Introduction
Ellis Island was the central location of immigration in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Many immigrants encountered different problems and had different experiences as they traveled across the ocean to come to America.
Task
Read the documents provided as links on the "Process" page.
Then imagine you are an immigrant coming to America from Italy. Using the story and documents provided, determine what you will bring with you on your journey, describe three challenges you had when you reached Ellis Island, and finally explain what your life is like in America a year after you reached Ellis Island.
Process
Document 1
Source: U.S. inspectors examining eyes of immigrants, Ellis Island, New York Harbor. (1970, January 01). Retrieved July 25, 2017, from http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3a10036/
This document provides insight into the eye exam that was given upon arrival to Ellis Island. This can help students answer a challenge they encountered when they reached Ellis Island.
Document 2:
Source: From Europe to America: Immigration Through Family Tales. (n.d.). Retrieved July 25, 2017, from https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~molna22a/classweb/politics/italianpersonal.html
This document provides a detailed description of an Italian immigrant. It tells of his and his family's journey and events that happened when he first reached America: their trials and triumphs. This will give students a detailed insight of life for immigrants when they came to America. This will assist them in answering answer the part of the question that asks about challenges and good reasons why they came.
Document 3:
Source: Ernesto Ellis Island Ship Manifest[Photograph found in Ellis Island Records, New York, NY]. (n.d.). Retrieved July 25, 2017, from http://wlp.rtbfam.com/grandelis/images/Ernesto_Ellis_Island_Ship_Maniifest.gif
This document is a Ship Manifest. This is useful to the students to give them insight on the immigrants' live. This manifest includes their occupations, who they plan to live with, where they plan to go, and other valuable information. This can help the students to imagine they are an immigrant and will make them think of reasons they are leaving Italy, and what they will want to take with them, as well as what they are going to do once they arrive to America.
Document 4:
Source: Greiner, E., & Greiner, W. (1991, March 3). Emma and William Remember Packing [Interview by P. E. Sigrist Jr.]. Retrieved July 25, 2017, from https://www.nps.gov/elis/learn/education/oral-history-ei-28.htm
This document is of two Italian immigrants speaking of their experience and what they packed. This will help students answer the question of determining what items they will bring on their journey.
Document 5:
Source: Arly banana importers and distributers were mostly Italian immigrants[Photograph found in Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.]. (1948). Retrieved July 25, 2017, from https://www.loc.gov/resource/cph.3c31516/ (Originally photographed 1900)
This document portrays Italian immigrants as mainly banana importers and distributors. This can give students an idea of what they will be doing in America a year after arrival.
Story:
Source: Yaccarino, D. (2014). All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel. New York: Dragonfly Books.
This short story provides a description of Italian immigrants coming to America. It will help students answer the question of what their life will be like after a year.
Evaluation
Students must answer all three parts of the question completely. Each part should have a paragraph response resulting in a three paragraph minimum.