Ellis Island Simulation(11/7/14)

Introduction

During Immigration Day you are to role-play an immigrant arriving at Ellis Island in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s. For more than a century this island contained New York’s federal immigration depot where up to 5,000 immigrants arrived daily. Forever a part of our country’s history Ellis Island is remembered as a “gateway” to opportunity. Standing proudly nearby is the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France which was dedicated in 1886. On Immigration Day you will step back in time and become an immigrant, and you must endure Ellis Island’s rigors to see if you are worthy of admission to the United States. Because the immigrants who came were so well prepared, less than 2% of the persons applying for entry were turned away. Good luck!

Immigrant Notes

Please review these notes carefully. They are critical to your being admitted into the United States and any one of them, if not followed, could result in deportation.

  1. Plan to come on Immigration Day dressed as the immigrant you are portraying. You may be a person from your family or select from the attached list.
  2. Bring your papers. We will give you your Passport. You must make and be wearing your Identity Card. This Identity Card is explained below.
  3. Bring a dish of food from your native land. Please bring enough to feed 8 to 10. Please do not bring any Little Debbie Cakes as they were not invented yet! The food should be from the correct time period (1800’s).
  4. Have $20.00 in handmade or play money.
  5. Do not bring any modern day suitcases or back packs. Carry your belongings in a cloth bag, an era-appropriate suitcase or tie it up in a sheet and carry it over your back.
  6. Family Tree Projects are due to your individual teacher per his or her requirements.
  7. The Colossus poem recitation will be per your individual teacher’s requirements.
  8. The Citizenship Test given during the Immigration Day is taken from questions on the actual Immigration Test given to immigrants and information on the US government studied earlier in the year and in your social studies book. Please prepare for this test.

Identity Card Explanation

You are to become an immigrant. You may select a person from your ancestry or you may select from the below list. When you arrived you are to have an identity card around your neck with string or cord. The requirements are:

  • Size to be at least 7 inches by 10 inches.
  • The information on the front is to be your name, several words describing you, the flag of your country, your nationality, your age, and a symbol representing you.

  • This card must be around your neck at all times. Babies under 2 years old you may have with you do not need an identity card.
  • To simulate difficulty speaking English you should only have one or two English words in each sentence when you are asked questions by officials.
  • Please remember that if you are from Russia, you do not know the language of someone from France so you cannot talk to them. People from different countries who are in line and talking may be instantly sent to Deportation because you are obviously spies trying to trick the Ellis Island staff and sneak into this country.
  • On the back of the ID card you can put “closed information” about yourself. This is information about yourself that is not to be shared, but you may be asked about by the Ellis Island authorities. It could be a handy reference. This information may include notes on :
  • Health
  • Education
  • Vocation (what you do for a living)
  • Character ( this can be anything – have you been in jail, are you divorced etc)
  • How wealthy are you
  • Political thoughts and leanings
  • Religion

Remember the more accurate, unique and interesting you are the more accurate, unique and interesting your day will be. Do not be afraid to have had some troubles in your life. Everyone does!

Immigrant Identities – you can mix these characteristics up and develop your own person. Research Ellis Island Website and discover a person you want to become.

Immigrant Men Identities:

  1. Leopold Schick – 46, Russian, weak and growing weaker by the day, used to having people do what he says
  2. Nikita Kozlov – 38, Russian, very strong man who knows the soil and animals
  3. Alexander Bellmotski – 37, Polish, weak in strength but knows how to use his mind and do skilled tasks
  4. Alexandros Zorba – 33, Greek, moderately strong with a bad back, worked hard all his life and looks 15 years older than his 33 years
  5. Plato Aristophanes – 29, Greek, pampered son of a rich man
  6. Gunnar Eduart – 45, Scandinavian, in trouble with law once, lazy, communist, agnostic
  7. Wolfgang Fahrbarker – 50, German, excellent health, rich, has $23,500 with him, smokes, drinks, ruthless businessman

Immigrant Women Identities:

  1. Natasha Bezuhov – 35, Russian, strong energetic peasant woman, widow
  2. Marina Piatkowski – 18, Polish, bright and lively young girl, single
  3. Josephine Roche – 27, Greek, strong woman with history of tuberculosis
  4. Alexandra Rembienska – 55, Greek, weak woman who has experienced too much of life and is worn out.
  5. Gilda Bruun – 30, German, 9 years of education, poor, Lutheran, never been sick
  6. Sophia Ferrari – 27, Italian, excellent health, questionable character, both husbands murdered.