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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Thousands people have come through Ellis Island, from almost every country. Many have come to start a new life, others have come for riches, and like many before them they have come as an escape. Many people today can trace at least one ancestor who came through Ellis Island. Today many people are from different countries, religions and ethnicities. There aren’t many people today who can say that they live in America and are full blooded German or English etc. Many immigrants faced hardships while on their journey to America. For example the Irish, many of the passengers on the ships were sick and when they came through the gates of Ellis island they had to pass a medical exam if they were healthy enough they were allowed in. If they did not, an X of white chalk was put on the back of their coat, or shirt to let them know that they were to be reexamined or to be deported. Which scared many of the immigrants, Since they had risked so much to get here and they were just beyond the gate of freedom.
Documents of immigrants show that they were happy to see Ellis island. For others they were heartbroken to be leaving friends and loved ones in their home country, but many others came to start a new life fulfill their hopes and dreams. Almost all of the immigrants packed everything that they owned into a few bags, not suitcases to make a new life in an entirely new country.During the 1800’s there were minimal numbers of citizens from other countries, but by the year 1900 most populations from other countries were into close to half a million. I learned that the immigrants coming to America faced many hardships, disesase, poverty, and death. They risked a lot to come here including leaving loved ones in their home country.
Immigration experiences on Ellis Island with held many regulations and laws. The first restriction was enacting immigration to forbid Americans to transport the Chinese to the U.S. Acts were being passed to examine immigrants and exclusion from the U.S. of convicts, polygamists, prostitutes, and diseases. Aline Contract Labor Laws prohibited immigration to the U.S. if people were entering the country to work under contracts made before their arrival. The English had to most crucial role in paving the way for U.S. immigration. They established colonies and formed a large component of Republic that influenced new comers. When approaching Germans, they didn’t immigrate for political reasons. The country was repeatedly being attacked by armies of various nationalities. They immigrated due to modernization and population growth. Being an immigrant at that time seemed to only have one solution and that was to flee to the United States. Even the Irish had to immigrate due to the fact that religion was becoming overbearing and there was no escape and they had overpopulation. However, the Chinese were the first to actually immigrate to the U.S. Ellis Island has many interesting characteristics, features, and facts. It had been discovered as being rich for oyster beds. This particular Island has been renamed many times. However, Samuel Ellis purchased the property and gave it the name it is known as today. In addition, the House Committee of Immigration chose Ellis Island as the new screening station for immigration. Castle Garden, which was the original station, couldn’t handle all the incoming immigrants as a result. Ellis was expanded in 1898 now by being seventeen acres. A second island was built also by dumping rock and taking earth from subway tunnels. Lastly, legislation began to become more difficult and harsh so the immigration began to decrease. By the year of 1954 Ellis Island was shut down by Immigration Services.
Andy- I agree with your statements about immigration. They each faced different hardships though whether it was the Chinese, Irish, or English etc. Ellis Island was also something that varied between people. They either liked it or they didn't. Immigrating certainly was something that could be considered as bitter sweet. On one hand your moving on to new opportunities and a possibility of a better life, yet your leave your loved ones behind.
Tabitha- I agree with how you said the on EllisIs land with held many regulations and laws. That was so tre because they did and in a way it was like a jail and they were in a holding cell intill they passed all the test.
