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Ellis Island
Sample these internet sites and complete the activities for each one to learn more about Sam Ellis's island which became an immigration station for millions of hopeful citizens.
Ellis Island History
- Ellis Island is located near a prominent United States landmark? What is it?
- The island used to be smaller--only 3.3 acres. It was expanded to 27.5 acres. How did they do this?
- Ellis Island wasn't always an immigration station. What name did early, local Native Americans give the island? During the Dutch and English colonial periods, what was it called? Why was it called this?
- What private owner purchased the island in the 1770's?
- According to this site, Ellis Island started out as a sandy island that barely rose above the high tide mark. Then developed and changed and was used for what other purposes before it was an immigration station?
- Explain the military role of Fort Gibson.
- Before 1890, the individual states, instead of the federal government, regulated immigrants. From 1855 to 1890, where were immigrants who entered New York processed? During that period, about how many immigrants entered New York? Where were most of them from?
- During the 1800's and especially during the end of the 1800's, millions of immigrants entered the United States. This site calls this period, the "largest mass human migration in the history of the world". Why did these people come to the United States?
- Why did the federal government begin to regulate the immigrants coming into the United States? When did the Ellis Island immigration facility officially open? Who was the first immigrant to be processed at Ellis Island? How old was she?
- On June 14, 1897, the new Ellis Island facility burned to the ground. Many years of federal and state immigration records dating back to 1855 were lost. When the new facility was rebuilt, how was it different from the original? When the new facility opened in December of 1900, how many immigrants were processed on just that day alone?
- Compare the experiences that newly-arrived 1st and 2nd class passengers had when they arrived in America to the experiences that 3rd class or steerage passengers had.
- If an immigrant's papers were in order and they were in reasonably good health, about how long would the inspection process take?
- What percentage of arriving immigrants were excluded from entry into the United States?
- What were the two main reasons why an immigrant might be excluded from entry?
- During one particular year, there were approximately 1.25 million immigrants processed at Ellis Island--the most ever in one year. What year was it?
- What world event decreased immigration to the United States?
- How did the role of Ellis Island change between 1918 and 1920?
- What restrictions did the Quota Laws and the National Origins Act place upon the tide of new immigrants?
- After World War I, how did the immigration process and Ellis Island's role change?
- What was Ellis Island used for during World War II?
- When did Ellis Island officially close?
- Ellis Island is now part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. Between 1984 and 1990, what happened to Ellis Island immigration station?
Immigrants to U.S. by Country of Origin
- Using this chart, looking at the figures from 1820 to 1940, what were the top 5 countries from which immigrants arrived?
Immigration to U.S.: 1850-1930, 1960-1990
- Look at the 2 pie charts at the bottom of this page.
- In 1900, what percentage of foreign-born people living in the United States had been born in Europe? Born in Asia? Born in Latin America?
- In 1990, what percentage of foreign-born people living in the United States had been born in Latin America? In Asia? In Europe?
Ancestry of U.S. Population by Rank, 2000 Census
- According to the 2000 census, how many people in the United States have German ancestry? (Which means that several generations ago, their family may have come through Ellis Island).
- What percentage have Irish ancestry?
- What percentage have English ancestry?
- What percentage have African ancestry? How did their ancestors probably arrive in America?
- What percentage have Russian ancestry?
- What percentage have Chinese ancestry? Go to World Book Encyclopedia Online and look up Angel Island to find out more about the immigration station on the west coast through which many immigrants from China passed.
Immigration
- From 1820 to 1930, the United States received what percentage of the world's immigrants? According to this site, what were some of the factors that contributed to so many immigrants coming to America?
- What is deportation?
The Foreign-Born Population in the United States, 1990 and 1980
- What are the top 5 countries from which immigrants arrived in 1980?
- What are the top 5 countries from which immigrants arrived in 1990?
Naturalization
The process for becoming a citizen is called naturalization. List the requirements to become a United States citizen.
- One of the requirements is that a person must read, write and speak basic English. Do you think this a fair requirement? Why or why not?
Bibliography
- Bell, James and Abrams, Richard. In Search of Liberty : The Story of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. New York, Doubleday, 1984.
- Coan, Peter Morton. Ellis Island Interviews In Their Own Words. New York: Facts on File Publications, 1997.
- Benton, Barbara. Ellis Island : A Pictorial History. New York : Facts on File Publications, 1985.
- Fisher, Leonard Everett. Ellis Island : gateway to the New World. New York : Holiday House, c1986.
- Jacobs, William Jay. Ellis Island : new hope in a new land. New York: C. Scribner's, c1990.
- Kroll, Steven. Ellis Island : Doorway to Freedom. New York: Holiday House, 1996.
- Lawlor, Veronica.I was dreaming to come to America : memories from the Ellis Island Oral History Project. New York : Viking, 1995.
- Levine, Ellen. if your name was changed at Ellis Island. New York : Scholastic Inc., c1993.
- Maestro, Betsy. Coming to America : The Story of Immigration. New York: Scholastic, 1996.
- Owens, Tom. Ellis Island. New York : PowerKids Press, 1997.
- Reef, Catherine. Ellis Island. New York : Dillon Press ; Toronto : Maxwell Macmillan Canada ; New York : Maxwell Macmillan International, c1991.
- Siegel, Beatrice. Sam Ellis's Island. New York : Four Winds Press, 1985.