Immigration In The 1800's

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In the 1800’s, immigration was very important and was spreading rapidly through countries. Many people were eager to leave their home to find a better life. They traveled in steerage and had a harsh experience getting to their destination. Immigrants, people who voluntarily leave their country to move to another, had to go through many challenges like lack of food, water, and hygiene. Their main destination was Ellis Island, which was the entrance into America. During these times, the Industrial Revolution was evolving, which immigrants saw as an opportunity. Taking this opportunity, immigrants went on a harsh journey with horrible conditions, hoping to get to Ellis Island, and to make a better life during the Industrial Revolution. Immigration …show more content…
“Writing of the conditions in steerage, one cabin passenger commented, ‘Poor creatures, it is a horrible place between decks, so many people in so small a space, I wonder how they live’” (Wilson 3). Immigrants traveled in the steerages of the boats. Steerage was a low-ceilinged space beneath the main deck and it contained mattresses for the passengers. In the steerage, passengers survived on low meals and lacked a lot of protein. “Those in steerage survived on salted and preserved meat, ship’s biscuit, flour, oatmeal and dried potatoes” (Wilson 4). Steerage passengers were allowed 3.4 liters of fresh water a day, although the water was undrinkable due to being stored in contaminated barrels, so they also lacked drinking water. Personal hygiene was also neglected because of the low, clean water provided and this lead to illnesses. Children were particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases such as scarlet fever, diphtheria, whooping cough and measles, and the shipboard diet lacked supplies …show more content…
Ellis Island was the first federal immigration station opened and handled one million immigrants in one year. “Between 1892 and 1943 it was America's main processing station for immigrants” (“Ellis Island”). The U.S Public Health Service and the Bureau of Immigration were responsible for inspecting them and they had the power to refuse any immigrant from entering. The action of refusing an immigrant to enter and sending them back home to their country is called deportation. “One was if a doctor diagnosed a contagious disease. The second was if a legal inspector thought the immigrant was likely to become a public burden or an illegal worker” (“Ellis Island”). Immigrants could get deported if the inspectors thought they were going to affect the public. Ellis Island can still be visited today. “More than 3 million people visit Ellis Island every year” (“Ellis Island”). The island is now a tourist attraction and many visitors visit it to see the island that lead people to a better country to call home. The most immigration occurred when the Industrial Revolution was spreading in America. The Industrial Revolution opened many new opportunities for poor immigrants like a learning a new culture, earning money, and new jobs. “They worked at unskilled jobs in the cities or on building canals and railroads” (Gipson 400). The lifeless job and low pay did not seem to bother the workers because they were finally
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