Ellis Island

                                                     Ellis Island

 

          Ellis Island was an inspection station where immigrants were inspected on their health and background before entering the United States.  Immigrants were asked 29 questions including name, occupation, and the amount of money that they carried. They had to have at least 18-20 dollars, so the government new that they had enough money to get started.

          Ellis Island is located between New York City and New Jersey.  In 1998 the United States Supreme Court decided that most of the island should be part of New Jersey.  The island now has the Statue of Liberty National Monument and an immigration museum on it. 

          The first Immigration Inspection Station was a huge building that was built out of Georgia Pine.  It opened on January 1, 1892.  On the first day three big ships came carrying 700 immigrants total.

          During the first year 450,000 people went through Ellis Island.  Within five years about 1.5 million people came through.  The exact number is unknown because there was a fire that destroyed all the records, dating back to 1855.

          Not all people made it through Ellis Island.  Some were sent back because of chronic contagious disease, criminal background, or insanity.  Sometimes unskilled workers were sent home because they were "likely to become a public charge".  Immigrants with visible health problems would have to stay in hospital facilities on Ellis Island until they were healthy again.  About three thousand immigrants died on Ellis Island while they were in hospital facilities.

          There is a lot of history from Ellis Island.  Millions of immigrants have been through Ellis Island, and some families were separated because of diseases, and other health problems.  About 100 million Americans today can trace their ancestors back to the first immigrants that came through Ellis Island.

Done by Ella