America has always been known as the land of the free, with jobs and a place for everyone. In 1815, America experienced the first of many waves of immigrants. People from China, Russia, Syria, Turkey, Armenia, and many more from all over the globe flooded to the US. Whether it was to escape religious persecution, famine, drought, or war, hordes of millions emigrated from their homes to live in America.
In the early and mid 1800s, there were no real immigration laws. So, hundreds of thousands of people lived as undocumented citizens. The influx of newcomers resulted in anti-immigrant feelings, especially among the some groups of native-born Americans. These newer arrivals were viewed as competition for jobs, and many Catholics (especially the Irish) experienced religious …show more content…
However, by the end of the century, they decided that they needed handle the mass of immigrants instead of leaving the problem to the states. So, in 1890, President Benjamin Harrison designated Ellis Island as a federal immigration station. After a long and difficult voyage across the Atlantic ocean, many passengers stopped at New Jersey, while third-class passengers took their bags onto barges that would take them to Ellis Island. Immigrants and their families were tagged with information from the ship’s registry, and then were passed through long lines for medical and legal inspections to determine if they were fit and capable enough to be allowed entry into the United States. From 1900 to 1914, about 5,000 to 10,000 people passed through the island every day, and 80 percent of those trying to immigrate successfully passed through in a matter of hours. However, the unlucky could be detained for days, or even weeks. Many immigrants remained in New York, while others would travel by barge to railroad stations in Hoboken or Jersey City on their way to different destinations across the
In the early and mid 1800s, there were no real immigration laws. So, hundreds of thousands of people lived as undocumented citizens. The influx of newcomers resulted in anti-immigrant feelings, especially among the some groups of native-born Americans. These newer arrivals were viewed as competition for jobs, and many Catholics (especially the Irish) experienced religious …show more content…
However, by the end of the century, they decided that they needed handle the mass of immigrants instead of leaving the problem to the states. So, in 1890, President Benjamin Harrison designated Ellis Island as a federal immigration station. After a long and difficult voyage across the Atlantic ocean, many passengers stopped at New Jersey, while third-class passengers took their bags onto barges that would take them to Ellis Island. Immigrants and their families were tagged with information from the ship’s registry, and then were passed through long lines for medical and legal inspections to determine if they were fit and capable enough to be allowed entry into the United States. From 1900 to 1914, about 5,000 to 10,000 people passed through the island every day, and 80 percent of those trying to immigrate successfully passed through in a matter of hours. However, the unlucky could be detained for days, or even weeks. Many immigrants remained in New York, while others would travel by barge to railroad stations in Hoboken or Jersey City on their way to different destinations across the