Ellis Island :: essays research papers

ELLIS ISLAND                                   Ellis Island has a long history, was needed, and was the "Gateway to America" from1892 until it closed(a) in 1954, when it began its slow decay.The island was called Gull Island by the Indians and Oyster Island by the Dutch. afterthe English erected a gibbet or gallows on the island for hanging criminals and so theisland became known as Gibbet Island. The Indians sold it to the Dutch East India accompany for trinkets. The company later sold it to Mynheer Paauw who also boughtland along the new-made Jersey coastline. Samuel Ellis, a colonial merchant bought theisland and it became at last Ellis Island. later on the Revolution, the island was sold to juvenile York State and in 1811, Fort Gibson was built on it in preparation for the War of1812. No fighting in any casek place at Fort Gibson it was mainly a munitions storage fort.When immigrants began, pouring into New York City, New York State processed themat an old fort known as Castle Clinton on the Battery at the tip of Manhattan. Whenthat facility became too small for the large number of immigrants arriving in the country,they chose Ellis Island as the new in-migration center. After erecting new woodenbuildings, it opened in 1892 yet those buildings burned in 1897. New buildings wereerected in 1900 and it reopened. Eventually the control of in-migration was turned all overto the Federal government.Ellis Island was the principal federal immigration stake the Gateway to America inthe United States from 1892 to 1954. More than 12 one million million immigrants were processedhere. Over time, the immigration station spread over 3 connected islands withnumerous structures including a hospital and contagious disease wards. It is estimatedthat over 40 percent of all citizens can trace their ancestry to those who came withEllis Island. In its early years, when the greatest number of immigrants entered thecountry, Ellis Island mirrored the nations generous emplacement and open door policy. Afterpassage of immigration laws in the 1920s, it was utilise more for "assembly, detainment,and deporting aliens," and symbolized a closing door. Immigrants were required topass a serial of medical and legal inspections before they could enter America.