Monday, March 28, 2011
Summer 2011 Am/AZ1- Ellis Island Immigration Post
Write a 300-word summary of some of the interesting things you learned about Ellis Island and the immigrant experiences there. In your summary, include at least 5 unique or interesting stories or facts about the immigrant experience and/or Ellis Island. Save your summary to a Word document and copy and paste it HERE. Then respond to ONE classmate too.
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Ellis Island is one of the most remarkable places in our country. The history goes way further back then I expected. It was discovered for having Oyster beds in1628. Then on January 20, 1785, Samuel Ellis purchased the property, gave it its name, and after a few generations, his children sold it to the state of New York. NY used it as a military base and a source of income. It wasn’t used as an immigration office until the late 19th century. I read in the quotes that many of the immigrants felt safe and excited when they saw the statue of liberty. Some were escaping famine, and were shocked at all of the food they were receiving. They also felt respected with the grand architecture. The office was designed some what like a train station to move thousands of people through each day, quickly and efficiently. My favorite story, however, is when an immigrant officer was asking the people questions just to test their common sense and knowledge. When he asked a little girl if she washed the stairs from top of bottom she responded, “I don't come to America to wash stairs.” This truly was the place where possibilities were endless and the American Dream lived in everyone’s heart. It was a new breed of American, a melting pot.
Ellis Island is an island located near Upper New York Bay, U.S., which lies southwest of Manhattan Island. The historical uses for Ellis Island varied, it was discovered for its oyster beds, and then in 1785 Samuel Ellis purchased the property. Later it was remembered for serving as an immigration-processing center from the 1890s to the 1950s. Over 12 millions immigrants from Europe traveled to the island on their way to the United States. Over 40 percent of current United States citizens can trace their ancestry back to Ellis Island. In reading most of the quotes the immigrants felt free, they felt hope, and they thought the Statue of Liberty was beautiful. However, many immigrants feared the island because they did not want to be rejected by the United States government, so it became known as “Island of Tears.” It was important to the United States because it registered immigrants and more importantly screened them to see if they carried diseases. If they did carry diseases they were put into quarantines to prevent the spread of the disease. Ellis Island today is named the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. The museum is located in the island’s main building, and you can explore and imagine the feelings of the immigrants. The museum is full of many exhibits including documents, papers, clothing, posters, passports, and photographs. This historical monument exhibits the lives of immigrants exiting the old country and entering the New World with freedom.
Immigration to New England began with the Pilgrims in 1620. The “new world” welcomed people from countries such as Germany, Ireland, and Denmark who settled in a new land looking for a better life. As more and more immigrants entered into what became the United States of America, it became necessary to have someplace to document the hopeful new citizens. Ellis Island had found a new purpose. Ellis Island was known as Gull Island during the time of the Pilgrims and was only 2 or 3 acres that basically disappeared during high tide. The island then became Oyster Island, Gibbet Island and finally Ellis Island after it was purchased by Samuel Ellis in 1785. The island was eventually sold to the United States government in 1808 for ten thousand dollars. After the United States purchased the island it was used as the home for Fort Gibson, then a munitions depot, and finally in 1890 the House Committee of Immigration chose Ellis Island as the site for a new immigrant screening station. As the number of immigrants increased it was necessary to increase the size of the island and even create two more islands. I found it interesting the different perceptions the immigrants entering the United States had of Ellis Island. The Statue of Liberty could easily be seen from Ellis Island since it was only a few hundred yards away. The Statue of Liberty symbolized hope in graceful lines and on a grand scale. Ellis Island, in comparison, was cold and efficient. It was a processing station and what happened in the walls of the registry room would determine if the American Dream would be possible for the immigrants. For some who were found to be sick or not smart enough Ellis Island would become the “Island of Tears.” H.G. Wells referred to Ellis Island as a filter of immigrant humanity. The past experiences of the immigrants would affect how they perceived their new surroundings. A Hungarian immigrant found the “ladies in white” very nice. A Russian Jewish immigrant, who was running away from Russian uniforms, felt scared of the “uniforms” the doctors and others wore. Today Ellis Island is no longer used as an immigrant screening station but is the home of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. It is used to tell the story of Ellis Island’s part in the immigration story. People from all over the United States have donated items that tell the story of their families past and the story of a nation of immigrants.
@ Kaycee - You did a great job of summarizing a lot of information. I agree with you that the immigrants saw the possiblilities as endless. The little girls quote really does say a lot. She saw her new life as better than what she was coming from and she had the opportunity to do more than wash stairs. I also found it interesting that the architecture of the building was seen as grand and yet the roof was leaking and the foundation was unstable. I guess it is all a matter of perspective.
@ Kaycee- Your summary was very good. Yes, I agree it went back farther than expected. I did not know before this class that it was discovered in 1628 and is still being used today!
