Mrs.

Dupuis
S.S. 221

Name: __________________________________
Date: ____________________
Period: ____
Immigration Processing Museum Tour: Ellis Island and Angel Island
www.immigration221.weebly.com

Background: Immigrants entered the United States through several ports. Those from Europe
generally came through East Coast facilities (Ellis Island), while those from Asia generally entered
through West Coast centers (Angel Island). More than 70 percent of all immigrants, however, entered
through New York City, which came to be known as the "Golden Door." For the next three days we
will go on a museum tour to examine artifacts related to the immigration processing centers.
Station 1: Immigration charts and statistics
Station 2: Documents related to departure and passage
Station 3: Chromebook Virtual Tour Ellis Island
Station 4: Chromebook Angel Island Processing and Poetry
Station 5: Legal and medical exam artifacts
Station 6: Mental Exam documents and puzzles
Essential Questions:
1. What factors caused immigrants to leave their countries for the United States?
2. What are the similarities and differences between Ellis Island and Angel Island?
3. What was the experience like for immigrants traveling to and passing through Ellis Island?
Task: At each station, you will be examining video clips, and replica artifacts with descriptions of what
the artifacts represent. Go through the documents and identify how they can help you answer the
essential questions above. Be sure to discuss with your group what you are finding and how you are
answering the essential question. Some of the documents will be more useful than others when
answering the essential question but they are all interesting and will become part of your discussion.
Parts of the charts have been filled out for you to help you, but we really want you to be the historian.
Essential Question #1: What factors caused immigrants to leave their countries for the United
States? (All stations potentially applicable)
People migrate for a number of reasons, which could be considered push or pull factors. Push factors
are those that force the individual to move voluntarily, and in many cases, they are forced because the
individual risks something if they stay. Push factors may include war, religious discrimination,
drought, famine, political persecution and poverty. Pull factors are those factors in the destination
country that attract the individual to leave their home. Pull factors might include economic
opportunities, and the promise of a better life.
Please use the artifacts throughout the stations to identify the push / pull factors at the turn of the 20th
century that led to the huge number of immigrants entering the United States. The charts in station 1
will be particularly useful. Next to each reason identify the artifact that led you to that answer.

Push Factors
Reason they left their country
Famine and hunger

Artifact / Evidence
Graph number of immigrants entering each year
rose during the Irish Famine

Pull Factors
Reason the United States was an appealing
Artifact / Evidence
destination
U.S. Industrial Expansion
Entering U.S. Chart Immigration rose when
U.S. economy expanded in late 1800s

Essential Question #2: What are the similarities and differences between Ellis Island and Angel
Island? (complete after station 4)

Essential Question #3: What was the experience like for immigrants traveling to and passing
through Ellis Island? (Station 2,3,5,6)
Step 1: Thesis Statement
Turn the essential question into a statement and provide three answers (clauses) to the question. The
first two are provided for you so you have a step in the right direction. While you are going through the
different stations and artifacts you need to identify a third part of your thesis statement.

Immigrants experienced Ellis Island by enduring a variety of medical and legal

exams, fearing extended detention, and _________________________________.
Step 2: Evidence Chart and Essay Outline
The three parts of your thesis statement would turn into the topics for your body paragraph of an essay.
You need to evidence to support each claim in your thesis statement. As you go through the different
stations, add to your evidence chart. You can bullet point.
Thesis Claim 1
Enduring a variety of
medical and legal exams

Bullet
point
your
evidence
here
make
sure you
include
the
artifact
your
evidence
came
from

Literacy Test Card

Immigrants 16 years and
older had to pass a
literacy test in order to
enter U.S

Thesis Claim 2
Fear of being detained
Ship manifest Fearful
of their dreams dying
before arriving in
America, many
passengers memorized
answers that they knew
would get them in

Thesis claim 3