Themes in American History

Ellis Island main building

Ellis Island, one of the historical sites of the United States, is located in New York City Harbor and the upper bay just off the New Jersey Coast within the shadow of the Statue of Liberty. Ellis Island used to be the gateway for the immigrants. From 1892 to 1954, over twelve million immigrants entered into the United States through the portal of Ellis Island. Today this Island is known as the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Even though I been to Ellis Island before, I didn’t have that much of knowledge about the history of the United States and most specifically of Ellis Island. However, this time when I went to Ellis Island I had a different feelings and emotions in my mind.

Wooden boxes and baskets

When I went inside, I saw the pictures of wooden and steel boxes, the bamboo baskets, the pillows which compel me to smell of their hometown. Even when I saw immigrants who were standing on line with their luggage and everybody’s face looked nervous at the same the hope inside them. I remember the similar situation when I came to the United States; I had the same feelings, the feeling of nervousness on my face and the new hope in my heart.

The pictures and the other things were same; however, the way that I perceived

Registry Room

 those pictures and other stuffs weren’t the same way which I did perceive in my first visit. Honestly, this time I was more connected with the pictures and the things which were inside there. When I was there first time the huge hall on the second floor seemed to me just a hall (Registry Room, but after learning in class and reading the description on the display board I stand there for a while and imagined how people lined up in the fence and waited for their turn for inspectors to ask the information from them and to confirm the answer in the manifest.

Inspection

I was imagining how each person was inspected by the doctors within six seconds. The doctor viewed a person and if there was something wrong with the person, then the doctor chalked them letters like “H” which meaning heart problem or “E” which meaning eye problems. I was thinking how one would feel that when the doctors chalked them in their clothes. Do they lose their hope to start the new life, does their dream die? How would one feel that?

Kissing Post

Immigration that passed legal inspection proceeded down the west stairway. Here many were greeted by the waiting relatives. Because of the emotional reunion take place here, it was known as the “Kissing Post.” I can’t imagine how one would feel at that moment in the new land with the new dreams, and then new life. It would have been thrilling movement. I was kind a feeling the same sentiment when I was standing there.

West stairways

The experience which I had before visiting Ellis Island was totally different this time. The reason I must mention was because of the materials which I learned in my class. It helps me not only to know about the immigration process for the new comers, but also gives me a sense of how one would feel to go inside and tries to experience the same way which new comers did during 1892 to 1954. I think it was great to see those old pictures and things inside the museum which forced us to go back in the past and think how life would be at that time.

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Despite the fact that the United States of America is made from a mixture of diverse cultures and religions, it relies on immigrants for economic development and social strength.  Most Americans came from different backgrounds, starting with the Dutch to every nationality we can ever think of. For so many years, people have come and worked here, started families and also asked for their relatives to join them after they settle and become citizens. The United States of America was founded upon the backs of those immigrants. As stated, “Around three-fourths of aliens who entered the United States between 1892 and 1924 went through the Ellis Island immigration station” (Yans-McLaughlin and Lightman 59). Ellis Island has a long and exciting history. This historical site was the “Gateway to America” from 1892 until it closed in 1954.

Most of people think of Ellis Island as an immigration station, but before becoming one it was a “ammunition and ordinance depot named Fort Gibson” (Ellis Island). From 1794 to 1890, the island played a mostly uneventful but still significant role in United States history.  No fighting took place at Fort Gibson it was mainly a munitions storage fort. The fort at Ellis Island was named Fort Gibson in honor of brave officer killed during the War of 1812 (Stakely).

At first, immigration was managed in the United States through a mixed federal-state system. When immigrants began arriving at New York City, New York State processed them at an old fort known as Castle Clinton at the Battery, at the tip of Manhattan. When it became too small for the large number of immigrants arriving in the country, the government chose Ellis Island as the new immigration center. After making new wooden buildings, it opened in 1892 to serve “The Newcomers”. “ On  January 1^st ,1892; Annie Moore, a 15 year old Irish girl, with her two brothers entered the Island and was a first immigrant  to be processed  there, on January 2^nd”   (Ellis Island ).

From 1892 to 1954 more than 12 million immigrants were processed through the system.  Over time, the immigration station spread over three connected islands. In 1902, a hospital was built on Ellis Island. It had all the necessary rooms in order to provide good medical service to the immigrants who needed it. For instance there was an operating room, a contagious disease ward, a maternity ward, even an autopsy room and morgue (Eastman).

Ellis Island has not affected my life tremendously but it did affect the native New Yorkers who were born after Ellis Island was closed, slightly in ways of their ancestors might have come through it. It was the Gateway to America, it was needed, and it was built.

I wanted to experience and see for myself one of the most important places in immigration of America. I went on Ellis Island and spent several hours in main building, Ellis Island Immigration Museum, and I was taken by what I saw. For example, when I took a tour of all “special” rooms, that immigrants had to go through in order to complete medical inspections and finish their registration process, there was one story of immigrant written on the wall that really touched my heart. This story was written by Fiorello H. LaGuardia in his autobiography, The Making of an Insurgent, 1948.            