5 Events that I learn and found interesting in the Ellis Island immigrant experience are the harsh conditions getting here, and individual stories. When immigrants set off to America a lot of them lived in small crammed areas on a boat. They got sea sick to the point that they would with that the boat would go down. They also would hold a ball of yarn while the person on land held the other end as the boat pulled away. What a great idea. The most interesting fact was how people found Ellis islands halls inspirational. In fact one family thought that the hall was so beautiful that America must be even greater. It was sad to learn that they found the halls to be plentiful with food. They were given milk, bread, butter and fish. On child found this to be a feast and that they would never have had this food in their home land. Another child was tested with basic math facts and asked how they would wash stairs. Her response was hilarious, “I did not come to America to wash stairs.” This immigrant experience supports what were are learning and what we are given here in America as an American Dream. This girl was here for opportunities that go beyond house keeping. While waiting in the Ellis Island Halls children were not able to go outside. In fact no one was allowed to go out of the hall. They had to wait in line to be examined. They would put an X on the persons clothing if they were to be reexamined or deported. This must have been a frightening experience. I couldn’t imagine waiting my turn to find out if they were going to let me in while a family member was possibly going to be sent home. I could couldn’t even imagine leaving America let alone being sent back without my family. I’m glad I am an American citizen.
Michael's Stuff... I like how you understood how fearful it must have been for those to see uniformed men examining them and greeting them upon arrival. My grand parents came here and they were greeted by uniformed men. It was a negative experience for them. Much like the immigrants from Ellis island they were examined upon entry. My grandfather refers to them as the kosacks (not sure of the spelling).
It is clear that Ellis Island was, and still is, one of the most significant historic landmarks in our country. It was a place of triumph, of a new world, but still of uncertainties. People from far and wide were leaving their homeland, with little plan of what to do next. They would be leaving everything they had, everything they knew, behind. On top of that, it was one of the toughest journeys a person could make. The immigrants traveled by ship in small, compact quarters. They were forced to share space, food, disease, filth, everything. In addition to the tight quarters, the sanitation was so miserable that many became deathly ill on their journey. When these immigrants got sick, however, it was not a mere cold. They became so ill that many lost all care for whether the ship sank or swam- they were just that miserable. However, there was a light at the end of the tunnel, and that light was the gates of America – Ellis Island. The sight and architecture of such a building was a breath of fresh air to the immigrants, literally. But the journey was not yet complete. Upon arrival, the immigrants had to go through a series of interrogations and checks. Men in uniforms conducted health checks on the immigrants, bringing back eerie memories of what so many had been fleeing from in the first place. There is no doubt that the atmosphere must have been tense. The men would check the immigrants for diseases or disabilities, chalking a white “X” on the coat of whomever where to be inspected further. These “X”s had the uncanny ability to break up families, even ending many immigrants' journey short. I found it amusing, and frankly quite clever, when in one of the stories, a girl is told to flip her jacket inside out after getting marked, in order to avoid deportation. While some aspects had the ability to separate families, the closed areas where they waited kept them close, maybe even closer than they wished to be. They had to stay in a room, a waiting area of sorts, amongst other families. They were not able to leave the room, not able to walk outside, they could only wait and pace. This all may seem miserable, but not all was bad. The immigrants, many of whom fled to escape famine, were delighted with the abundance of food. They knew that a place that greeted you with food was sure to promise great things.
@KAYCEE
I really liked the story about the girl saying that she didn't come to America to wash stairs also. It really epitomized the mindset of everyone at Ellis Island: starting a completely new life.
@Elizabeth & @Kaycee...your comment regarding the girl not cleaning stairs is very interesting. Her comment and determination is the American Dream.
Ellis island, though to some not as symbolic as the statue of liberty, was very much a gateway to a better life for many immigrants arriving there.This gateway brought many emotions whether they were turned away to tears or allowed in to bask in the glory that is the American Dream. The island was first bought by New York, but then was sold to the federal government in 1808 for ten thousand dollars. The government then used the island to hold Fort Gibson, but then later in 1876, it was used as a munitions depot. However, in 1890 they had come to the decision of making it the sight for a new immigrant screening system that would be more efficient than the previous one that had been held; and by January 1st of 1892 the island was open for business. The types of people that began to flock towards the island were leaving countries that were filled with famine, restrictions on religion, and violent living conditions. When they arrived after a long journey filled with sea sickness and exhaustion, they felt hope as they were served large amounts of milk and fish. These simple gifts of food struck hope in the people as they realized that having food like this was what they came for. One man in particular expressed this feeling, "...the first time I saw white bread and butter. There was so much milk, and I drank it because we didn't have enough milk in my country. And I said, 'My God, we're going to have a good time here. We're going to have plenty to eat.'" Though the wait was tiring and long, Ellis Island was the passageway to prosperity and all the milk they could drink.
@KayCee- I also enjoyed that woman's statement about washing the stairs. That story helped prove your stance on Ellis island being a place for the biggest and best opportunities. Imagine the devastation of being rejected.
