Ellis IslandImmigration Station

Immigration Station

• Ellis Island is located in New York Harbor

• It opened in 1892 and closed in 1954

• The immigration station processed over 12 million immigrants coming to the US

• Over 40% of all Americans can trace their ancestry through Ellis Island

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Stop 1: The Baggage Room

• Immigrants entered the main building with their trunks, suitcases and baskets.

• These were left in the baggage room, while immigrants went on to be processed.

• Immigrants climbed the stairs to the Great Hall for processing.

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Stop 2: Stairways to the Great Hall

• Doctors stood on top of the stairs and watched the new arrivals climb the stairs.

• This was called the 6 second medical exam.

• Doctors who suspected medical problems put a mark on the immigrants clothes and he or she was sent for a full medical exam.

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Stop 3: Medical Exam

• By 1917 all immigrants had to take a full medical exam.

• The doctors were looking for contagious diseases.

• If a person had a curable illness they were sent to the island hospital.

• Immigrants with incurable illnesses were sent back home to their country of origin.

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Stop 4: The Great Hall

• The Great Hall was a waiting area.

• Immigrants lined up for legal examinations.

• It usually took 3 to 5 hours to process an immigrant.

• However, immigrants with medical or legal problems might be detained for days or weeks.

• Most made it through in a day.

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Stop 5: Legal Inspection

• Immigrants had to prove that they could legally come to the US.

• They had to prove their country of origin and that they didn’t have criminal record.

• In 1921 immigrants had to pass a literacy test and show a passport and visa

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Stop 6: Money Exchange

• At the money exchange station immigrants turned in their home country’s currency for dollars.

• Immigrants were required to have $20

• They could also purchase train tickets they needed

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Stop 7: The Kissing Post

• At the journey’s end was the kissing post,named for the emotional reunions that new immigrants had with family and friends.

• Two thirds of the immigrants boarded a ferry for New Jersey, while the other third went to New York City, only one mile away.

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Credits

• Slideshow by Dave Forrest

• Photos and information from Scholastic’s Interactive Tour of Ellis Island

• http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/index.htm

• Background photo by Dave Forrest

Boat

Welcome

Citizenship

Welcome

NATIVISM: “native born” feared and resented new immigrants

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