Name: _______________________________

Purpose: To learn about Ellis Island.

Directions: Read the following reading about Ellis Island and answer the following questions
about Ellis Island in fragments that reflect the question in your composition books:
1. How many immigrants were processed at Ellis Island? How many were turned away?
What were the reasons that people were turned away?
2. What is Castle Garden? How long was it used as a processing station?
3. During which years were people processed at Ellis Island?
4. How does Ellis Island reflect a more restrictive immigration policy? (How did Ellis
Island make it harder for people to enter the United States?)
5. Why is Ellis Island such a popular spot with tourists?

Ellis Island

Introduction
Ellis Island was the principal federal immigration station in the United States from 1892
to 1954. More than 12 million immigrants were processed here. Over time, the immigration
station spread over 3 connected islands with numerous structures including a hospital and
contagious disease wards. It is estimated that over 40 percent of all citizens can trace their
ancestry to those who came through Ellis Island. In its early years, when the greatest number of
immigrants entered the country, Ellis Island mirrored the nation's generous attitude and open
door policy. After passage of immigration laws in the 1920s, it was used more for "assembly,
detainment, and deporting aliens," and symbolized a closing door. Immigrants were required to
pass a series of medical and legal inspections before they could enter America. The actual
experience of going through inspection or detainment on Ellis Island was often nerve
wracking. Those who did not pass these inspections were returned to their country of origin on
the boats that brought them here. Even though only 2 percent of those coming to America were
turned away at Ellis Island, that translated to over 250,000 people whose hopes and dreams
turned to tears.

The Registry Room

Nearly every day for over two decades (1900-1924) the Registry Room teemed with
hopeful arrivals waiting to be inspected and registered by Immigration Service officers. As the
tide of immigration swelled, sometimes over 10,000 people would file through this space in a
single 24-hour period. For most immigrants, this great hall epitomized Ellis Island. Here they
encountered the complex demands of the immigration laws and an American bureaucracy that
could either grant or withhold permission to land in the United States. In 1954, Ellis Island
closed. The restoration of Ellis Island began in 1983 and the immigration museum opened in
1990, with the building being restored to the period of 1918-1920. Ellis Island exists today as a
testament to the vital importance of immigration in shaping America and to the millions of
people who passed through its doors.

The Journey
Immigrants sailed to America in hopes of carving out new destinies for themselves.
Most were fleeing religious persecution, political oppression and economic hardships.
Thousands of people arrived daily in New York Harbor on steamships from mostly Eastern and
Southern Europe (the New Immigrants). The first and second class passengers were allowed to
pass inspection aboard ship and go directly ashore. Only steerage passengers had to take the
ferry to Ellis Island for inspection. However, for all of them the trip meant days and
sometimes months aboard overcrowded ships often traveling through hazardous weather.

Processing
The opening of Ellis Island began a new era of restriction in the history of immigration.
Here, the inspectors determined each newcomer's eligibility to land according to United States
law. For the vast majority of immigrants, Ellis Island meant three to five hours of waiting for a
brief medical and legal examination. For others, it meant a longer stay with additional testing
or a legal hearing. For an unfortunate 2 percent, it meant exclusion and a return trip to the
homeland.
NY State founded the United States' first center for processing arriving immigrants in
1855. It was established on an island off the southwest tip of Manhattan – Castle Garden. It
was hoped that a receiving station off the mainland would serve two purposes: to prevent
people with contagious diseases from entering the country and help arriving immigrants from
the hazards of fraud, robbery and deceit when they first arrived.
Before the creation of Castle Garden in 1855 passengers were allowed to disembark
directly from the ship onto the wharves of Manhattan. Castle Garden remained in operation
until 1890. Ellis Island opened on January 1, 1892. It was constructed entirely of wood, was
three stories high and designed to handle up to 10,000 immigrants a day. In 1891, the federal
government assumed jurisdiction over all ports, not just NY, so processing centers were
established at other ports.
Just before midnight on June 14, 1897 a fire broke out in the all wooden building on
Ellis Island and it burned to the ground. No ship records were destroyed since they were kept
elsewhere, but all other administrative records for 1855-1890 were lost. The old Barge Office
was again used as a processing center for 3 1/2 years while the new Ellis Island building was
built. On December 17, 1900 the new steel, brick and stone building on Ellis Island opened.
However, it was too small from the start and would have to be expanded many times. So,
while many of us say our ancestors arrived at Ellis Island – that is not always the case!

From: http://www.libertystatepark.com/history1.htm