Overall Ellis Island is a truly amazing place described by some and a horror site for others(very few others). Many said in their stories that this was like a gate to heaven, meeting face to face with family members that had sailed here earlier, or meeting face to face with what they thought as a "new perfect life".January 1st 1982, was the first time that any immigrants came through to the new world to chase the American dream and fortune. All of them coming for one reason or another, but all very emotional reasons. Leaving their country because of religious restrictions, economic hardships, loss of jobs, political turmoil and many other reasons, all quite high on the emotional scale. I thought the story of the white chalk "X" on the back of the women jacket was very cool, and the man simply saying to her coat around, funny how peoples genuine side with their beautiful morals are shown in hard and certainly life changing times like these. Some people's way of describing the place where they wait to be almost like solitary confinement, walking and pacing, and waiting for an apple to eat or gum to chew on ,the time could seem like an eternity, however they stayed optimistic because they knew they were waiting for a new life, the life they only dreamed about...simply dreaming about the American Dream. The long waits, intolerable questioning and serious precautions taken were all nothing to the immigrants who simply contained children like excitement being accepted into America.
@Hayley yes that story of the man entering and simply demanding to himself that this life was going to be amazing simply from eating bread and drinking an abundance of milk, was truly awesome!
Ellis Island was first known as Gull Island back in the 1600’s. It wasn’t until 1785 when Samuel Ellis purchased the island that it received its current name. Ellis Island became an immigration depot in 1892. Immigrants viewed Ellis Island as a great refuge; even the sight of the architecture brought them great relief. The immigrants were so grateful to the ‘Ladies in White’ for the kindness that they showed towards them. They were also reassured by the abundance of food available to them. One immigrant said, “...we’re going to have a good time here. We’re going to have plenty to eat.” Despite the great comfort that many felt, some immigrants still felt uneasy. The doctors and interrogators who checked the immigrants were dressed in uniforms; many immigrants feared men in uniforms because it reminded them of the persecution they faced in their homelands. This was especially true for Jewish immigrants. During the checks, an ‘X’ would be drawn with chalk on the backs of immigrants who had to be reexamined or deported. This was another source of unease. Immigrants did not want to be sent away after they had come so close to their goal, and they especially did not want to end up separated from their families. In one case, a girl had an ‘X’ drawn on the back of her coat because she had developed warts on the back of her hand. A man advised her to turn her coat inside out so that she would not have to be deported. One story that I found particularly interesting was the story about a girl whose reply to the question, “How do you wash stairs, from the top or from the bottom?” was, “I don’t come to America to wash stairs.” The immigrants wanted to come to America for opportunities and freedoms available there. For many immigrants, Ellis Island was the start of their ‘American Dream.’
@elizabethhudy - I also thought that the story about the girl who was told to flip her jacket was amusing. It just goes to show how badly some immigrants wanted to get to the Americas, and how greatly they didn't want to be separated from their loved ones.
The Island had accepted many Germans. Immigrants from Germany had arrived on a steamboat; it was the fastest way to travel across seas. They came to the United States of America, because their home country had violent issues. Germans just wanted the easy way of life. Germans had become farmers and populated mostly in the mid-west. The Irish came around America in the 1820's to 1880's. They believed that the United Stated was a magical place. How they traveled to America was very different to others and cheaper. They traveled by steamboat to Canada then, they walked through the border into the United States. In 1845 Ireland had suffered The Great Potato Rot. People from Japan moved to Hawaii instead of the mainland. Many of the Japanese were mostly made of single men. Hawaii was having a boom of Hawaiian Sugar so the men became farmers or farm laborers. Once the men had made enough money to support their family or business back in Japan they left Hawaii. The history of Ellis Island was an opening for immigration screening station. The first condition checkup congress said it needs to be rebuilt; an experienced architect said no. Congress claimed that the walls were made of bad materials, had an insecure foundation, and a weak roof. A fire had broken out and the island was shut down. They had rebuilt Ellis Island and expanded it 17acres more. For immigrants Ellis Island was a symbolism of many things. Ellis Island wasn't much of a monument. Ellis Island was known as a cold efficient for creating a new industrialized nation to Americans. At first immigrants saw it has an island of hope and if they were sent home for any reason they called it the Island of Tears. In general many immigrants classified it as fear and agitation.
The Island had accepted many Germans. Immigrants from Germany had arrived on a steamboat; it was the fastest way to travel across seas. They came to the United States of America, because their home country had violent issues. Germans just wanted the easy way of life. Germans had become farmers and populated mostly in the mid-west. The Irish came around America in the 1820's to 1880's. They believed that the United Stated was a magical place. How they traveled to America was very different to others and cheaper. They traveled by steamboat to Canada then, they walked through the border into the United States. In 1845 Ireland had suffered The Great Potato Rot. People from Japan moved to Hawaii instead of the mainland. Many of the Japanese were mostly made of single men. Hawaii was having a boom of Hawaiian Sugar so the men became farmers or farm laborers. Once the men had made enough money to support their family or business back in Japan they left Hawaii. The history of Ellis Island was an opening for immigration screening station. The first condition checkup congress said it needs to be rebuilt; an experienced architect said no. Congress claimed that the walls were made of bad materials, had an insecure foundation, and a weak roof. A fire had broken out and the island was shut down. They had rebuilt Ellis Island and expanded it 17acres more. For immigrants Ellis Island was a symbolism of many things. Ellis Island wasn't much of a monument. Ellis Island was known as a cold efficient for creating a new industrialized nation to Americans. At first immigrants saw it has an island of hope and if they were sent home for any reason they called it the Island of Tears. In general many immigrants classified it as fear and agitation.
