Name: ____________
The Story of an Immigrant
Performance Final (5%)
-40.d: describe Ellis and Angel Islands, the change in immigrants' origins, and their influence on the
economy, politics, and culture of the United States using primary and secondary sources
Background Information
The last quarter of the nineteenth century was marked by a great deal of turmoil in Europe. Low wages,
unemployment, disease, forced military conscription, and religious persecution inspired immigrants to flee their
homelands and immigrate to the United States. These groups formed the bulk of the "new immigration" coming
to America.
Chinese immigrants also came to America and settled in California. Immigrants who entered the United States
were processed at Ellis Island in New York and Angel Island in California. Each facility conducted the
screening of immigrants in vastly different ways. The immigrants who did gain entry into the United States
influenced the nation's economy, politics, and culture.
Prior to the 1880s, the majority of immigrants to the United States came from northern and western Europe.
During the colonial period, immigrants were overwhelmingly English, with smaller groups of Scots, Germans,
and French settling in America. In the decades after the American Revolution, large groups of Irish and
German immigrants arrived. After the Civil War, more Eastern and Southern Europeans immigrated to
America. Between 1880 and 1920, over 20 million immigrants entered the United States.
These latest newcomers greatly affected the social as well as the economic and political landscape. Because
poverty and political instability were common in their home countries, the new immigrants were likely to be
poor. Often, they were Jewish or Catholic and spoke no English. Poverty prevented many from buying
farmland, so most worked as unskilled laborers and mostly lived in northern cities. Whether Asian on the west
coast or European on the east coast, these new immigrants tended to settle in areas populated by people from
the same country. They formed neighborhoods where immigrants spoke the same languages and worshipped
in the same ways. The new immigrants did not appear to blend into American society in the way earlier
immigrants had.
Ellis Island
There were 21 immigrant-processing centers. The two most famous were Ellis Island in New York and Angel
Island in California. Ellis Island Immigrant Station, located in New York Harbor, was opened in 1892. By 1924,
the station had processed 12 million immigrants. By some estimates, 40% of all Americans today can trace
their port of entry back to Ellis Island. Upon arrival in New York Harbor, immigrants were transported from their
ships by barges to the immigrant-processing center.
Arrivals to Ellis Island were asked 29 questions, including name, occupation, and the amount of money carried.
The inspection process lasted from three to seven hours. As more restrictive laws were passed in the 1890s,
more rigorous provision for entry was required. About 2% of the immigrants seeking entry were denied
admission to the United States and sent back to their country of origin. Some of the reasons for denied access
were chronic and contagious diseases, criminal background, or insanity.
Angel Island
Angel Island Immigrant Station was quite different from Ellis Island. Approximately 1 million Asian immigrants
were processed at Angel Island between 1910 and 1940. There was strong resistance to Chinese immigrants
in the late 1800s, which resulted in the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882. Chinese immigrants had
been hired as workers to complete the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1860s. They were
discriminated against and taken advantage of by railroad companies. The Chinese workers were paid half of
what European workers earned and were required to do the most dangerous jobs of blasting and laying rail ties
over the treacherous terrain of the high Sierra Mountains. Once the railroad was complete, the hostility toward
Chinese immigrants escalated.
As a result of this open discrimination and Nativist opposition, Chinese immigrants wanting entry into the
United States spent weeks, months, and sometimes years on Angel Island awaiting approval for entry into the
United States. Approximately 18% of immigrants to Angel Island were rejected, of which the vast majority were
from China. The interrogation process at Angel Island was much more lengthy and specific than at Ellis Island.
Immigrants had to have American witnesses or family members come to Angel Island to vouch for the
accuracy of their answers.
Summary
The impact of immigrants on American society was significant. Over-crowded cities led to increased problems
with crime and disease. Increased demand for agricultural and industrial goods spurred economic growth. Low-
wage labor was available to work in the growing American industrial economy. New cultural items such as
Italian opera, Polish polkas, Russian literature, kindergarten, and new foods, such as spaghetti, frankfurters,
and hamburgers, became a part of the American culture and diet. Nativists viewed the fast-growing immigrant
population as dangerous to the American political system. Poll taxes and literacy tests were used to restrict
immigrants from voting in ways similar to those used to restrict Blacks from voting in many Southern states.
