318,531
edits
m
→History
m (→Introduction) |
m (→History) |
||
| Line 8: | Line 8: | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
Millions of immigrants have entered the United States, most arriving in the 18th and 19th centuries. Prior to 1890, individual states (rather than the federal government) regulated immigration into the United States. These regulation efforts were varied and inconsistent. In 1890, the federal government took official control of immigration and built a large immigration center on Ellis Island.<ref>"Ellis Island History," ''The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation'', https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/ellis-island-history</ref> | |||
Prior to 1890, individual states (rather than the federal government) regulated immigration into the United States. These regulation efforts were varied and inconsistent. | |||
===Castle Garden=== | ===Castle Garden=== | ||
Castle Garden in New York City was the first official immigrant receiving station in the United States and was opened on August 1, 1855. Castle Garden operated as an Emigrant Landing Depot until April 18, 1890, when the United States government assumed control of immigrant processing. In total, the center processed approximately 8 million immigrants (mostly from northern and western Europe). <ref>Arbeiter, Nancy Levin. "The Port of New York Before Ellis Island". ''AVOTAYNU'' XXI (Fall 2005): 27-34.</ref><ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Castle Clinton," ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Clinton, accessed 8 August 2018.</ref><ref>"Ellis Island History," ''The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation'', https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/ellis-island-history</ref> | |||
When immigrants disembarked at Castle Garden, they had to register with their name, birth place, and destination. A clerk at the Railway Agency would then purchase a railway ticket for the immigrant to travel to that destination. The immigrant's baggage would be weighed and checked to his destination. Exchange brokers for immigrants to exchange foreign currency and a restaurant | *When immigrants disembarked at Castle Garden, they had to '''register with their name, birth place, and destination'''. | ||
*A clerk at the Railway Agency would then '''purchase a railway ticket''' for the immigrant to travel to that destination. The immigrant's '''baggage would be weighed and checked to his destination'''. | |||
*'''Exchange brokers''' for immigrants to exchange foreign currency and a '''restaurant''' were also located at the center. | |||
*A '''station for letter-writing''' was also available, in which an immigrant could '''send a letter free of charge to inform family or friends of their arrival'''. | |||
*The '''Ward's Island''' and '''medicinal department''' was an important bureau at Castle Garden. There, '''immigrants without the means to support themselves''' would be cared for until assistance came from friends or the immigrants would be disposed of as laborers. | |||
*A large blackboard with the '''names of ships who were or would shortly be at port''' was kept for friends of the immigrants to know when they arrived and locate them. | |||
*The Labor Exchange was where '''immigrants, and others, could apply for and generally find employment'''. | |||
*Immigrants could also find '''boarding houses to rest for one or two days''' before heading out to their destinations.<ref>Krbechek, Blanche. "About Castle Garden: Notes from an 1871 Article." ''Kashubian Association of North America Newsletter'' (Summer 2008): 4-5.</ref> | |||
Castle Gardens was a very busy and important immigrant receiving station. To illustrate, in 1869, 2884 letters written from immigrants to their friends were forwarded, over $41,000 was sent from these friends in return. Also in 1869, 4393 telegraph messages were forwarded and 1351 answers were received. Also, 504 steamers and 209 sailing vessels arrived carrying passengers.<ref>Krbechek, Blanche. "About Castle Garden: Notes from an 1871 Article." ''Kashubian Association of North America Newsletter'' (Summer 2008): 4-5.</ref> | Castle Gardens was a very busy and important immigrant receiving station. To illustrate, in 1869, 2884 letters written from immigrants to their friends were forwarded, over $41,000 was sent from these friends in return. Also in 1869, 4393 telegraph messages were forwarded and 1351 answers were received. Also, 504 steamers and 209 sailing vessels arrived carrying passengers.<ref>Krbechek, Blanche. "About Castle Garden: Notes from an 1871 Article." ''Kashubian Association of North America Newsletter'' (Summer 2008): 4-5.</ref> | ||
| Line 24: | Line 30: | ||
Records from Ellis Island can be found at [https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/passenger www.libertyellisfoundation.org]. Records (numbering around 51 million) range from 1820 to 1957. | Records from Ellis Island can be found at [https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/passenger www.libertyellisfoundation.org]. Records (numbering around 51 million) range from 1820 to 1957. | ||
==Legal History== | ==Legal History== | ||
*Before 1820, any regulation of immigration was a function of the state. "'''An Act to Regulate Passenger Ships and Vessels of 1819'''" was the first federal legislation to regulate how immigrants came into the United States. This act did not restrict anyone from coming in. Rather, it attempted to improve the conditions on board the ships on which incoming passengers came. By requiring the master of the ship to prepare a list of the incoming passengers, the government could get an idea of how much space existed on board for each passenger. The lists were to be prepared upon arrival in the United States and given to the customs official of that port. The lists came to be known as Customs Passenger Lists.& This act mandated that these lists be copied each quarter and sent to the Secretary of State. These copies usually contain the name of vessel, name of port of embarkation, name of port of arrival, and the names of the passengers.<br> | *Before 1820, any regulation of immigration was a function of the state. "'''An Act to Regulate Passenger Ships and Vessels of 1819'''" was the first federal legislation to regulate how immigrants came into the United States. This act did not restrict anyone from coming in. Rather, it attempted to improve the conditions on board the ships on which incoming passengers came. By requiring the master of the ship to prepare a list of the incoming passengers, the government could get an idea of how much space existed on board for each passenger. The lists were to be prepared upon arrival in the United States and given to the customs official of that port. The lists came to be known as Customs Passenger Lists.& This act mandated that these lists be copied each quarter and sent to the Secretary of State. These copies usually contain the name of vessel, name of port of embarkation, name of port of arrival, and the names of the passengers.<br> | ||