fact of American history because these immigrants sailed into America in hopes of beginning a new life, and creating new destinies for themselves. Whether these immigrants were fleeing from persecution, political oppression, and economic hardships, they were all going to America for the same reason, a better life. Due to the economic standing of these immigrants, it helped determine the future for them and their families (Foner, 2000). The first and second-class passengers were the first ones to pass inspection and they were able to go directly ashore without having to go through the hardships of Ellis Island. Whereas the steerage passengers had to take the ferry to Ellis Island for their inspections in hopes that they would be able to pass through as well. The trip itself was unsanitary, some immigrants got sick, some were forced to travel on overcrowded ships that traveled through hazardous weather, but they were still willing to take the chance for their opportunity of freedom (“Ellis Island”).
The Registry Room was filled with hopeful arriving immigrants waiting to be registered by Immigration Service officers, and to be inspected. As the desperation began to grow, and people were more eager to leave their homelands, this room would become completely full, so the American bureaucracy would have to grant or withhold permission of these immigrants. U.S Public Health Service Doctors were stationed at the tops of the stairs, and would watch as the immigrants walked up the stairs to see if they looked short of breath, or any noticeable heart conditions. Immigrants whose ailments were incurable or disabling were sent back to their homes. Some of these immigrants’ names were changed as they stood behind an inspector’s desk in order to make them be more apart of America’s oral tradition. Most immigrants processed at Ellis Island stayed between three and five hours, about 20% stayed overnight in dormitory rooms until they were able to be passed, and to be free in the America (“Ellis Island”).
While the process of coming to America nearly came to an end, and the immigrants were inspected and given permission to leave the island, they were able to make travel arrangements to their final destinations. Many of the immigrants boarded ferries to New York and New Jersey, and were finally free to the land in America (“Ellis Island”). Today, over 100 million Americans are able to trace their ancestry to the immigrants who first arrived in America at Ellis Island.
Millions of immigrants left their homelands to come to America as a quest for liberty and freedom. Although these immigrants underwent hunger, over crowded living conditions, and demeaning physical exams, they were still in high spirits for a new life. Nearly a hundred years ago, these immigrants arrived at Ellis Island dirty and disheveled and now they are emerging from wealthy, upper class towns, dressed in fashionable attire. Ellis Island gave these immigrants the opportunity to a better life, and although it was not the most pleasant of journeys, these immigrants were granted new lives (Fonder, 2000).
References
Allen, S. G. (n.d.). History & Culture - Ellis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument.
U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America. Retrieved September 14, 2013,
from http://www.nps.gov/elis/historyculture/index
Foner, N. (2000). Who They Are and Why They Have Come. From Ellis Island to JFK: New
York's two great waves of immigration (pp. 9-18). New Haven: Yale University Press.
Wright, C. V. (2008). Ellis Island. New York (4th ed., pp. 39-40). Taunton, Somerset: Somerset
Books.
Ellis Island. (n.d.). History Made Every Day — American & World History. Retrieved
September 17, 2013, from http://www.history.com/topics/ellis-island/
Ellis_Island. (n.d.). Through America's Gateway. Retrieved September 18, 2013, from
http://www.powayusd.com/online/usonline/