Human Migration to America

Immigration to the U.S.
(1800s-1900s)

Poll

Lesson: Immigrating to the US

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Poll

You live with your family on a small farm in Italy in the 1890s. 

You want to earn some money to help your parents, but there are not many jobs nearby. 

You have heard that jobs are easy to find in the booming factories of the United States. But you speak no English and know no one in America.

Would you travel to the United States in search of new opportunities?

• YES

• NO

• Not Sure

One of the greatest periods of immigration to the United States occurred during the 1800s to the 1920s, when waves of immigrants came to American shores from Europe and Asia.

Immigrants migrated to escape problems in their native countries and in search of new opportunities in America.

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Moving

People often moved due to push factors.
Push factors are things that make people want to leave their current place. Think of them as reasons that "push" someone away. Here are a few examples:

Lack of Jobs: If there aren't many job opportunities, people might leave to find work elsewhere.

War or Conflict: Dangerous situations can make people flee for their safety.

Natural Disasters: Events like earthquakes or floods can force people to leave their homes.

Poor Living Conditions: If a place has bad schools, healthcare, or other services, people might look for better options.

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Why do People Move?

While push factors push people from their homes, pull factors pull people to new locations.
Pull factors are the reasons that attract people to a new place, almost like they "pull" them in. Some examples include:

Job Opportunities: A place with lots of jobs can attract people looking for work.

Safety and Stability: Areas that are peaceful and safe often draw people in.

Better Education: Good schools and universities can pull families to a new area.

Family and Friends: If someone has relatives or friends in a place, they might move there to be closer to them.

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Why do People Move?

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Drag and Drop

Lesson: Immigrating to the US

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Categorize

Options (10)

Lack of (No) jobs

Religious Freedom

Better Schools

War

Poverty (No Money)

Job Opportunities

Better Medical Care

Famine (No Food)

Natural Disaster

Better Environment

Drag the push and pull factors into the appropriate columns.

Push Factor

Pull Factor

Lesson: Immigrating to the US

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From 1880 to 1920 over 20 million people immigrated to the US. These people emigrated from many countries, including Italy, Greece, Poland and Russia.
They arrived on large, fast, steam-powered ships.

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​European Immigrants

Once in the United States, new arrivals were processed through government-run immigration centers. 

The busiest center on the East Coast was Ellis Island, which opened in New York Harbor in 1892. Over the next 40 years, millions of European immigrants came through Ellis Island. It’s estimated that 40% of all current US citizens have an ancestor who passed through Ellis Island in New York Harbor. Many immigrants at this time came from Russia and eastern Europe, escaping war, drought, famine and religious persecution. Many families left Russia due to violent attacks against the Jews known as pogroms.

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​European Immigrants

Immigrants traveled to the U.S. by ship, often taking long and difficult journeys. Once they arrived, they saw the Statue of Liberty, which symbolized hope and new beginnings.

​When they arrived at Ellis Island, immigrants stepped off the ship and into a large hall called the "Great Hall." This is where the processing began.
First, everyone went through a quick medical inspection. Doctors looked for any signs of illness. If someone was sick, they might be sent to the hospital or, in some cases, sent back home.

​Ellis Island Experience

After the physical examination came the Legal examination. Immigration inspectors would ask each immigrant’s name. If the official wasn’t sure how to spell a name, he would give the immigrant a simpler, more English sounding name. For example, the name Wallenchinsky might be written down as “Wallace.”
There were other questions, too: Where are you from? Any relatives in America? Why are you coming? Where will you live? Do you have a
job waiting for you? 

​Ellis Island Experience

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Lesson: Immigrating to the US

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Multiple Choice

What was Ellis Island primarily used for?

• An immigration station.
• A research facility.
• A tourist attraction.
• A military base.

Multiple Choice

What symbol did many immigrants see as they arrived in New York Harbor?

• Ellis Island
• Statue of Liberty
• Empire State Building
• Brooklyn Bridge

Multiple Select

What were TWO common reasons for immigrants to be denied entry at Ellis Island?

• Illness

• Criminal Records

• Desire to travel to other countries

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In New York, where the population had doubled every decade, immigrants often worked in factories. The work was often hard and tiring. Workers typically worked long hours, often 10 to 12 hours a day, six days a week.

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Working Conditions

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Many immigrants tried to assimilate, or fit in, by adopting cultures from around them.

 

They learned English and sent their children to school.  However, they kept their culture the same in the neighborhoods they lived in.  

 

The different foods, beliefs, languages, art, music, and traditions the immigrants brought with them (culture diffusion) led to a diverse America.  

 

This diversity exists even today.  The US is one of the few places you can find cultures from all over the world in the same country.

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Multi-Culturalism

Asian Immigrants

At the same time that European were arriving on the East Coast, thousands of Asians were arriving on the West Coast of the United States.

The majority of these Asian immigrants were Chinese.

Other countries in Asia, primarily Japan and the Philippines, also sent immigrants to America

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Chinese Immigrants

Most came to escape problems similar to those facing European emigrants-famine, overpopulation, civil warfare. (Push Factors)

They were also lured by fantastic tales of the “mountain of Gold” that had been discovered in California. (Pull Factor)

Push/Pull Factors

After traveling for three weeks aboard crowded ships, Chinese immigrants wanted nothing more than to start their new lives in America.

 

Unfortunately, one thing stood in their way - Immigration officers. 

 

Often immigrants would be detained for months at Angel Island, waiting to see if they would be admitted or sent back to China.  

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Asian Experience

While waiting, some immigrants expressed their feelings through poetry. They carved poems into the walls of their barracks, sharing their hopes, fears, and experiences. These poems are important historical artifacts that tell the story of their struggles.

​Today, Angel Island is a state park and a historical site. It honors the stories of those who passed through, helping us understand the experiences of immigrants in America.

Multiple Choice

What was the primary purpose of Angel Island?

• To function as a tourist attraction.
• To serve as an immigration station.
• To serve as a military base.
• To provide agricultural training.

Multiple Choice

Which group of immigrants faced particularly strict restrictions at Angel Island?

• German immigrants
• Irish immigrants
• Japanese immigrants
• Chinese immigrants

Multiple Choice

What type of expression did many immigrants use to share their experiences while at Angel Island?

• Paintings and drawings
• Poems

• Short stories and essays
• Songs and ballads

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Draw It

Lesson: Immigrating to the US

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Draw

Imagine you are an immigrant who is about to come to America. You are about to leave your country, possibly forever, and you must decide what items you will take to your new home. Considering how small your suitcase would be, choose only four items you would take to America.

Immigrants have not landed on Ellis or Angel Island for more than 60 years.  Today, the islands serve as museums.

But immigrants still come to the United States everyday.  A few arrive by boat, others drive across the borders from Canada or Mexico.  

But the biggest difference between today’s immigrants and those of the past is where they come from. 

Europeans still land on these shores, but far more immigrants come from Asia and Central America

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​Immigrants Today

An Immigrant Story

Lesson: Immigrating to the US

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Dear America Jewish Immigrant

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