Chelsie Parish
Ellis Island was a magical place because it let people suffering from a life of hardships come to a place filled with hope. Ellis Island was the base of Immigration in the sense that it opened up the first great opportunity for immigrants to become United States citizens. Rosanne Welch, the granddaughter of Giuseppe Italiano, an Italian immigrant from 1904 said, “I remember my grandfather always telling me how he knew he could be rich in America because he saw riches in the architecture of Ellis island. He felt that if they let the poor in such a gorgeous hall then life in this country was just.” People from all sorts of backgrounds and cultures were grateful they had the chance to come to America. I thought it was very intriguing and cool that many immigrants brought balls of yarn with them on the ships. They would leave one end of the line with someone staying in their country and when the ships would depart both people holding onto the opposite ends watched as the yarn floated in air even after they could no longer see each other’s faces. Another thing that surprised me about the people coming through Ellis Island was their kindness and respect for each other. A lady by the name of Victoria Saifatti Fernandez, a Macedonia immigrant of 1916, told a story about a stranger who helped her sister. She said, “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.” Immigration was seen by many as a wonderful thing but others didn’t find it so great. In 1862, immigration was restricted by Congress. A law was made to forbid American ships from carrying Chinese immigrants to the U.S. Many more laws have been passed and many negative words have been said about immigration but for the ones who have made it through, it’s a miraculous experience. The Statue of Liberty can still be seen just as it could be years ago when immigrants from Europe arrived at Ellis Island.
Chelsie P.
Andy,
I'm glad you mentioned that immigrants risked a lot to come here because I don't think everyone realizes that. They weren't just moving anywhere. They were leaving everyone they knew behind besides maybe a few people and on top of that they were leaving their culture and language. I mean they took their religion and traditions with them but in America the main language was different and the immigrants had to adjust. I don't think I could have left it all behind, to be honest.
During the waves of immigration that have occurred throughout the past three centuries, many people with diverse nationalities have sought refuge from economic, political, and social unrest by coming to the U.S. Many imagined the U.S as a haven where they would be welcomed. However, for many, their primary experience at Ellis Island served as a poor first impression of the country which they had grown to idealize, and for some, it also served as their last. Immigrants arriving at Ellis Island were often dirty, exhausted, and over-crowded on the liners which carried them. If this wasn’t bad enough, once they had landed, the scared and fatigued immigrants were then forced to stand in a long line which directed them through a series of checkpoints at which they underwent grueling questioning and medical inspections. This was made necessary after Congress passed a series of examination acts in 1875, 1882, and 1892, which prohibited convicts, polygamists, prostitutes, and diseased people from becoming U.S citizens. Those who passed as being physically and socially acceptable were allowed to continue on, while those who didn’t were deported; however, not before they are forced to sit in a dull waiting room, similar to a train station, from which they were prohibited from leaving until the time of their deportation. Often families were forced to separate as certain members were deemed too sick or socially unacceptable to join the rest of their family in the states. In 1921, the separation of families became even more common after the Quota Act was passed, which prohibited more than 3% of any nationality to immigrate to the U.S. Another inhibition to the immigrants were the Aline Contract Labor Laws- passed by Congress in 1885, 1887, 1888, and 1891- which prohibited the immigration of people who came to work under contracts established before their arrival. This mainly impacted the scores of Russians and Italians that came during the “New” wave of immigration to find work. Other restrictions on immigration, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, continued to block the way of hopeful immigrants from entering the U.S. This remained so until the passing of the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1952, which began to tear down racial and ethnic restrictions, and open immigration to the U.S to a wider variety of people.
Cee Po,
I think it's cool how you took on two different perspectives by recognizing the positive AND negative aspects of Ellis Island. I really liked how you mentioned the immigrants working together to make it through the check points, an example being when that man told the girl with warts on her hand to turn her jacket inside out so as to pass the medical checkpoint.