The United States is a nation of immigrants. The number of immigrants coming to the United States for
opportunity increased during the last decades of the nineteenth century. The immigrants arriving at that time
were also from different areas of Europe and Asia than had previously been common. Although there was
bitter resistance to these immigrants, there were many positive contributions to the economy and social
makeup of the United States.
Name: ____________
Assignment:
Write a story about a person who immigrated to America in the 1800s. This story should include the
challenges they faced arriving here, their impact on the economy, and their cultural impact on American
society. The goal is to connect with the experience of an immigrant coming to America in the 1800s. Try to
practice empathy as you write and personally connect with the challenges they faced. Write this story from the
perspective of a young teenager coming to America with their family to work and start a new life.
Use the following links for further details. The primary sources below should inspire aspects of your story!
Stories of Immigrants coming to America
A Child's Journey through Ellis Island: From Dream to Reality
Annie Moore: The first immigrant through Ellis Island
Write your story in Google Classroom. Your story should be at least 1 page in length.
Answer these questions in your story (highlight the part of the story that shows this information):
1. Where is your character from, and how does that impact their experience in America?
(what jobs do they get, what are they paid compared to Americans or other immigrants, where do they
live, what language do they speak?)
2. Explain how your character and other immigrants of that time influenced the economy and politics of
the country. (think about their impact on cities, transportation, laws)
Use this outline to create your character:
1. Your character’s home country ____________________
2. Why did your character’s family move to America? __________________
a. What is happening in their home country
b. What drew them to America
c. Do they have other family members here
3. Which immigration station did your character’s family come through? _________________
4. What are their 1st impressions of America?
5. What city/state did they move to ___________________
6. What type of job do they (or their parents) have?
7. What language do they speak?
8. How are they treated as compared to previous immigrants?
9. What are the challenges they faced?
Rubric:
1. Introduction (background of character) 10pts ______
2. Description of the impact of origin on their experience (min 5 sentences) 30pts ______
3. Influence on the American economy (min 5 sentences) 30pts ______
4. Influence on American politics (min 3 sentences) 20pts ______
5. Organization and mechanics 10pts ______
Name: Sophia Rodriguez
Introduction:
My name is Maria Sanchez and I am a young teenager who recently immigrated to America with my family in the late 1800s. We came from a small village in Italy called Napoli. Life in Napoli was difficult, with low wages and limited opportunities for improvement. My family decided to move to America in search of a better life, hoping to escape poverty and provide us with a brighter future. We packed our belongings and bid farewell to our homeland, embarking on a long and arduous journey across the ocean.
Impact of Origin on Experience:
As Italians, our experience in America was greatly influenced by our origin. When we arrived, we faced discrimination and prejudice due to our nationality. Many Americans saw us as foreigners who would take their jobs away. This made it challenging for my parents to find work. Eventually, they managed to secure jobs as laborers in a factory, working long hours for meager wages. The language barrier also posed a difficulty as we only spoke Italian, making it hard to communicate with others and navigate our way through daily life.
Influence on the American Economy:
Despite the challenges, Italian immigrants like my family played a significant role in the American economy. Our willingness to work long hours for low wages made us valuable assets to industries, especially in the growing industrial sector. Italian immigrants excelled in fields such as construction, mining, and factory work, contributing to the development and expansion of American infrastructure. As a result, the American economy experienced growth and prosperity, fueled by the labor of immigrants like us.
Influence on American Politics:
Italian immigrants, along with other immigrants of that time, also had an impact on American politics. Our presence in cities led to increased diversity and cultural exchange. Italian neighborhoods began to emerge, where immigrants congregated, creating close-knit communities that preserved our language, traditions, and values. These neighborhoods became hubs of social and political activism, advocating for the rights and recognition of immigrants. Italian immigrants were instrumental in shaping political discourse and promoting social justice, becoming active participants in the democratic processes of the country.
Conclusion:
Although the journey to America was challenging, Italian immigrants like my family made significant contributions to American society. We overcame language barriers, discrimination, and hardship to build a better life for ourselves and future generations. Our labor, resilience, and cultural influence enriched the American economy, politics, and culture. As an Italian immigrant, I am proud of my heritage and the impact my family has had on the great nation of America.