Over the course of the 1900s, immigration from Europe to the United States was a huge step to take to become free. The idea of immigration was very appealing to many because the lifestyles were so rough, and the income to support a family was very low ( ). Although the anticipation of arriving in Ellis Island was beyond imaginable, the immigrants often came across many hardships, making the journey to freedom difficult. Immigration to the United States in the 1900s was a challenge due to unrealistic expectations of a better life, the hardships faced during migration, and the uncertainty of the inspection process once arriving to Ellis Island.
The immigration process into was a stress on the whole community, even if just one person was leaving.
…show more content…
After the 1893 U.S. immigration law went into effect, each passenger had to answer up to 31 questions before boarding the ship. These subjects are part of the act of 1903 Passenger Manifest, which asked for standard information included name, age, sex, marital status, occupation, nationality, ability to read or write, race, physical and mental health, last residence, and the name and address of the nearest relative or friend in the immigrant’s country of origin. Immigrants were asked whether they had at least $25, whether they had ever been in prison, an almshouse, or an institution, and if they were polygamists or anarchists. This was a struggle for some immigrants, as they had poor education and could not answer all of the questions, or did not have all of the required background information. If they failed the questionnaire, the process of their immigration did not go as planned, and the communities’ hard work would not have gone to good …show more content…
The travel time varied based on where the ship was departing, but it typically took 2-5 months to reach Ellis Island. The rooms and boats were very unsanitary due to all the sickness and disease on board. Many People who had never been on water for traveling needs before got seasick.
Each ship held approximately 1,500-2,000 passengers, each of them in very cramped situations. There were three types of accommodations on the ships: first class, second class and steerage. Only passengers in steerage were processed at Ellis Island. First and second class passengers were quickly and courteously “inspected” onboard the ship before being transferred to New York. For most immigrants, especially early arrivers, having the experience of steerage was a nightmare. The conditions were crowded, dismally dark, unsanitary and foul smelling.
“The open deck space reserved for steerage passengers is usually very limited, and situated in the worst part of the ship, subject to the most violent motion, to the dirt from the stacks and the odors from the hold and galleys... the only provisions for eating are frequently shelves or benches along the sides or in the passages of sleeping compartments. Dining rooms are rare and, if found, are often shared with berths installed along the walls. Toilets and washrooms are completely inadequate; saltwater only is available.” (Hillstrom)
During the 1900’s, it was common for people to immigrate to America. They saw it as a land of freedom and opportunity. Some thought that this was a great way for the US’ economy to boom, but some thought otherwise. With the shortage of jobs, many believed that the immigrants were stealing their precious jobs. Because of the competition over jobs, immigrants became the new public enemy to many.
In the years from 1860 through 1890, the prospect of a better life attracted nearly ten million immigrants who settled in cities around the United States. The growing number of industries produced demands for thousands of new workers and immigrants were seeking more economic opportunities. Most immigrants settled near each other’s own nationality and/or original village when in America.
Between the years of 1840 and 1914, about forty million people immigrated to the United States from foreign countries. Many of them came to find work and earn money to have a better life for their families. Others immigrated because they wanted to escape the corrupt political power of their homelands, such as the revolution in Mexico after 1911. Whatever the case, many found it difficult to begin again in a new country. Most immigrants lived in slums with very poor living conditions. They had a hard time finding work that paid enough to support a family. Not only was it difficult for immigrant men, but for women as well. Immigrant women faced many challenges including lack of education and social life as well as low wages and poor working conditions.
Immigrants were held for long periods of time before they could get into America. People who had to send here were Steerages, a lower class, they had been “named” by the medical exams “E” for eye trouble, “K” for hernia, “L” for lameness, “X for mental defects, “H” for heart disease, Mary Gordon, 1987. In the other hand, Angel Island and Ellis Island had many differences between them. Ellis Island was in the East coast, Upper New York Bay. In additional, Ellis Island was a castle garden, and it was used for immigrants from Europe. “Immigrants could pass through Ellis Island in mere hours, though for some the process took days”, May Gordon, 1987. The immigrants who passed Ellis Island had been treated by terrible things such as “stolen their names and chalked their weaknesses in public on their clothing” Marry Gordon, 1987. Immigrants who had to go to the Angel Island was treated worse. They would be separated men from women and children at the moment they had arrived. Then they had to do the medical exams which required undressing in front of strangers. If they fail the test for various diseases they would be deported immediately. After all of the examinations, the immigrants did not pass through yet, they would wait in a detention dormitory and a bunk until the interrogation process, and this process took a few days to months. In conclusion, I rather to live in Ellis Island and
Immigration has existed around the world for centuries, decades, and included hundreds of cultures. Tired of poverty, a lack of opportunities, unequal treatment, political corruption, and lacking any choice, many decided to emigrate from their country of birth to seek new opportunities and a new and better life in another country, to settle a future for their families, to work hard and earn a place in life. As the nation of the opportunities, land of the dreams, and because of its foundation of a better, more equal world for all, the United States of America has been a point of hope for many of those people. A lot of nationals around the world have ended their research for a place to call home in the United States of America. By analyzing primary sources and the secondary sources to back up the information, one could find out about what Chinese, Italians, Swedish, and Vietnamese immigrants have experienced in the United States in different time periods from 1865 to 1990.