A number of people went through the Ellis Island to get away from their homelands, to find jobs, better living, or to experience a new place. Many had a hard time coming through, if some like the Irish were not well they were marked with chalk a big X, but there were also many sweet people there; the stranger who helped the girl with the warts on her back, and the sweet nurses. It touched my heart that the nurses in white were so sweet that they would even kiss the kids on the cheek sometimes that is very unique considering they didn’t even know them. However, there was a hard time for Chinese immigrants to pass because there were so many of them so congress passed a law. There are many interesting and unique facts about the Ellis islands that I learned about. First, one the caught my eye was; that immigrants brought with them balls of yarn with them on the boats, where one held on to one end while the other held on to the other. I never would have expected that, but it is a unique way to stay connected and not lost, I would have thought of that idea I was surprised that when the immigrants were at Ellis Island there was nothing to do, it sounds like a place that there would be things to do, but as they said you would just sit around and you couldn’t go anywhere, that sounds boring and tiring and the most surprising thing about that was that the prisoners could go into the yard and the immigrants couldn’t! That is crazy! There only getting up was walking back and forth or going up and down, like an extreme exercise, or they could just sit. It was interesting the questions that the immigrants were asked like “how do you wash stairs, from the top of from the bottom?” is that supposed to be a trick question? That was an odd question, but the little girl’s response was clever when she said, “I don’t come to American to wash stairs.” Lastly, the last couple sentences in the immigration at the Ellis Island was touching, because the boy wrote about the random man coming forward, and how he instantly fell in love with him and it was like he knew him and was his father. And that he fell in love with him like the “father” fell in love with the boy. Clearly, the Immigration Ellis Island and the passengers stores were very unique, touching and interesting, which I did not expect!
@ Andy Zeek
I agree with you that many people came to the Ellis Islands to get away from their homelands because it might have not been that great, and they probably knew there were many great opportunities in America. I also completely agree that not many can say that they are completely German or English because there are so many different types of races that have immigrated to America, there is not that much of original Americans here. lastly, I agree that there were many that faced hardship while arriving to the America, the X of white chalk for health conditions, and Chinese immigrants couldn't all come, because they were forbidden.
Immigration Stories
After reading many articles on the Immigration link, I learned many new things about America, Ellis Island, and they people that immigrated to America. I think it is amazing how so many people were crammed into ships coming over to Ellis Island. Some died, and many were sick. There was almost no space to move for the duration of the ride, and they barley got food or water. It took a lot of bravery for people to come over to America because for one, they were just hoping it would be better here, they did not even know for certain. A touching story on the front page that was interesting to me was that many immigrants would bring a ball of yarn on the ship, and leaves the other end with a friend or family member on land. They would watch the yarn unfold, and would still be connected until the ship was out of sight. Then the yarn would float freely in the air, and they knew they were going to freedom. (Luciano De Crescenzo).
It’s amazing to me also how long the immigrants waited around to be free. They would sit for hours and days at Ellis Island waiting to be investigated and called. They were hoping they would pass health tests, and be able to start their new life in America. Something interesting was how Ellis Island was founded. It was renamed at least four times! First off, it was known as the Gull Island because it could even be seen when the water was rising up, and the Mohegan tribe named it. Secondly, it was Oyster Island because of the oyster beds found on it. Then, it was named Gibbet Island because of the person who found and hung a wanted pirate. Lastly and finally, it was know as Ellis Island because Samuel Ellis bought the island and it was later sold to the government. Ellis Island and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco were the main entry points for European, Asian and Chinese immigrants. The immigrant’s stories will be remembered and honored forever, especially because most Americans family tree relates back to the immigration waves.
@ Rozhan Mokri
I agree with you in that many immigrants came to America for new jobs, and to have a new start away from their homelands. I also agree with you when you say many of the stories from the immigrants were very touching. I also thought the ball of yarn story was very unique and awesome because they would still be connected to family and friends back home.
Ellis Island is one of the most interesting places on earth. Immigrants came from all over the world to pursue the American dream. They believed that America was a place of freedom and they could achieve any goals that they set their minds to. Everyone that went to Ellis Island has a different story or first impression. One immigrant from Ireland named Bertha Devlin said that the boat ride was one of the worst things ever. She talked about everyone being sick and how she prayed that the boat would sink so that she wouldn’t have to deal with being sick anymore. Another immigrant Elizabeth Martin talked about the nurses and how they were the nicest ladies that she had ever met. She said that they called the nurses ladies in white and that they were so great with children. She talked about one nurse giving a child a kiss on the cheek out of thoughtfulness. Ettie Glaser from England said that once you got to the island, there was really nothing to do. Glaser said “I could walk up and down, back and forth, up and down, and back and forth. That was the extent of my exercise.” Many people said that the questions that were asked at Ellis Island were very interesting. One woman was asked “How do you wash stairs, from the top or from the bottom?” She replied “I did not come to America to wash stairs.” Many of the immigrants that came to America were Irish. The Irish were never less than one third of the immigrant population. Many Irish people fled to the United States because they were divided a lot during the nineteenth century. Also, the Act of the Union in 1903 made Ireland under British control. The main reason for Irish immigration was the potato rot in 1945. Farmers had no way of making money without being able to sell potato’s so they came to the US to look for economic opportunities.
