Learn more about ELLIS ISLAND! Take the WEBQUEST!

Welcome to Immigration

This content resource is an interactive tour of Ellis Island. Students can explore different rooms in the main building at Ellis Island, and can view original photographs, listen to audio, or watch

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/stop2.htm

(source : wikipedia)

Ellis Island, in Upper New York Bay, was the gateway for over 12 million immigrants to the United States as the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station for over sixty years from 1892 until 1954. 
Area: 11 ha
 Management: National Park Service
Architects: William A. Boring, Edward Lippincott Tilton

Ellis Island Web-quest

Ellis Island Web-quest

1. Open the Internet and go to the following website:

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/tour/

2. Read the introduction and answer the following question:
How many immigrants came through Ellis Island on their way to America? [1]

Click on “Learn more about Ellis Island” and answer the following questions:

Where is Ellis Island located?

Who was the President that established an immigration station on Ellis Island?[1] ______________________________________

 In what year did Ellis Island close? [1]

Who operates Ellis Island now?[1] _

it is operated by the US National Park Service _________________________________________________________________________

4. Click on “Start the Tour.”

5. The first stop is __________________________

[1] 6. Read the “Story” and answer the following questions:

Most of the immigrants who came through Ellis Island were from eastern and southern Europe[2].

What are two reasons they came to America?[2]

1)

2)

How long did the trip across the Atlantic take?

[1]

What is “steerage?” [1]

Approximately how many people were on each steamship?[1]

7. Click on “Learn More” under “Did you Know?” What are three benefits to traveling by steamship instead of sailing ship?[3]

1)

2)

3)

8. View the Photos. Take a moment to think about the mental, physical, and emotional difficulties immigrants faced before they even arrived in America. If your parents had decided to emigrate, what would have been most difficult for you?[2]

9. Click the “Next” arrow to get to Stop 2.
10. What is the second stop?

[1]

11. Read the “Story” and answer the following questions:

What was one of the first things immigrants saw upon arriving in New York Harbor? [1] ___________________________________________________________________________
How were First and Second Class passengers treated differently than Third Class passengers? [2] ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________

   12.   Click on “Learn More” under “Did you Know?”
Who was the first person processed on Ellis Island?[1] __________________________________ Where was she from? [1] ___________________________
Approximately what percentage of passengers were processed at Ellis Island?[1]_______________
 

   13.   View the Photos. Why do you think First and Second Class Passengers were able to skip the processing at Ellis Island and go right to Manhattan? [2]_________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________
 

   14.   Listen to the Audio, then answer the following questions:
The food in steerage was so bad, what did Lawrence Meinwald and his father do? [2]____________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ According to Meinwald, what were the passengers doing when they saw the Statue of Liberty for the first time? [2]________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
 

21. Listen to the Audio and Watch the Video (There is no sound. Early motion picture cameras could not record sound.) You can do both at the same time.

                                   22. Click the “Next” arrow to get to Stop 4.

23. What is the forth stop? The __________________________________________[1]

 24. Read the “Story” and answer the following questions:

What were the doctors looking for as they stood at the top of the stairs? [2] _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 

What is trachoma? [1] ___________________________________________________________ How did they check for trachoma? [1]________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ What happened to most people who had trachoma? [1]____________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

25. Click on “Learn More” under “Did you Know?”.

What was the highest number of immigrants to pass through Ellis Island in a single day? [1] ___________________________________________________________________________ How long did it usually take to be processed on Ellis Island?[1] ____________________________ Why?[1]_____________________________________________________________________

26. View the Photos.
27. Click the “Next” arrow to get to Stop 5.

28. What is the fifth stop? The _________________________________________[1] 29. Read the “Story” and answer the following questions:

What was the nickname for the Registry Room?[1]______________________________________ How was order maintained? [1]____________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________What was added in 1903?[1]______________________________________________________ What did official decide in the Great Hall?[1]_________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

30. Click on “Learn More” under “Did you Know?”.

What happened to women traveling alone prior to World War II? Why? [2]___________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
After 1907, what was the rule for children under the age of 16? [2]_________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

31. View the Photos.

32. Listen to the Audio, then answer the following question:
Why did some immigrants try to bring in children that were not their own? [2]_________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
Why did the inspector suspect Lucy Attarian was not her parent’s child? [2]___________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
How did the inspector “prove” that Lucy belonged to her parents?[2]________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

