Over twelve million immigrants entered the United States through Ellis Island, a small island in New York Harbor. Ellis Island is located in the upper bay just off the New Jersey coast, within the shadow of the Statue of Liberty. In Ellis Island, immigrants had to pass a variety of tests in order to be allowed into the country. Most of the immigrants, came from Eastern and Southern Europe. They came to America for many reasons such as poverty and religious freedom in countries such as Italy, Poland, and Russia. Before immigrants were even allowed on land, a medical officer came onto the ships and checked for signs of illness and diseases. If they passed that, they were sent on land where they were given numbers for identification. They would place their bags in a room and continue to check in to see if they would be allowed in America. They would ask them lots of questions about their past lives, reasons for leaving, and plans for the future. Some people were detained for many reasons, and if so they had to wait days, weeks, or even months for their cases to be reviewed. In the photo above a few men had just passed inspection and are looking at the looming buildings of New York City as they wait for a ferry to take them across. America was a place for new opportunities for many people and gave a positive future for them.
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