@Sydney Meyer
I like what you said about how long the immigrants waited and waited to past their tests so that they could start their lives in America. I also found what you said abou the naming of Ellis island very interesting. I did not know that they renamed the island four times.
Immigration stories
Over time, the majority of immigrants coming into America went through Ellis Island. Many needed an escape from the hardships they faced in their country, but others came for different reasons, like for wealth and opportunities. Some had to leave their families behind to do so. Some people who were sailing away would hold onto one end of a ball of yarn while their family that were staying behind on land would hold the other end and let go when the yarn ran out. Different cultures made their living in different ways once they arrived. For example, the Germans replicated towns that were back in Germany in America and did certain jobs that others wouldn’t do, or the Italians rarely resorted to charity and they would do a lot of hard labor that other people would not do. Some countries didn’t want people immigrating to Ellis Island and would use negative propaganda to keep their citizens from leaving, as told in George Voskovec’s story of how the Russians said Ellis Island was like a concentration camp. It was also really sad to hear that families were sometimes separated because not everyone was admitted. For example, Henry Curran’s story of how a baby born on a ship back to America was going to be deported back where it came from but Henry tried so hard to keep him with his mother. Endre Bohem’s story about how he lied to officials and said he was waiting for relatives wen he had nobody was sad but heartwarming when he realized that he would be taken care of after he saw some officials taking care of another man who was all by himself. Stories about immigration to America are very interesting to me. I’m Czechoslovakian and my great grandfather was born there and he sailed on a boat to Ellis Island right before World War II started. He would of sent for my great grandmother but couldn’t until after the war was over so they were separated for a few years. I never got to talk to them about the experiences, but I wish I had.
Andy,
I like how you said that some immigrants were happy and some were heartbroken to be leaving. I think it just depended on the circumstance. If they could of brought their families, I'm sure they would be happy. If they were all alone or forced to go to America for an escape from prosecution of any kind in their country, I'm sure it would have been a scary experience. You're also right about how not many people in America today can say they are full blooded German, or Irish, etc. It's kind of sad because most people who are even just part whatever don't really embrace that cultural aspect of their heritage anymore.
One of the interesting things I learned was that not many Englishmen showed up on Ellis Island. The British had restricted the amount of English people who could go to America, and skilled workers were not allowed to immigrate there at all. Another interesting fact about Ellis Island is that the building that was built on top of it was burnt down in 1897 by a kitchen fire. They architects of the building were in the process of building a 250 bed dormitory when the fire started. Another interesting story was how impressed many immigrants were when they first arrived at Ellis Island. Ellis Island was impressive to many people, even American’s who saw it. Especially its registry room; the registry room was the room that the immigrants entered upon arrival. The room was 200 feet by 100 feet and had a vaulted ceiling that was 56 feet high. One Italian immigrant said if they let the poor in such a gorgeous hall then life in this country was just. However, as impressive as this building looked, its architecture was not sound. Officials who worked in the building often complained of problems in the building such as a leaky roof. New architects were asked to examine the building, and they reported that the building was badly constructed. The Superintendent of Construction was referred as a reckless handler of public money, and after the discovery of the badly constructed building, several of the original construction crew resigned. I found this story interesting because I cannot believe the building was used when it had many problems. I also found it interesting that the people in charge of the building would build something so insecure and would allow people to use it. It astonishes me because I think that people should not be using a building that may be structurally unsafe. Ellis Island had many fascinating stories and had much history around it.
