Immigration at Ellis island

Immigration at Ellis island By: Allie Ogden

Step 1: The passage • Escaping poverty and religious persecution • Most came from Europe • Crossing Atlantic took 1-2 weeks • Ships divided by economic class

Step 2: Arrival • Saw Statue of Liberty • Doctors boarded ship looking for diseases • 25% on ship entered NY after this checkpoint • Other 75% continued through Ellis Island

Step 3: baggage room • Identity tags passed out • Struggled getting luggage off ship • Left luggage in baggage room until was inspection over

Step 4: stairs to registry room • Doctors stood on the stairs • They watched for deep breathing, trouble walking and other problems • Children were sent home without parents

Step 5: registry room • Decided if immigrants could enter or need more investigation • Checked for trachoma (contagious eye disease) • Metal rails separated lines • Benches added in 1903 • Really loud, thousands of people

Step 6: medical exams • “6 second physical” • Looked for diseases/ illness • If a risk, marked with chalk • Marking had different meanings • X=insanity P= lung problems

Step 7: legal inspection • 29 questions • Examples- Where were you born? What is your job? Are you married? • Inspector had ship manifest • If answers were different than manifest, they were detained

Step 8: detainees • Medical detainees stayed at hospital until better or were sent back home • Legal detainees stayed in the dormitory until they went to the hearing room. • If failed, ship home was free

Step 9: stairs of separation • 3 aisles • Right side- people going west or south • Left side- people going north or in NY • Middle- detainees • Bottom of stairs was currency exchange and railroad tickets

Step 10: kissing post • Where families/ friends reunited • Months or years since seeing each other • Finally in America

Immigration at Ellis island