            “One case haunted me for years. A young girl in her teens from the mountains of northern Italy turned up at Ellis Island. No one understood her particular dialect very well, and because of her hesitancy in replying to questions  she did not understand, she was sent to the hospital for observations. I could   imagine the effect on this girl, who had always been carefully sheltered and had      never been permitted to be in the company of man alone, when a doctor suddenly rapped her on the knees, looked into her eyes, turned her on her back and tickled   her spine to ascertain her reflexes. The child rebelled – and how!” 

Another story that shows us a dramatic experience of immigrants passing through Ellis Island was written in the article “Ellis Island’s forgotten Hospital” in New York Times, by Sewell Chan. It states that “In the documentary movie, John Gauqer, who emigrated from France in 1929, at age 5, recalls that he only spoke French when he arrived at Ellis Island. He was held at observation.” He said “They took me away from my mother. I did not know what was happening, she did not know what was happening, and I was here in this place away from her, never know if I was going to see her again.”

Both stories show us how ironic life could be. On one hand people coming to America in a hope of starting new life and live in the land of freedom, but on the other hand they could end up not so lucky and experience unfortunate situations like that . Ever since I read this story, I have been thinking how fortunate I am to not have to experience these kinds of situations.

Immigrants came to America in search of freedom and opportunity and the Ellis Island played big role for immigrants in order to enter the United States of America.  The immigrants who passed through Ellis Island received the freedom and rights that they didn’t obtain in their former country. The experiences that they went through on the island became part of American History. It is estimated that over 40 percent of all U.S. citizens can trace their ancestry to those who came through Ellis Island (Stakely). Ellis Island was the Getaway to America.

At the end, I am happy that I went to the Ellis Island and was able to learn so much about the experience of immigrants that came to the USA through Ellis Island and the historical imporatnce of this place.

Bibliography

Eastman, Dick. “The Ellis Island Expeirience.” Ancestry. 2006. 11 Jul 2011 <http://www.ancestry.com>.

 Ellis Island. 2000. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island foundation, Inc… 11 July 2011 <http://www.ellis island. org>.

Stakely, Tracy J. Cultural Landscape Report For Ellis Island. Brookline, Massachusetts: National Park Service, 2003.

Yans-McLaughlin, Virginia, and Marjorie Lightman. Ellis Island and  the Peopling of America. New York: The New Press, 1997.

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Taking the trip to Ellis Island was a great adventure. Waiting through the long lines, and taking the ferry to the island, gave me just a taste of what it felt like for the immigrants that came to New York City in the 1892 to 1924. This was my first visit to Ellis Island, and seeing this gorgeous building was an amazing site to see in person. Walking through the museum i saw old luggage that some immigrants carried with them to Ellis Island. This really gave me a sense of how much they could carry with them to NYC at the time. Over 100 million Americans, today can trace back to the immigrants that crossed Ellis Island before settling in other regions of the country.

This museum told the story of many immigrant families that came to the US. Each person had a different story to tell. When i saw the Registry Room in person, it was an amazing site to see. In the years of 1900- 1924 the Registry Room was filled with immigrants, upto 5,000 people a day would walk through this room. The Registry Room was used to determine whether or not the incoming immigrants can pass through or deny their entrance to the US. Manuals where also given to immigrants who just arrived, to show them where they can get jobs and find housing. Manuals where given in many different languages so anyone can find a job and housing.

Walking through the museum, i visited an area where there were images of children and how they lived. The schools and living conditions were in really poor shape. Most children where news boys and many had to learn English. Many children learned English because they were young, and it was easier for them than their parents.Children were mostly translators for their parents, that is why they were called the “Go- Betweens”. Children were also used as cheap labor for many factories across the US. Many families depended on their children to either work in a textile factory, or pick up the chores at home so the parents can work. The conditions that the children worked in were worse than the adults and many worked 10-12 hours a day. The rate for accidents with children was three times higher than adults. Soon in 1904, the National Child Labor Committee, formed labor laws for children by exposing the cruel conditions that they work in. By 1914, 35 states didn’t allow children under 14 to work and required minors to go to school. They also lowered their work days to 8 hours a day.

Reading through some stories, and seeing these pictures in person made me get a closer look on how immigrants lived and worked. I also saw posters of Public schools giving out free textbooks for immigrants. These textbooks were to help them get an American Citizenship, and to learn the language and laws of the government. Also when America entered World War I, they encouraged immigrants to serve in the army, and be more American to show their loyalty to America. So not only did they have to learn the language, and dress American, they were encouraged to join the army to show their true loyalty, and if they didn’t join, immigrants would be harassed by jingoists. Jingoists are extreme nationalists who use extreme foreign policy.

My visit to the museum on Ellis Island was really interesting. It gave me an inside view of the lives of many immigrants that make up the US today. I wish i had more time to stay and see all the exhibits. But for the time spent in the museum I’ve come to appreciate my family’s’ journey to the US even more, and also how many other families left their homes in other countries to start a new life in a new unfamiliar land.

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