the immigrant experience to america and through ellis island
TRANSCRIPT
The The
IMMIGRANT IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE to America and to America and
through through
ELLIS ISLANDELLIS ISLAND
The SteamshipThe SteamshipLength of timeWhere in ship?Conditions of ship
The View from the ShipThe View from the Ship
Onto American SoilOnto American Soil
ELLIS ISLANDELLIS ISLAND
• Average of 6 ships /dayAverage of 6 ships /day
• 3,000–5,000 people 3,000–5,000 people /day/day
• All tagged by ethnicity All tagged by ethnicity and numberand number
The EntranceThe Entrance
Baggage CheckBaggage Check
The Stairs of The Stairs of SeparationSeparation
““The Six-Second The Six-Second ExamExam””
Waiting for Medical Waiting for Medical ExamsExams
Medical ExaminationsMedical Examinations
The DormitoriesThe Dormitories• Usually kept Usually kept
for 1-2 daysfor 1-2 days• Sometimes Sometimes
for up to for up to several weeksseveral weeks
• 2% of people 2% of people were were deported and deported and couldncouldn’’t t reapply for reapply for admission for admission for 12 months12 months
The CafeteriaThe Cafeteria
The Great The Great HallHall
““The Registry The Registry RoomRoom””Name? – Name? – changed?changed?
Age?Age?
Money?Money?
Record?Record?
The Stairs of Separation The Stairs of Separation (again)(again)
… … Marked the parting of Marked the parting of ways for those who were ways for those who were
going in different going in different destinationsdestinations
The Kissing PostThe Kissing Post
… … where family and where family and friends stood waiting for friends stood waiting for
the new immigrantsthe new immigrants… … many kisses and joyful many kisses and joyful
reunionsreunions
"Give me your tired, your poor, "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to Your huddled masses yearning to
breathe free, breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming The wretched refuse of your teeming
shore. shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-Send these, the homeless, tempest-
tossed to me. tossed to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
Information and pictures Information and pictures from:from:
historychannel.com/ellisisland/gateway/indhistorychannel.com/ellisisland/gateway/index.htmlex.html
ellisisland.com/history.htmlellisisland.com/history.html
The AmericansThe Americans History textbook History textbook
Culture Shock- sudden awareness of new things
Ethnic Islands- national districts in a
section of town where people of the same ethnicity lived
Generation Gap- children acculturated more
quickly than parents- children taught parents about
“American culture”