Ellis Island
Twelve million people through one building
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Ellis Island is a small island in New York harbour where, from 1892, the United States received and inspected immigrants arriving by ship. The period is the largest population movement in American history and changed the country's composition fundamentally, weighted towards southern and eastern Europe. It was ended abruptly by the quota act of 1924, which set immigration quotas by national origin based on the 1890 census — a reference year chosen precisely because it predated the new immigration. The quota system stood until 1965. Norwegian emigration to America belongs here: around 800,000 Norwegians left, a third of the population.
For children
Most people immigrating to the United States in this period came through Ellis Island in New York. Over twelve million were processed there. The great majority were admitted — around two per cent were sent back, usually on health grounds.
Sources
- Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation: passasjerregistrene
- Daniels, Coming to America (1990)
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