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New Immigration began in the 1880 s and lasted until the early 1900 s. The reasons for the migratory movements were the close of the frontier and the forcible restriction of Americas native population to reservations. The main reason was due to the industrial growth experienced by the United States from the end of the Civil War. The majority of the immigrants were Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox or Jewish.
Italians came in the greatest numbers, with Jews second. Violence against Jews in Russia was a major factor in their emigration after 1881. Poles, Russians, Slovaks, Slovenes, Serbs, Croatians, Bulgarians, Ukrainians, and other Slavs made up one quarter of the new immigration. Poles made up the largest number of people in the Slavic category and had over one million immigrants in the United States before the World War I. Asian people also entered after 1880.
Some other factors of migration was interest groups in the United States encouraged it. By 1882 fare from England to the United States was between $ 12 and $ 15, which was often paid by a relative who had already made the voyage. There were also political and cultural reasons for emigrating such as conscription, denial of cultural or religious rights, and political persecution. By 1897, steamship travel to the United States was cut to five and a half days, compared to forty-four days by sailing vessel in 1850.
Another distinguishing feature of much of the new immigration was that it was mostly males between the ages of fourteen and forty-four years old. The number of immigrants to the United States in the years of 1881 - 90 were 5, 246, 613, 1891 - 1900 were 3, 687, 564, 1901 - 10 were 8, 795, 386, and 1911 - 20 were 5, 735, 811. The widely used receiving center for them was Castle Garden, on the Southern tip of Manhattan. This receiving center allowed the United States Government to keep better track of its immigrants.
Clerks would record the names, nationalities, and destinations of immigrants. Doctors would give routine check ups and physicals to make sure that the immigrants were healthy. In 1890 construction of the buildings on Ellis Island began, and it took nearly ten years to be completed. Even though Ellis Island was one of seventy receiving stations in the country at the time, it handled ninety percent of all immigrants.
In 1893 several laws were expanded and refined. Ships carrying passengers with contagious or infectious diseases coming into the United States had to be quarantined, first time steamships had to provide immigration officials with lists of aliens on board which contained information about each of them, including a record of a physical examination. Another law included showing proof that the immigrants clothing and personal items had been disinfected before embarking. In 1917, a literacy provision excluding all persons over the age of sixteen who could not read some language, was passed over President Woodrow Wilsons veto. This law made it very difficult for immigrants who wished to enter the united states.
In 1918, foreign anarchists and others who believed in or advocated overthrowing the government also were excluded by law. In 1920 an act was passed that allowed for the deporting of foreigners convicted of violating or conspiring to violate acts of war. In 1921, there were tougher restrictions put on immigrants. There were restrictions on criminals, the insane, the destitute, the diseased, and also significant limitations were placed on the Japanese and Chinese. Country -of-Origin quotas were enacted, and visas were assigned according to yearly immigration limits. When the immigrants arrived in New York Harbor, sometimes after many weeks at sea, they were in sight of the Statue Of Liberty.
They were then ferried from their vessels to Ellis Island, where they arrived exhausted, confused, and apprehensive after spending time on the boat with horrible conditions such as spoiled food, close quarters. The immigrants were then processed which means they were given a battery of legal and medical examinations by immigration inspectors before they were allowed to come into the country. Anyone found with diseases were quarantined. Most were through in a few hours; about twenty percent were detained for further questioning and observation; and two percent were deported. After their medical examination and interrogation, they were divided into two pens, or enclosures. One was for those whose destination was New York City or the suburbs, the other was for the greater number of people who were about to begin another journey to distant States and Territories.
Most of the immigrants settled near the port of entry into the United States. Most settled in large cities such as the Polish settled in the cities of Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo, Detroit, Milwaukee and Wallington, while most of the Italians settled in New York, Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo, Detroit and Milwaukee. Only 2 percent went south. Life was hard for the new immigrants entering the United States. Most could not speak English and were shunned since the natives of the United States were worried about what kind of diseases the immigrants were bringing to our country. Most lived in the cities, and in slums, and had poor living conditions.
They got simple employment at Dry Cleaners, News Stands, Grocery Stores, Machine Shops and Garment factories. They earned about $ 5 -$ 10 a month in 90 hour work weeks. The Children received education after coming to America, but the parents and elders received none. The Polish, Jews, and Italians were accepted more then the Asians, because racism and their looks, although the Jews had some problems because of their religion. The peak of the movement was from 1900 - 1915, with 1907 being the most active year. There were more then 1, 150, 000 immigrants admitted through Ellis Island.
Even with a staff of 350 civil servants, the station could not accommodate all who arrived in a single day. Some had to wait as long as four days on ships in the harbor, then they were shuttled to Ellis, where they had to wait several more hours. Finally, with all their worldly belongings on their backs, they were ready to be processed. After 1914, the flood of immigrants began to subside, and after the 1920 s, with the passing of the quota laws, it diminished to a trickle. Ellis Island was no longer necessary and went on to be used for other uses until it was put out of commission after being declared excess federal property.
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Research essay sample on Number Of People Ellis Island