@ Karli G. it is sad that the immigrants did not have food like that back in their homes. It was very nice of them to treat the nurses with respect though. (:
The concept of the American Dream is that of which people from all over the globe faced harsh journeys overseas, disease, interrogations, medical exams, and hours upon hours of waiting in order to achieve such prestigious citizenship. Although there were countless hardships faced, as mentioned above, the gateway to citizenship was truly spectacular to all who reached its shores; Ellis Island. The island itself was put into operation in the year of 1892, and before its initial closing in 1954, more than 12 million hopeful immigrants diffused into the United States through the ports of Ellis Island. Those who arrived in hopes of economic opportunities and freedom from military drafts, and religious or even political persecution; from their home nations came from countries all over the world: Russia, Macedonia, Poland, Germany, China, Italy, Ireland, Japan, etc. After braving tiresome travels, the immigrants would be admitted into medical wards for inspections prior to the countless restaurants, post offices, banks, and even laundry mats that were installed for their convenience. Despite the lack of sterile equipment used in the medical examinations, such as the button hooks utilized to pull back eyelids in order to check for trachoma, immigrants kept their eyes on the grand prize of citizenship. However, the inspections were not always the worst of their obstructions to becoming an American. In fact, immigrants were forced to stay in the unsettling atmosphere of Ellis Island for days or even weeks on end, earning citizenship was harder for those of 2nd and 3rd class immigrants, and language barriers often frightened the immigrants more than the idea of a foreign country being their new home. Perhaps the most concerning issue of the procedures of Ellis Island was the looming fact that citizenship into the assumed utopia of America, could be denied to all, or even just a small part of the family. Although only 2% of immigrants were denied from entering America, separation within families was very common due to disease, employment, or simply old age. Within a nation of such optimistic and welcoming grandeur, one would assume that anyone with pure intentions and decent health would receive a warm greeting- but such was not always the case. All in all, many of the employees at Ellis Island did in fact support those who needed the simple necessities before venturing out into the streets of New York, and for that every one of us must be thankful; for if it had not been for the determination of our ancestors, and the subtle sensitivity of those working at Ellis Island, we would not be here in this great “melting pot” nation today.
great start on this assignment. Keep it up class
For many years, Ellis Island has greeted immigrants coming from all over the world. Many people came
under the protection of America because of was happening in their home countries. The United States provided vast opportunities to all who came. From all over the nation, America has provided people
with hope, happiness, and a new start. Ellis Island wasn’t an immigration office until the late 19th century. It first was purchased by Samuel Ellis and then passed onto his children. They then sold it to the state of New York. Many came to America seeking freedom, but Congress had to limit the amount of people coming in.Well over 12 million immigrants from Europe traveled to the island. Current U.S. citizens are able to trace back their ancestry to Ellis Island. During their travel, many people were sick. One even quoted, “one night I prayed to God that it would go down because the waves were washing over it. I was that sick, I didn't care if it went down or not." And everybody else was the same way." Their journey across treacherous waters to America was well worth it. But another man quoted, "...the first time I saw
white bread and butter. There was so much milk, and I drank it because we didn't have enough milk
in my country. And I said, 'My God, we're going to have a good time here. We're going to have plenty to eat.' Many were scared that they wouldn’t pass the tests and be separated from their families.
Many came to it as the Island of Hopes, but those who weren’t lucky were sent away. It was also known
as the Island of Tears because of this. By 1898, the island expanded 17 acres. Overall, $500,000 was
spent. Since legislation was tougher, the number of people coming through began to decrease. In 1954, Immigration Services shut down the island and went back to Manhattan. Now Ellis Island is a museum allowing people to walk the halls of their great ancestors. People can follow the very footsteps of when they first arrived in Ellis Island. Overall, Ellis Island symbolizes the freedom America has provided to those in need.
@Kaycee
You were really able to summarize a lot of information about Ellis Island within your comment. i agree with you that i didn't know that it went that far back. And I truly feel that America provided endless possibilities for those seeking "The American Dream."
Many people migrated to the US for a number of reasons; they tried to escape poverty, escape persecution, etc. Though they all had one thing in common they came to the US because of the promise of a better life. They all went through Ellis Island. The Irish left because of a disease that had struck their potato crops causing them to die, this caused a potato famine and many fled to America to escape starvation. One Russian Immigrant Katherine Beychok was shocked at the uniforms worn by doctors because they reminded her of the uniforms they were trying to escape from in Russia. Marta Forman from Czechoslovakia was surprised at the food they had for them, especially the milk because in their country they did not have any milk. Immigrants didn’t just come through Ellis Island on the East Coast; they also came though Hawaii on the West Coast. Many Japanese came to Hawaii because of Hawaii’s sugar-plantation boom and because of Japan failing economy which left many unemployed. Eventually half of the Japanese population in the US was on Hawaii. They had followed the Chinese and the Chinese had started out as unskilled workers and then the Japanese would do the same later on. They Chinese were soon resented for their advancement in soceity and soon the Japanese were lumped into what people called “The Yellow Peril.” They felt that the influx of these immigrants threatened the standard of American workers, businessmen, and society in general. Then on December 9, 1941 the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor caused anti-Japanese feeling to run high. In Hawaii only 1,500 Japanese were taken in to custody while on the mainland 100,000 were taken into custody. In an ironic twist the Japanese on the mainland would achieve a much higher income then those in Hawaii.
