All aboard! In this unit, you’ll get the real story about Ellis Island; for kids compelled by the human side of U.S. history, a broad range of facts about this monumental immigration center will leave them yearning to find out about their own families, and their journies to begin a new life in a land filled with hope and opportunity.
Chances are, if your family has been in the U.S. for only a hundred years or so, your ancestors were immigrants, and they came through Ellis Island-- a beacon of hope for people escaping war, poverty, and starvation in their home countries. Between 1892 and 1954, more than 12 million immigrants endured inspection or detention on Ellis Island; for kids who have an interest in family trees and history, this issue will urge them to explore even deeper.
Starting off, they’ll learn about the ordeal of immigration through this prison-like complex, in which over 3.5 million people died over the years as they waited to get off Ellis Island. Kids who love to play with words will enjoy reading about how many immigrants ended up with new, “Americanized” names due to the chaos and language barriers. Also in store are details about the unsanitary and corrupt conditions on the island (make that three islands), and how President Roosevelt, catching wind of this, started many reforms that saved lives. Still, that did not solve all the problems: Many were denied entrance due to their race, disability, or criminal record. At its core, the heart of this thoughtfully written issue about the “Great Migration” and Ellis Island, for kids who love survival stories, can be found in the section that earmarks several immigrants’ true tales of courage and stamina.
7 Topics in this unit
-
-
Landing in America
In the 62 years between 1892 and 1954, more than 12 million people landed on a tiny island ...
- 560L-740L
- 750L-890L
- 900L-1040L
-
-
Passing Inspection at Ellis Island
By the time Ellis Island opened in 1892, the United States government had definite ideas a ...
- 560L-740L
- 750L-890L
- 900L-1040L
-
-
Not Passing Inspection at Ellis Island
Most immigrants passed through Ellis Island in three to five hours, but about one in five ...
- 560L-740L
- 750L-890L
- 900L-1040L
-
-
Immigration Reform
There had always been Americans who objected to immigration, but after World War I, their ...
- 560L-740L
- 750L-890L
- 900L-1040L
-
-
Conditions Improve
In 1900, there were three buildings on Ellis Island—the main building, a power plant ...
- 560L-740L
- 750L-890L
- 900L-1040L
-
Free
-
Memories of Ellis Island
Every immigrant who passed through Ellis Island had a story, but only a small fraction of ...
- 560L-740L
- 750L-890L
- 900L-1040L
-
-
Ellis Island Today
For 11 years, Ellis Island lay vacant and neglected. In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson pro ...
- 560L-740L
- 750L-890L
- 900L-1040L