Step 1. Leaving Your Homeland
Most immigrants left their homelands in search for a better life in America. There were many hardships they had to deal with in their native country, and they came to America in search of freedoms such as religion. In German, Russia, and Poland for example, during the 1800s all the way through the 1900s, it was dangerous to live openly as a Jew. Pogroms and persecution acts of violence permeated throughout these countries on daily basis. There were also many natural hardships in some countries such volcanic eruptions in Italy and famines in places like Ireland. Disease was rampant in many countries which killed millions of people. Parents also wanted better education and job opportunities for their children and themselves. The only solution was to move to America.
Step 2. Leaving Your Family
Most of the time an entire family would immigrate to America. Other times either just the father would come or sometimes even the older of the children would immigrate by themselves. They would send one or two family members at a time so that they could get a job, establish a home and eventually send for the rest of the family to join them in the new world.
Step 3. Packing Your Bags
It was very unlikely that the immigrants brought everything they owned to America. The amount of luggage they were able to bring depended on the amount they paid for their trip. Most people brought one or two suitcases with them. Some people brought simply the clothes on their backs while others shipped over boxes and sacks of their belongings for a higher fare.
Step 4. The Trip
The voyage from the west coast of Europe across the Atlantic Ocean to Ellis Island usually took about 40 days. Sometimes however, it could take as long as six months. The immigrants faced many difficulties on their journey across the ocean. Besides dangerous storms they also had the possibilities of becoming seriously ill and dying. Food and a place to sleep was also an issue. The majority of immigrants would eat and sleep on the bottom level of the ship. Meals mostly consisted of potatoes, soup, and stringy beef. The sleeping quarter were usually narrow strips of wood with a thin padding, sometimes stacked three beds high. During the day children would play games and while men would read and sometimes learn the language of another country. Women would take care of the children and others would help the sailors.
Step 5. Arrival in America
Upon arriving in America, usually In Ellis Island, immigrants would depart from the ship and go to the various immigration stations. After this they were examined by doctors and other specialists. Since the United States government made the ship companies responsible for returning any unhealthy people back to their homelands, the ship companies had doctors check passengers before they emitted into America. They would cut men and boy's hair very short and comb women and girl's hair carefully to prevent the spread of lice and other infectious diseases.
If they were healthy they were allowed to leave Ellis Island and start their new lives. Some immigrants were returned to their homeland and would have to endure that long journey back home.
Most immigrants left their homelands in search for a better life in America. There were many hardships they had to deal with in their native country, and they came to America in search of freedoms such as religion. In German, Russia, and Poland for example, during the 1800s all the way through the 1900s, it was dangerous to live openly as a Jew. Pogroms and persecution acts of violence permeated throughout these countries on daily basis. There were also many natural hardships in some countries such volcanic eruptions in Italy and famines in places like Ireland. Disease was rampant in many countries which killed millions of people. Parents also wanted better education and job opportunities for their children and themselves. The only solution was to move to America.
Step 2. Leaving Your Family
Most of the time an entire family would immigrate to America. Other times either just the father would come or sometimes even the older of the children would immigrate by themselves. They would send one or two family members at a time so that they could get a job, establish a home and eventually send for the rest of the family to join them in the new world.
Step 3. Packing Your Bags
It was very unlikely that the immigrants brought everything they owned to America. The amount of luggage they were able to bring depended on the amount they paid for their trip. Most people brought one or two suitcases with them. Some people brought simply the clothes on their backs while others shipped over boxes and sacks of their belongings for a higher fare.
Step 4. The Trip
The voyage from the west coast of Europe across the Atlantic Ocean to Ellis Island usually took about 40 days. Sometimes however, it could take as long as six months. The immigrants faced many difficulties on their journey across the ocean. Besides dangerous storms they also had the possibilities of becoming seriously ill and dying. Food and a place to sleep was also an issue. The majority of immigrants would eat and sleep on the bottom level of the ship. Meals mostly consisted of potatoes, soup, and stringy beef. The sleeping quarter were usually narrow strips of wood with a thin padding, sometimes stacked three beds high. During the day children would play games and while men would read and sometimes learn the language of another country. Women would take care of the children and others would help the sailors.
Step 5. Arrival in America
Upon arriving in America, usually In Ellis Island, immigrants would depart from the ship and go to the various immigration stations. After this they were examined by doctors and other specialists. Since the United States government made the ship companies responsible for returning any unhealthy people back to their homelands, the ship companies had doctors check passengers before they emitted into America. They would cut men and boy's hair very short and comb women and girl's hair carefully to prevent the spread of lice and other infectious diseases.
If they were healthy they were allowed to leave Ellis Island and start their new lives. Some immigrants were returned to their homeland and would have to endure that long journey back home.