The The

IMMIGRANT IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE to America and to America and

through through

ELLIS ISLANDELLIS ISLAND

The SteamshipThe SteamshipLength of timeWhere in ship?Conditions of ship

The View from the ShipThe View from the Ship

Onto American SoilOnto American Soil

ELLIS ISLANDELLIS ISLAND

• Average of 6 ships /dayAverage of 6 ships /day

• 3,000–5,000 people 3,000–5,000 people /day/day

• All tagged by ethnicity All tagged by ethnicity and numberand number

The EntranceThe Entrance

Baggage CheckBaggage Check

The Stairs of The Stairs of SeparationSeparation

““The Six-Second The Six-Second ExamExam””

Waiting for Medical Waiting for Medical ExamsExams

Medical ExaminationsMedical Examinations

The DormitoriesThe Dormitories• Usually kept Usually kept

for 1-2 daysfor 1-2 days• Sometimes Sometimes

for up to for up to several weeksseveral weeks

• 2% of people 2% of people were were deported and deported and couldncouldn’’t t reapply for reapply for admission for admission for 12 months12 months

The CafeteriaThe Cafeteria

The Great The Great HallHall

““The Registry The Registry RoomRoom””Name? – Name? – changed?changed?

Age?Age?

Money?Money?

Record?Record?

The Stairs of Separation The Stairs of Separation (again)(again)

… … Marked the parting of Marked the parting of ways for those who were ways for those who were

going in different going in different destinationsdestinations

The Kissing PostThe Kissing Post

… … where family and where family and friends stood waiting for friends stood waiting for

the new immigrantsthe new immigrants… … many kisses and joyful many kisses and joyful

reunionsreunions

"Give me your tired, your poor, "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to Your huddled masses yearning to

breathe free, breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming The wretched refuse of your teeming

shore. shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-Send these, the homeless, tempest-

tossed to me. tossed to me.

I lift my lamp beside the golden door."I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

Information and pictures Information and pictures from:from:

historychannel.com/ellisisland/gateway/indhistorychannel.com/ellisisland/gateway/index.htmlex.html

ellisisland.com/history.htmlellisisland.com/history.html

The AmericansThe Americans History textbook History textbook

Culture Shock- sudden awareness of new things

Ethnic Islands- national districts in a

section of town where people of the same ethnicity lived

Generation Gap- children acculturated more

quickly than parents- children taught parents about

“American culture”