Kaycee-You summarized what the US was back then in two words "melting pot." That is basically what was happening, many different culture were meshing together and those who were once enemies in the country they came from are now neighbors.
Ellis Island was many immigrants dream place to be, yet when they got there they felt it wasn’t the best place to be. Some stayed locked up all day, and they noticed even prisoners were allowed outside. British people were the first immigrants who actually settled and made a change to America. In 1640, 21,000 immigrants lived in New England. Later, Britain began to restrict hard workers from moving to the United States. This made less and less British people move to the United States even after a revolutionary outbreak. Germans from an earlier generation moved to the different parts of Europe and to the United States due to being attacked. In 1709, 45,000 Germans lived in Pennsylvania alone. Later Germans moved to America due to the growth of the new country. Between 1880 the population for Italian people went from 4,000 to 44,000, yet they only made up 1.5% of the American population at its peak. Italians were very hard working people doing jobs many other people didn’t want and they didn’t except charity. They lived very poorly in overcrowded houses until they moved upscale after finding new jobs in which paid more. The Africans were not all moved voluntarily, due to them not being a big member of society they were shipped to America for slavery. Gradually black servants became common and known to be treated very unfairly. White slaves were let free and black slaves were forced into a life time worth of slavery, but later they were set free and eventually earned equal rights with all other races in America. The boom of the Hawaiian sugar industry gave many unemployed Japanese workers a new home. More than half of the Japanese immigrants lived in Hawaii and three-fourths of them moved back to Japan over the years. That is until American people took over and imported 26,000 Japanese workers to work on plantations. Hawaii was the Japanese’s home land most didn’t move to the mainland.
@ elizabethhudy, I like your story about the girl with the backwards jacket, that was one of the stories i found interesting while reading personally. i also like the flow of your response.
JAMES GIRELLINI
Before reading about Ellis Island, all I really knew about it was that it was the place where immigrants went to first, before becoming a citizen. Now, after I have read about Ellis Island, I know a lot more about it and have learned many interesting things about the different groups of people that went there. People would have to wait on Ellis Island for long periods of time without being let out of the building. They had to go through an inspection and an interrogation as to why they want to come to America. One thing I learned was that if someone had a disease or some sort of new sickness, they were deported back to their country. For example, a Macedonian woman, who had grown warts on her hand after the long boat ride, was given a white “X” on the back of her coat. This meant that she was to be deported back to Macedon. She actually avoided deportation when a random man told her to flip her coat inside-out. Another thing I learned about Ellis Island was that an immigrant was not allowed to secure a job position before entering the country or else they would be deported. I also learned a lot about certain ethnic groups while browsing around the page. One thing I learned about the British was that the British Parliament banned the emigration of skilled workers to the U.S. in 1718. I found this very interesting because the British were sort of controlling where their people could or could not go. I also read up about Italian immigrants (since I am 100% Italian) and learned a lot about what Italians did when they came to America. It was interesting to read how Italians from different parts of Italy actually stayed together and lived in the same neighborhood. It was even more interesting to find out that if you broke down those parts of Italy into different sections, you will find that people from those sections actually lived on the same block in America! Overall I think this website was very useful for information on Ellis Island and the different Ethnic groups that came to America.
JAMES GIRELLINI
@KaitlynGrieb- Yes they feared rejection. They were rejected because of several reasons. Two reasons why they would have been rejected are if they were ill, or they had secured a job in the U.S. before actually getting there, which was not allowed
Ellis Island was an island of Upper New York Bay southwest of Manhattan. It was the chief immigration station of the United States from 1892 to 1943. To many it was the Island of Hopes, but to those unfortunate souls who were turned away from the golden door, Ellis was the Island of Tears. Many feared Ellis Island because of the inspections and the fear of being separated from your family. One woman says that “her sister had developed a wart on the back of her hand so they put an X on the back of her coat to identify her with the possibility of being deported. Fortunately a kind man told my sister and I to turn her coat around.” So as from this you can tell that the inspections were pretty intense because it was just a wart and yet she probably would have ended up being deported. Another man goes on saying that “The first meal we got was fish and milk, and all I could think was there is so much milk back in my country we didn’t have enough milk, and I knew from then on we were going to have a good time here.” Some people had it so hard in their country that when they came to America it was like heaven for them. In fact one of the best responses comes from a girl; they had asked her “How do you wash stairs, from the top or from the bottom?” and she responded “I don't come to America to wash stairs.” I think that was the best response because she was standing up for herself. Some people were enjoying the food and everything but others were hating what they had to go through. Some had mentioned that at Ellis Island there was nothing to do and you just had to sit around. I couldn’t even imagine having to sit there and think and hope that you wouldn’t get deported. Reading this makes me appreciate my life a whole lot more!
