Immigrants coming to America for the first time were troubled with several different adversities. Coming from their home countries, immigrants traveled on a boat thousands of miles to reach America. The boat rides were unpleasant. Food was scarce and crowding was common. After days of travel the sight of the Statue of Liberty was beautiful. The Statue not only symbolized the end of a long and hard journey, but it promised a new start in a free country.
Freedom in America would come at a price. The immigrants were herded off of the ships, into lines where they waited to enter the main building on Ellis Island. This building held thousands of immigrants from around the world, but more specifically Europe. The immigrants, once inside, were shuffled through lines of tests and quizzes that determined whether or not an immigrant was worthy enough to come to America. Tests included health screenings, literacy tests and background checks. As the immigrants entered the building and at any point throughout the testing process an ailment was found in their health or psyche, they were marked with chalk symbols on their clothing. These dark symbols and failure of any test could result in deportment.
The different tests were difficult for immigrants. Most immigrants came through Ellis Island in families. These families could easily be broken up. If one family member failed a test, they could be deported without the remainder of their family. This caused great fear and problems for families passing through Ellis Island. Another stressor throughout the process was the simple fear of being deported. The journey to America was difficult but the immigrants knew they were going someplace better. If an immigrant was deported they had nothing to look forward to, making the trip back more difficult. Immigrants led a difficult life on Ellis Island, but many received entrance to America, which was an answer to a prayer for many.
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