For 63 days, the Amistad had been drifting toward the American shoreline. As conditions deteriorated aboard the vessel, it's inhabitants at the time, Africans, sick and dying, were in need of food and water. Desperate, they took a chance, anchored the ship and went aboard land in hopes of trading with natives, the ships cargo for needed supplies. On land, they were confronted by two sea captains, one of whom was named Henry Green. Green convinced the Africans that he would help them sail back to Sierra Leone. Having an ulterior motive, he intended to get a hold of the ship, sail it into port and claim it's cargo for salvage. However, before Green could carry out his plan, the USS Washington arrived, boarded the ship, took the Africans captive, and towed the vessel into New London, Connecticut.
Between 1880 and 1920 almost twenty-four million immigrants came to the United States. Between better salaries, religious freedom, and a chance to get ahead in life, were more than enough reasons for leaving their homelands for America. Because of poverty, no future and various discrimination in their homelands, the incentive to leave was increasing. During the mid-1800's and early 1900's, the labor and farm hands in Eastern Europe were only earning about 15 to 30 a day. In America, they earned 50 cents to one dollat in a day, doubling their paycheck. Those lower wage earners in their homeland were st...
Every year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants, legal and illegal, from around the world, come to the United States. These immigrants come because they want a chance at a better life; others are refugees, escaping persecution and civil wars in their home country. Many people believe the United States is the best place to go. There is more freedom, protection, and benefits, which seems like a good deal to immigrants. But the large number of immigration is affecting the current citizens of the United States. Taxpayers are forced to pay for the welfare and schooling for many of these immigrants, some who are illegal aliens. Some citizens believe that immigration can be hazardous to the environment. Others blame crime, poverty, and overpopulation on immigration. About sixty-eight million immigrants have been added to the United States since 1970, and it is estimated that 130 million people will be added over the next fifty years. The government has tried somewhat to restrict immigration but the laws are still too lenient. Nearly every other advanced country in the world is moving quickly towards stabilized population or has already achieved it. The United States is moving towards it very slowly. This country would have to reduce immigration down to 255,000 a year to do this (Beck 1). If nothing is done to stabilize the immigration to this country, what will become of population in the next decade? The population will continue to grow even faster - not due to births, but to massive immigration to this country. Immigration can become a serious problem to this country if the government does not produce stricter laws.
The original station, Castle Garden at the Battery in lower Manhattan, could not handle all of the immigrants coming in. To have room for the immigrants, the island grew to 3.3 acres. In the next two years, Ellis was enlarged to fourteen acres in order to hold all of the immigrants and support buildings. By January 1, 1892, Ellis's first immigration station, a two story high structure of Georgia pine, was open ready for business
I never had to take the literacy test but I am sure I would’ve passed it because I was one of the smartest adolescents in our village! Roosevelt acted and then immigration centers, such as Ellis Island, were required to have stricter rules and expectations for the arriving immigrants so they could follow Roosevelt’s motto. These restrictions lessened the amount of immigrants that were granted access into the country. They also severely limited the amount of immigrants coming from the southern and western part of Europe. In result of these changes, Ellis Island saw less and less immigrants passing through each year, and eventually the famous immigration center was gradually converted into a detention center. Now that I look back, I never really thought about Ellis Island after I was cleared to become apart of this beautiful nation. During the years of World War II, Ellis Island was used as a prison for suspected Nazi and fascist sympathizers. Then finally in 1954, the once proud and symbolic immigration center closed its doors and stood in the New York Bay, abandoned. As the years passed by, Ellis Island was reopened as a tourist attraction. I went back there with my wife, Valery, and it had been almost 60 years since I had
“They are willing to sell themselves in order to find a better life for themselves or
The article written by Calavita, The Paradoxes of Race, Class, Identity, and ‘Passing’, discusses the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which was the first national effort to control immigration and barred the entry of Chinese laborers in America. Immigration inspectors were tasked with deciding which Chinese immigrants got to enter the country, based on class, but were given vague descriptions of what type of person was allowed entry. As a result of the discrepancies in the act, immigration inspectors suffered from a lack of routine. Inspectors struggled with defining what a merchant was from what a laborer was, as well as how to go about proving that these persons were who they said they were. Due to the ambiguousness, inspectors were urged
The construction of the ship could and should have been much better. For example, the watertight doors should have been a few feet taller. “Within two hours all of the watertight compartments were flooded.”(Pg.59) Another major thing is that many more lifeboats should have been equipped on the ship so if the
The people that immigrated, to the United states were .German, Irish, Japanese, Jewish, Chinese or Russians. The struggles and challenges they had were massive. They are such huge issues we should be glad America does not exist like that today. Housing problems was one of the difficulties they were overpopulated with people and there wasn't room for everyone. There was boarding houses, row houses, tenement houses and dumbbell tenements. The size of the room was small and maybe about 7 to 10 people slept in one bedroom they all didn’t get a bed or mattress they either slept on the floor or chairs whatever they could use that was somewhat comfortable. Also there was major problems in the cities, they were unable to keep up with rapid population of the growth it was overcrowded. There was huge negative effects
Determined to join the American lifestyle thousands of immigrants have journeyed to this great land to have a life based upon “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” This country’s backbone is immigration and it started when this