@anthonypeccia
I found it hiliarious when I had read the girls response. You are right she just wanted the american dream.
Ellis Island started out as a couple acres of land. Its name was changed several times until it was finally given the name Ellis Island after the man who purchased it. It was expanded and turned into an immigration station in 1892. In the early years of it being used as an immigration station there were several reoccurring issues with the architecture of the buildings on the island. However, the immigrants didn’t even notice. They found the architecture beautiful, which gave them good vibes of the United States and what was to come in their future while living in the U.S. This was all a relief for the immigrants who had just stepped off a long, disease filled boat ride from their abandoned home to glorious, free America. The newly arrived American citizens were so happy that they had left their old, poor lives behind, and were in a new place that had so much to offer for them, their family, and their generations of children to come. Many of them were starving and sickly when they arrived here so they were fed and taken care of. They were very grateful for the services being provided to them. Elizabeth Martin, a Hungarian immigrant, talked about the American nurses and how compassionate they were to the children and adults that were in their care. Compliments and praise were also given to the medical examiner. There was a girl in a Macedonian family who had developed warts on the back or her hand, some workers set her aside to get looked at a little more. The family knew that if she had to be deported, they would have to go home too because they didn’t want to abandon their family, they were going to stick together. The mark made on the woman’s back, placing her in the area to be reexamined was on the back of her coat, once the medical examiner saw her he flipped her coat around so no one could see the mark and let her stay in America with her family.
@ Anthony
I loved your use of the quote about the grandness of the hall. America was seen as the Great Escape from hardship, and you excellently pointed that out.
Ellis Island was renamed three times from its original name of Gull Island. After passing through a few generations of Ellis’s descendants, the island was bought by New York and sold to the federal government. It was bought in 1808. In 1812, Fort Gibson was erected, and torn down in 1861. In 1876, the Navy used it as a munitions depot, until New Jersey residents complained and it was removed in 1890. That year, the House Committee of Immigration decided to use the island as an immigrant screening station. The original station could no longer handle the flow of immigrants, so they transferred to Ellis Island. By 1892, the first immigration station was open. The first immigrant through its gates received a ten dollar gold piece. The most impressive room of the building was the registry room. It was 200 ft. by 100 ft., with a 65 foot ceiling. No matter how impressive the architecture was though, the employees were not impressed… they constantly complained of leaky roofs and other problems, prompting an investigation. The investigation yielded that the main building was badly constructed with bad materials. They also determined the foundation was insecure and would not last ten years, most likely not more than five. The roof was found to be leaky because it was too flat. It was possible that heavy weather would collapse the roof. By 1895, the building was determined to be in good condition. However, before they could add on a dormitory, a fire broke out and burned it all to the ground. It was later rebuilt to an area of 17 acres. A second and third island were built at an estimated one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, however when all was said and done, it cost five hundred thousand dollars. Immigration through Ellis began to decrease due to harsher legislation, and in 1954 it was shut down. It reopened as an Immigration Museum in 1990. I found all of this extremely interesting.
@KayCee
I agree. The story about the girl was a good one. Most people didn't come here to wash stairs, but ended up doing stuff like that. It wasn't all it was cracked up to be once you got here and experienced life in America. It definately was a melting pot though.
Beau Birtwistle-Immigration Stories
When finished, write a 300 word summary of some of the interesting things you learned about Ellis Island and the immigrant experiences there. In your summary, include at least 5 unique or interesting stories or facts about the immigrant experience and/or Ellis Island.
It is very surprising to me the many different stories and how their interpretation of how the trip went and the differences in how they felt about the people they met. They were so scared and excited all at the same time. This is one of my favorite stories "So when I came to Ellis Island, my gosh, there was something I'll never forget. The first impression - all kinds of nationalities. And the first meal we got - fish and milk, big pitchers of milk and white bread, the frist time I saw white bread and butter. There was so much milk, and I drank it because we didn't have enough milk in my country. And I said, 'My God, we're going to have a good time here. We're going to have plenty to eat.'"
-Marta Forman, Czechoslovakian, at Ellis Island in 1922
I also like this one because it tells a story of how scared they were. "The doctors and everybody else that were supposed to interrogate us were dressed in uniforms. That had terrible effect on me. We were scared of uniforms. I took us back to the Russian uniforms that we were running away from."
-Katherine Beychok, a Russian Jewish immigrant in 1910
This story tells about how they would help each other. "My sister developed warts on the back of her hand so they put a chalk 'X' on the back of her coat. The Xs were put aside to see whether they had to be reexamined or deported. If they deported my sister we couldn't let her go. Where would she go if they deported her? Some kind man, I don't know who he was, told my sister to turn her coat around. She had a nice plush coat with a silk lining, and they turned her coat around."