Chelsie- I think you are right that Ellis Island was full of very kind people. The story about the chalk X's is a very good example about this, and I'm sure there were more actions like this that occured at Ellis Island.
Ellis Island was a truly magical place for immigrants coming in. Although they had nothing to do but sit and wait around for something to happen, they were still amazed as they looked around at all of the different people. There were so many different cultures and races around them all in one spot. They were filled with hope as they waited surrounded by new people. Something interesting about Ellis Island is that they would draw X’s on people’s hands and clothing for them to either be reexamined or deported. Usually, these people had illnesses or some sort of disease looking thing. One woman had developed warts on the back of her hand, so she was drawn an X on. Her story was interesting, because an American had saved her by telling her to turn her coat around. This was the story of the sister of Victoria Saifatti Fernandez. One Polish immigrant, Pauline Notkoff, stated that they were asked odd questions, such as “How do you wash stairs, from the top or the bottom?” They also had to take reading tests. There was once a 13 year old who read for his mother while she mouthed the words of the passage she has to read. Another interesting story was that of a Jewish immigrant who had nobody waiting for him, so the officials said that they would take care of him in one of their Hebrew shelters. Some of the immigrants felt that they had to lie because they did not realize that they were free now that they were in America. One of the most interesting stories was that of a young girl who came to Ellis Island in 1910 to marry her neighbor, Peter, who came to America two years previous to her. He was not there when she arrived at Ellis Island, so the commissioner wrote to him and he came to look her over but said he was no longer sure that he wanted to marry her. The girl did not want to return to her country, Russia, though because she was afraid of being laughed at and mocked for having to come back. The commissioner wrote to Peter again to tell him what a fool he was for not wanting to marry such a nice and pretty girl. The Americans were kind to the immigrants and treated them fairly, which was something they were not used to or expecting from them.
Kali Morris
Ellis Island, purchased from Samuel Ellis in 1785, became the main place where immigrants were dealt with in their Journey to America. People from all different countries, such as Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and China were coming to America in hope for a better life with freedom and independence. Before Ellis Island was used for immigrants, it was used for things such as; an oyster bed, Fort Gibson, a munitions depot, and personal property. Finally, it was turned into an immigration screening station because the one in lower Manhattan could not accommodate the size needed for all the immigrants. As immigrants walked into what was said the most spectacular room, the registry room, immigrants felt that the architecture resembled the new free life they were going to live. On the other hand, it was said that the room was built improperly and would soon collapse. In the year 1897 a kitchen fire broke out and Ellis Island was shut down. After the remodeling of the island, not one but two more islands were built to accommodate the great amount of immigrants going to the island. In 1954, due to harsher legislation, immigration through the island decreased and Ellis Island was shut down. I find it interesting that similar to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island became an iconic American symbol. It was known as the Island of hope. On the other hand, Ellis Island was a place of fear and agitation that caused tears. This is because, despite the fact that America was a place for the immigrants to start a new life, there were many hardships and dangers with the decision of coming to a new country. Diseases, lack of money, and death caused many families to be split apart. Also as immigrants went through the process of the immigrations screenings, the fear of them being deported back to their countries crossed their mind the whole time.
Tabitha- I agree completely with your description of Ellis Island. I like how you said that "Eliis Island had many restrictions and laws, and that the English had the most crucial role in paving the way for U.S. immigration." This is a very important aspect because although immigration seemed easy, there were many laws and restrictions that either forced immigrants back to their homeland or split families apart.
