Name: ______Date ______Block ____

Ellis Island Webquest

First Stop – The Passage:

  1. Where were most immigrants travelling from?
  1. How long did the trip last?
  1. In what class did most passengers travel?
  1. Looking at the pictures, describe a common theme between all of the pictures.

Second Stop – The Arrival:

  1. Describe what the passengers experienced on their passage.
  1. If the ship’s passengers did not go to Ellis Island, where did they go?
  1. Looking at picture #4, explain why the people are smiling.

Third Stop – The Baggage Room

  1. How did officers identify immigrants?
  1. Why did people carry their belongings in bundles?

Fourth Stop – Stairs to the Registry Room

  1. Why would doctors stand on the stairs?
  1. How long did the immigration process usually take?

Fifth Stop – The Registry Room

  1. Look at the images, describe what you see in the registry room.
  1. How were women and children treated when travelling to Ellis Island alone?

Sixth Stop – The Medical Exam

  1. What system did doctors use to identify those who needed medical attention?
  1. What happened to immigrants that did not pass the medical exam?
  1. Why would people with contagious diseases be sent back home?

Seventh Stop – The Legal Inspection

  1. How could an immigrant be detained during the legal inspection?
  1. How did Ellis Island change after 1924?

Eighth Stop – Detainees

  1. What nickname did Ellis Island earn for the unfortunate few?
  1. Where were detainees housed?
  1. How long were people detained, and who decided if they could stay?

Ninth Stop- The Stairs of Separation

  1. What did the three aisles on the stairs represent?
  1. What was one thing all immigrants had to do before they entered the U.S.?
  1. Look at the second photo – how would you feel if you had to walk down the center aisle?

Tenth Stop – The Kissing Post

  1. How did it get its nickname?
  1. How did people know when their relatives were arriving?