-Victoria Saifatti Fernández, a Macedonian immigrant in 1916
Facts
1. Ellis Island, in the beginning was known as Gull Island by the Mohegan tribe, was a mere two to three acres.
2. The island was bought by the state of New York, then sold to the federal government in 1808 for ten thousand dollars
Kaycee I enjoyed reading your blog. It is anazing how long immigrants have been coming to Ellis Island. It is very exciting to know how many people walked across Ellis Island to become Americans.
Ellis Island is the very first glance of America that many immigrants received when coming from Europe. It was founded in 1776 and has since 1890 been one of the major immigration point in America. On January 20, 1785, Samuel Ellis bought the property of Ellis Island, which was previously named Gibbet Island. The property was eventually sold to the state of New York and then to the Federal Government in 1808 for 10,000 dollars. The islands first uses were as military forts and storage, but this gave way in 1890 when it was converted to the immigration screening station it is today. With such a huge flow of immigrants the island had to be expanded from 2 acres, to 14 acres. Many personal stories have come from Ellis Island. Some of these are bad, but most are stories of hope and a new life. One such story was of a grandfather telling his granddaughter how he knew he could become rich in america, "because he saw the riches in the architecture of Ellis Island. If they let in the poor, then life in this country was just." People came to America looking for freedom from many different things. Some looked from freedom from poverty and starvation, others religious and political freedom. The one thing in common they all had was the joy of getting to live in a better place.
@Micheal Good summary. With the pilgrims first immigrating in 1620, that was the the beginnings of 'Merica.
Southwest of Manhattan Island is a portion of land which was purchased in 1785 by a man named Samuel Ellis. This property is now called the Ellis Island. In the 1890’s to the late 1950’s Ellis Island was used as an immigration processing facility to stop and check out immigrants before they entered the United States. Millions of immigrants traveled to the island on their way to the land of the free, and most of these immigrants were from Europe. Two fifths of the United States populations ancestry most likely went to or was at Ellis island. Most immigrants as they were entering the U.S. and before entering felt hope and freedom and were happy to be here. But for some of these immigrants they were frightful of the United States government rejecting them and sending them back to where they came from. With Millions of immigrants coming to Ellis Island, millions were sent back and this is why the Island was also known as the Island of Tears or Sorrow. Ellis Island helped the United States monitor the immigrants just in case they were sick and had diseases that way they would be able to prevent these disease from causing a major outbreak and possible killing thousands. Now a day’s Ellis Island has been turned into a museum, an Immigration Museum. With this museum you can see photos and how the United States screened these immigrants. You can see Immigrants crying because the U.S. wouldn’t accept them and you can see joy from the ones who were accepted. With this Museum all the tourists that visit will also see the immigrants coming into a new world of freedom and opportunities that they wouldn’t have had anywhere else. Ellis Island granted people things they would have never imagined but for others, sadly they weren’t as lucky.
@ kaycee I had no clue that Ellis Island was discovered for having Oyster beds as far back as 1628! That is really far back. I wonder if in the Museum it talks about the oysters and other things other than just the Immigration station.
On January 20, 1785, Samuel Ellis purchased this great piece of land and gave it the name; Ellis Island. In 1808, Ellis Island was sold to the federal government for ten thousand dollars. At first, it was used it as a military base and a source of income. It wasn’t used as an immigration office until the late 19th century. By January 1st of 1892, Ellis's first immigration station, a two-story-high structure of Georgia pine, was open ready for business. Col. John B. Weber, the new commissioner for the post of New York, presented a ten dollar gold piece to the first immigrant to pass through the gates of the new station. This happened to be Annie Moore, who treasured the ten dollar gold piece the rest of her life. It was said the most impressive room in the building was the registry room. Because of its high ceilings, narrow aisles and iron bars, this room became very popular as the immigration continued. There many problems in dealing with the repairs of the buildings. This brought much hardship to the architects of the project. On June 15, 1897, a kitchen fire broke out, burning everything to the ground except the surgeon's quarters, the engine house, and the electric light and steam plant. Although no one was injured, this event certainly brought pain to the people of Ellis Island. The Island was forced to shut down. The immigrants traveled by ship in small, compact quarters. They were forced to share space, food, disease, filth, everything. Because of this, many diseases became very abundant with the groups of immigrant. They became so ill that many lost all care for whether the ship sank or swam- they were just that miserable. However, many people just looked forward to being at Ellis Island, and for most people, that was enough. Ellis Island gave hope to immigrants all across the world. People made their way to these shores in hope to live out the “American Dream.” And believe me, they did.
On January 20, 1785, Samuel Ellis purchased this great piece of land and gave it the name; Ellis Island. In 1808, Ellis Island was sold to the federal government for ten thousand dollars. At first, it was used it as a military base and a source of income. It wasn’t used as an immigration office until the late 19th century. By January 1st of 1892, Ellis's first immigration station, a two-story-high structure of Georgia pine, was open ready for business. Col. John B. Weber, the new commissioner for the post of New York, presented a ten dollar gold piece to the first immigrant to pass through the gates of the new station. This happened to be Annie Moore, who treasured the ten dollar gold piece the rest of her life. It was said the most impressive room in the building was the registry room. Because of its high ceilings, narrow aisles and iron bars, this room became very popular as the immigration continued. There many problems in dealing with the repairs of the buildings. This brought much hardship to the architects of the project. On June 15, 1897, a kitchen fire broke out, burning everything to the ground except the surgeon's quarters, the engine house, and the electric light and steam plant. Although no one was injured, this event certainly brought pain to the people of Ellis Island. The Island was forced to shut down. The immigrants traveled by ship in small, compact quarters. They were forced to share space, food, disease, filth, everything. Because of this, many diseases became very abundant with the groups of immigrant. They became so ill that many lost all care for whether the ship sank or swam- they were just that miserable. However, many people just looked forward to being at Ellis Island, and for most people, that was enough. Ellis Island gave hope to immigrants all across the world. People made their way to these shores in hope to live out the “American Dream.” And believe me, they did.
@Kaycee
I really like how you included the story about the girl who said that she didn't come to America to wash stairs. I wanted to include that as well because I thought it was a very powerful, honest answer. These people who immigrated to America came to make a better life for themselves. Immigrants are a very influential, important part of our country. Most of us are immigrants as it is.
@Kaitlyn,
I like how you mentioned the fact that about 40% of Americans today can trace their history back to Ellis Island. I think that is interesting how greatly this Island has affected the foundation of our country.
-Katie Olsen
Ellis island was an immigration screening station. When the first immigrant came to America she was presented a ten dollar gold piece to the first immigrant to pass through the gates of the new station. Ellis island was expanded to 16 acres, hospitals, kitchens, a baggage station, an electrical plant, and a bath house, and the hiring off all personal, including, Immigration and Naturalization Service officers, interpreters, clerks, guards, cooks, maintenance staff, and doctors and nurses these were all added to the island the soon it was shut down. Jacob A ris says that the railroad takes its daily hosts to the train and when you see all of your friends and family you know the trip is over and are so happy. A Man named George says they do the same thing everyday while they are their. The bell rings you get up bell rings you go eat bell rings you go to sleep. Jacob Ris says Ellis Island is the nations' gateway to the promised land. In a single day it has handled seven thousand immigrants. William told A handsome, clear-eyed Russian girl of about twenty-years, the daughter of a farmer comes in and sits down before us. She is clean and intelligent looking. She nervously clasps and unclasps her hands and the tears are welling in her eyes. "That girl over there," says the commissioner, "is an interesting and puzzling case. Her father is a farmer in moderate circumstances. A young man with whom she grew up, the son of a neighbor, came here two years ago, and last year wrote to her father that of the girl would come over he would marry her. So she came, alone. But the prospective bridegroom didn't show up. I wrote him-he lives somewhere in New Jersey-and last week he appeared and looked her over. Finally he said he wasn't sure whether he wanted to marry her or not. Naturally her pride was somewhat wounded, and she decided that she had doubts herself. So everything is at a standstill. The girl says she doesn't want to go back, to be laughed at; and I can't let her land. You don't know any lady who wants a servant, do you? She could work! Look at her arms. A nice girl, too. No? Well, I don't know what to do. Are you willing to marry Peter if he comes again?" The girl nods, the tears brimming over. "Well, I'll write to that fellow again and tell him he's a fool. He'll never have such a chance again.
Ellis island was an immigration screening station. When the first immigrant came to America she was presented a ten dollar gold piece to the first immigrant to pass through the gates of the new station. Ellis island was expanded to 16 acres, hospitals, kitchens, a baggage station, an electrical plant, and a bath house, and the hiring off all personal, including, Immigration and Naturalization Service officers, interpreters, clerks, guards, cooks, maintenance staff, and doctors and nurses these were all added to the island the soon it was shut down. Jacob A ris says that the railroad takes its daily hosts to the train and when you see all of your friends and family you know the trip is over and are so happy. A Man named George says they do the same thing everyday while they are their. The bell rings you get up bell rings you go eat bell rings you go to sleep. Jacob Ris says Ellis Island is the nations' gateway to the promised land. In a single day it has handled seven thousand immigrants. William told A handsome, clear-eyed Russian girl of about twenty-years, the daughter of a farmer comes in and sits down before us. She is clean and intelligent looking. She nervously clasps and unclasps her hands and the tears are welling in her eyes. "That girl over there," says the commissioner, "is an interesting and puzzling case. Her father is a farmer in moderate circumstances. A young man with whom she grew up, the son of a neighbor, came here two years ago, and last year wrote to her father that of the girl would come over he would marry her. So she came, alone. But the prospective bridegroom didn't show up. I wrote him-he lives somewhere in New Jersey-and last week he appeared and looked her over. Finally he said he wasn't sure whether he wanted to marry her or not. Naturally her pride was somewhat wounded, and she decided that she had doubts herself. So everything is at a standstill. The girl says she doesn't want to go back, to be laughed at; and I can't let her land. You don't know any lady who wants a servant, do you? She could work! Look at her arms. A nice girl, too. No? Well, I don't know what to do. Are you willing to marry Peter if he comes again?" The girl nods, the tears brimming over. "Well, I'll write to that fellow again and tell him he's a fool. He'll never have such a chance again.
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