1. Immigrants to America between 1830 and 1860 came
mostly from these two countries: Germany and Ireland
. (Pages 116-117)
2. Why was America willing to accept new immigrants? (Pages 116-117)
America was changing and expanding. It needed more people to keep the nation
growing.
3. Why did groups such as the Irish immigrants of 1830 and the German
immigrants of 1840 want to come to America? (Pages 116-117)
Irish Catholics -these people had suffered from great poverty in their
land. America seemed the place where they could find opportunity.
Germans - these people had been revolutionists who lost their fight
for freedom and had to flee their homeland.
4. List five countries of southern or Eastern Europe. Did most immigrants
come to America from these lands before or after 1890? (Pages 118-119)
Poland, Czechoslovakia, Russis, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Italy, Rumania,
Yugoslavia, Bulgeria, Greece. Most immigrants came from these countries after
1890.
5. List five countries of Northern Europe. Did large numbers of immigrants
come to America from these lands before or after 1890? (Pages 118-119)
Great Britian, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland.
Most immigrants came from these countries before 1890
6. How long did it take steamships to reach America during the late 1800's.
(Pages 120-121)
Most voyages averaged around two weeks in length. Conditions on ships were
crowded and crude.
7. What symbol of America welcomed the immigrants as they approached
New York harbor? (Pages 120-121)
The Statue of Liberty.
8. Why did immigrants stop at Ellis Island before entering America? (Pages
122-123)
Immigrants were tested at Ellis Island for admission to America. There was
a physical and mental test.
9. Why did so many immigrants fear this stop? (Pages 122-123)
If a person failed the either the physical or mental test they were retruned
to the port where the steamship originally sailed.
10. Where did most immigrants to New Jersey settle? (Pages 124-125)
These new Americans mostly swarmed into the cities - Newark, Hoboken, Jersey
City, Elizabeth, Trenton, Paterson, Pasaic, and Camden. Most had been farmers,
city life was a difficult adjustment. Some went to mining areas and farming
areas.
11. How is the life of most immigrant children very different from the
lives of children today? (Pages 124-125)
Immigrant families wanted very much to be part of the life that they saw
in the United States. Most tried to learn English. Many children over 12 went
to night school to learn. Most boys and girls left school to work at about age
8 or 9. Some children never went to school at all, since families often did
jobs in their homes.
12. How does our government control the number of immigrants that enter
America today? (Pages 126-127)
Our government since 1965 allows 250,00 immigrants to be admitted to the
United States each year. Sometimes large groups of special people are allowed
to enter.
13. What is a "refugee"? (Pages 126-127)
A refugee is a person who flees from danger, usually to a foreign country.
14. Name three groups of recent immigrants from foreign countries to
New Jersey. (Pages 126-127)
Hungarians, Cubans, Vietnamese, Koreans, German Jews, people from Puerto
Rico
Other Resources:
National Park Service: The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
Explore Your Family History at the American Family Immigration History Center
Photographs of Ellis Island from the Library of Congress
Fourth Grade Ellis Island Web Quest
Liberty State Park, New Jersey: Ellis Island Information
Surfnet for Children: Ellis Island Resources
The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry