Introduction
Between 1820 and 1924, thirty-five million people came to America from countries around the world. The trip to America was difficult and dangerous, but there were many facors that caused immigrants to want to leave their home-country (push factors) and come to the United States (pull factors).
When they arrived in America, most European immigrants had to go to a place called Ellis Island. At Ellis Island, immigrants were inspected before they were allowed into the United States. Other immigrants, primarily Asians, entered through Angel Island on the west coast; still more immigrants will come across the Mexican/United States boarder to the south.
As you complete the following activities, you will learn about expreinces of some of the immigrants as they traveled to the United States .
Today almost 50% of all American citizens can trace their ancestry through Ellis Island. Most came to America from countries all over the world, as passengers booked in steerage class, on the many steamships that were ferried to Ellis Island for inspection. The vast majority had very little money and brought only the baggage they could carry. They endured a difficult and dangerous journey because of dreams of a new life filled with economic opportunity and religious & political freedom. This is where your journey will begin!
Task
Students will use their immigration journal (created in Word) to take notes over various immigrant experiences they've explored in this web-quiest to meet the following objectives:
- Compare and Contrast the experiences of immigrants entering through Ellis and Angel Island.
- Analyze the motivation of immigrant groups that came to the U.S. between 1880-1920
Process
Step 1: Vocabulary
Use a dictionary to look up these words and write them in your Immigration Experience Journal (you will create a word document for your journal). The Words:
- immigrant
- ancestor
- inspection
- migration
- famine
- deport
- detain
Step 2: Ellis Island Tour
A. You must answer these questions in your journal:
- Take the complete Ellis Island Tour. Take notes in your journal of things you find interesting (at least 10 facts).
- Copy at least 3 photos that you find helpful onto your journal; make sure you label them so you know what they are later.
- When did the Ellis Island Immigration Station open?
- Why was it built?
- List several countries from which the immigrants who went through Ellis Island came.
- List the steps in the arrival process.
- What are some of the problems immigrants might face at Ellis Island? What are some of the reasons they might be detained.
- What would a future immigrant want to know about the process before coming?
- After exploring the site, write a paragraph of a letter to a future immigrant telling him/her what to expect.
Step 3: Angel Island Home Page:
A. In your journal answer the following questions:
- Explore this website. Take notes over things you find interesting (at least 5 facts).
- When did the Angel Island Immigration Station Open? Why was it built?
- What was the difference in processing time between Ellis Island and Angel Island? Create a 3-column chart (or venn diagram) to compare and contrast the two immigrant entry points.
- How did many detained immigrants express their feelings?
- Pretend you are an immigrant detained for several weeks on Angel Island. Write a letter home to your family that expresses how you might be feeling. Express your feelings about leaving your homeland, being detained on the island or your dreams for a new life.
Evaluation
Completed all vocabulary words
Completed Ellis Island Tour
& Questions
Completed visit to Angel Island
& Questions
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have finished your web-quest, and should have a good understanding of the experiences of immigrants to the United States at the turn of the 19th century.
Please make sure that you have saved all of the information in your journal entries!