Ellis Island was a terrific place from what I can tell by the descriptions of all the people and the pictures, I think it had to be a great place because it was one of the first things many people saw in America. One of the many interesting things I learned while surfing the site was that they gave you a meal there and from the descriptions it was a good meal and left many people hopeful. I also learned that many people came to get rich and hopeful for their future but I don’t think they knew how hard it would be to make it and that’s why they often ended up in tenements and bad living conditions or a life of crime. It was a place were people were judge of their appearance but well being as well and intentions in the United States. Some came for money, riches, or family, others came to runaway from all the bad things in their country and to leave it behind and a new life with better promises for their children. In one experience that I read about a man and his son were presented and the officer asked if they would split up the father said of course and the father was sent back home and the son was accepted. This is tragic but it happened on the regular and many children would go on to be homeless like this but also parents were admitted in after they’re kids had started a family and had a house in America and sent for them. Even though the island was a long process that took a while for some people, some said it was like a prison and they could do nothing but walk up and down the hallways and the long journey over by boat that left many people sick. But in the end it was worth it due to the vast opportunities of America and the new life people would begin.
Kali- I liked your post and thought it was very informative and I didn't know that the Island was called Island of hope but i agree with you that many families were scared of deportation or even worse being split apart.
One of the things I thought was interesting was how the people received such friendly reception from those at Ellis Island. They received good food and dormitories, and were provided with a hospital as well. I had expected it to be worse treatment of the immigrants than that, because many were discriminated and looked down upon in America. Another thing I learned was how and why they deported people. Those people who had X’s written on their back had to be reexamined or deported. One person was marked with an X because of the warts on the back of her hand. I did not think that they would deport someone for something as small as that. Luckily, someone told her to turn her coat around, so she did not get deported. It also makes me wonder what other small things they would deport you for. Another thing I found interesting was the grandeur of Ellis Island. The ceiling was fifty-six feet vaulted in the air, and this was in the registry room. The registry room was also 200 by 100 feet, which must have made immigrants look around in wonder. Also, I learned that Ellis Island also was used as a fort in 1814 to 1861, when it was dismantled, and as a munitions depot for the US navy in 1876. I also learned that the size of Ellis Island was increased several times, in the way of landfills. It surprises me that the island was only two or three acres back in the 1600’s while today it is over seventeen acres. Ellis also shut down in 1954, and immigration activities were transferred to Manhattan, where the immigrant screening station used to be. The final thing I learned was that the architecture for Ellis Island was shabby and was poorly constructed. There was fear of the roof collapsing in the winter, and there were also many leaks.
Andy- I agree with how you said many immigrants came to America to escape something. Many countries in Europe and Asia were in poor condition at the time, and the people living in poverty often fled to America to start a new life, and it was often better than the one that they left.
There were many cool things I learned about Ellis Island and immigrants, one cool thing was the yarn ball it really caught my eye, it was kind of moving. The fact that the yarn was left in the air, airborne was a cool way to remember your family and all the awesome memories they have. The people who were now coming to America believed that they would become rich and live in high health. But sadly when he Irish immigrants were traveling to America almost everyone on the ship was sick, and they weren’t just sick they were truly sick to no one wanted to get up and they all wished the boat would sink! In the United States the American born Natives made up most of the population, but the second biggest, almost as big as the Americans, was the Italians, which I thought was crazy because who would have guessed so many people would move to America. Along with that statement, between the years of 1880 and 1900 the Italian immigrants raised for 44,000 to 484,027. But still the Italians made up only 1.5% of the United States population, which is outrageous. Something I did learn about Ellis Island was well first the name of the island, but I learned that the Statue of liberty was just a symbol of freedom but it symbolizes nobility, through its craftsmanship. The Statue of Liberty is also not only for us but it is for the French to show they “like” us. On the other hand Ellis Island was a happy joyful island who gave immigrants their “golden ticket” into the country but for the unfortunate it was known as the “Island of Tears.” The last and Final thing I thought was interesting was the fact the Ellis island is open as a museum for all to see and try and walk through the paths of those who entered our country.
I agree with Andy Zeek the weird thing is that almost no one can say they are full this, and full that.
