A tale of two islands 2011b

What do you think these people are thinking in this photograph?

14 Million between 1860-1900 Looking for a new life

U.S. Born 1870- 32,676,000 1880- 42,869,000 1890- 52,919,000 1900- 64,344,000

Foreign Born 1870- 5,480,000 1880- 6,499,000 1890- 9,198,000 1900- 10,263,000

U.S. had plenty of new jobs

Few immigration restrictions

Avoid military service

Jewish population fled from religious persecution

Processing Center for many immigrants

Most passed through in about a day

Layers of inspections

You carried you entire life.

About 1 in 5 newcomers were marked with chalk “H” heart problems “K” for hernias “X” for mental disability

Eye Test.

The Button Hook

Waiting to see if they have passed.

Registry Room

Waiting their turn

Registry Room

You thought lines at Disneyland were bad!

Inspection Card Showing you have no diseases

Immigrants often settled in large cities

New York, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Detroit

Neighborhoods were often separated into ethnic groups

Life was nearly as good as they were told it would be.

Buildings were often sub-standard.

How well immigrants adapted depended on how well they learned: English American Culture

Adapted better if they had: Working skills Money Connection to own ethnic group

China was suffering from: Unemployment Famine Poverty

Discovery of gold in California brought new immigrants

Central Pacific Railroad hired on Chinese immigrants

Settled in Western cities Laborers, servants, or merchants

San Francisco Bay Barracks opened to process Asian

Immigrants Most were young males in teens or

early 20’s Could be housed for months waiting

process

Arrival in Angel Island

Same types of exams

And More Tests…

Detention Building…while you waited

"Ellis Island was created to let Europeans in," said Robert Barde, deputy director of the Institute of Business and Economic Research at the University of California, Berkeley, who is writing a book on immigration.

"Angel Island was created to keep the Chinese out."