33. Click the “Next” arrow to get to Stop 6.

34. What was the sixth stop? The ________________________________________[1] 35. Read the “Story” and answer the following questions:

What was the “six-second physical?” [2]_____________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ If someone was considered a risk to the public health, what happened? [2]____________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

36. Click on “Learn More” under “Did you Know?”.

Why were people with contagious diseases denied entry? [2]______________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Approximately how many immigrants were sent back because of disease or disability? [1] ___________________________________________________________________________

37. View the Photos. Then answer the following question:

What were some of the conditions that would result in a more intensive physical exam? [2] _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________  

Why was Rachel Chenitz’s mother almost denied entry? [2] _________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________  

39. Click the “Next” arrow to get to Stop 7.

40. What is the seventh stop? The ________________________________________[1] 41. Read the “Story” and answer the following questions:

What is a “manifest?” [1]_________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

How many questions was each immigrant asked at the legal inspection?[1]_____________________

42. Click on “Learn More” under “Did you Know?”.

How did immigration policies change after World War I? [2]______________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
How was Ellis Island used after 1924? [1]____________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

15.   Watch the Video. (There is no sound. Early motion picture cameras could not record sound.)
 

   16.   Click the “Next” arrow to get to Stop 3.
 

    17.     What is the third stop? The Ellis Island _________________________________[1]
 

   18.   Read the “Story” and answer the following questions:
 

How do you think immigrants would have felt when they first disembarked at Ellis Island and entered the baggage room, especially those who did not understand English? [2] ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

19. Click on “Learn More” under “Did you Know?”

Immigrants could take very few items with them from their homeland to America. If your family were emigrating, what are some things you wouldn’t leave without? [2] _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

Do you think the food sold at the Concession Stand was what most immigrants were used to eating? Why or why not? [2] ___________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

20. View the Photos. Look at how the immigrants were dressed. Do you think they are dressed like “typical Americans” of the day? How might this be a problem for them? [2] _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

43. View the Photos.
44. Listen to the Audio, then answer the following question:

Describe Paul Lauric’s family’s experience as a detainee at Ellis Island. [2]____________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

45. Click the “Next” arrow to get to Stop 8.

46. What was the eighth stop? ____________________________________________[1] 47. Read the “Story” and answer the following questions:

Where were legal detainees held? [1]________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

For how long were they held? [1]____________________________________________________

Where was their case decided? [1]__________________________________________________

Where were medical detainees held?[1]_______________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

For how long were they held? [1]____________________________________________________

How was their case decided? [1]____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

48. Click on “Learn More” under “Did you Know?”.
How many babies were born at Ellis Island? [1]_________________________________________

How many immigrants died there?[1]________________________________________________
If an immigrant was denied entry into the United States, who was responsible for paying their way home? [1]____________________________________________________________________

49. View the Photos. Then, click the “Next” arrow to get to Stop 9.
51. What was the ninth stop? The ________________________________________[1]

52. Read the “Story” and answer the following questions:
If your family were traveling onto Lockport or Buffalo after being processed at Ellis Island, Which part of the Stairs of Separation would you use? [1]_____________________________________
Who came down the middle part of the stairs? [1]______________________________________ What services were provided for immigrants at the bottom of the stairs? [2]__________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

53. Click on “Learn More” under “Did you Know?”.
How did Immigrant Aid Societies help immigrants? [2]___________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
In what year did the United States begin requiring passports or visas for entry into the US? [1] __________________________

54. View the Photos. Then, Listen to the Audio, and answer the following question:
According to Manny Steen, what did some immigrants do to be sure they had $20 for the inspection? ___________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________[2]

56. Click the “Next” arrow to get to Stop 10.
57. What was the tenth stop? The ________________________________________[1]

58. Read the “Story” and answer the following questions:
Why was this area called “The Kissing Post?” [1]_______________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

59. Click on “Learn More” under “Did you Know?”.
By 1913, how many people worked at Ellis Island?[1]_______________________________
How did relatives in America know when their family would arrive? [1]_______________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

60. View the Photos. Then, Listen to the Audio, and answer the following question:
What did Estelle Belford’s father say to her mother when they were reunited at Ellis Island? [1]