After reading different immigrants’’ stories, and viewing multiple pictures, what I have formulated from it all was that there were two major events that one had to go through to make it to America –the ship ride over to the country, and then the actual time spent on the island- and every single immigrant had a different experience and opinion along the way. For example, some people that took the long journey were very hopeful and optimistic about all of the opportunities they were to have in the United States. Luciano De Crescenzo, for instance, described the departure from the homelands as a sad, but necessary goodbye, as men and women said goodbye to their loved ones, and tried to hold on long enough with their balls of yarn, but when they ran out, they were okay with it because they knew they were moving on to bigger and better things. When immigrants finally arrived, some remained positive, such as Giuseppe Italiano , who knew he was going to be successful just based on the island’s architecture alone, and others spirits’ were kept high because of the huge amount of food that was accessible to them on the island. However, not all were cheery and excited about their experiences. Bertha Devlin, for example, was an immigrant from Ireland who described the boat ride to be miserable, for her and everyone else aboard were painfully sick the entire way. When these immigrants finally made it there, a women named Katherine Beychok stated that the doctors were wearing intimidating uniforms that only made her think of the officials in their homeland that they were all running away from in the first place, which was not a good first impression of the supposedly “free” country. Another example of a not-so-good experience on Ellis Island was eighteen year old Ettie Glaser’s, who complained that there was absolutely nothing to do on the island except just sit and wait in painful anticipation. Overall, every experience was different, some thought the journey was wonderful and exciting, while others thought it was not what they were expecting, but one thing’s for sure, Ellis Island was one of the most important factors involving immigration into the United States.
I really liked how Kayla Halley analyzed every story she read. For example, she mentioned how the ball of yarn story really moved her, and I like how she added a personal opinion. In addition, she gave good detail about how the Irish were sick on the boat ride over to America. She also added how so may Italians could only make up 1.5 percent, which is eye-opening and really shows how many people actually make up the nation. Overall, I think she had a very in depth response to the immigration stories.
Many immigrants that came to Ellis Island didn’t start off very well as they came from poor countries or places in famine and thus they were put into shabby areas of living to have all of their strange new experiences. One apartment complex that these new immigrants moved into was on 97th Orchard Street, and it was really nothing more than a rundown and ruined tenement. In this tenement there were not only no light, heat, or running water but there were no indoor toilets and everything was ruined and fading, including the unpainted walls which showed all of the plumbing. It seemed a rather horrible place to be, but not everyone living in the buildings had the same experiences in them.
Some families that lived in this tenement were the Gumpertz family, the Rogarshevsky family, the Confino family, the Baldizzi family, and the Levine family. In the Gumpertz Apartment there was the sad story of Natalie’s husband, Julius, leaving her with the kids to support them on her own but she managed to make ends meet by turning their apartment into a dress shop as well as a living quarters. The rooms were painted or had nice wallpaper and dresses hung on the backroom walls but the house was spacious enough for the whole family and they stayed on their feet. The Rogarshevsky Apartment on the other hand held the tragedy of Abraham becoming infected with TB and passing away, leaving the landlord to help Fannie with the house and family in their cramped yet snug building. The Confinos on the other hand left from the Ottoman Empire and faced discrimination as they were Sehpardic Jews unlike the most of the rest of the community and their 14 year old daughter could not go to school because she was forced to work an undergarment factory owned by her father. Their whole apartment was very low-grade and cramped with furniture over the whole house to suit the family. In the Baldizzi Apartment Adolfo was having trouble finding work in America and eventually they had to leave for Brooklyn because the landlord didn’t take care of the place well enough. Lastly, in the Levine Apartment Harris and Jennie had just moved from Poland with their five kids and they had to change their apartment into a mini factory; the house was often a mess but was cozy enough for them until they decided to move to Brooklyn as well. Some families obviously did better than other despite hardships but no matter what conditions were not perfect for the immigrants and they had to work very hard to survive.
Kyle-Yes some of the immigrants were treated very well but most of the accommodations were less than perfect and the buildings they lived in were poor.
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