Ellis Island: Examination process

Summary: ● Introduction ● Medical examination ● Mental examination ● Legal examination ● After the examination

Introduction Before arriving to America, every immigrant had to go to Ellis Island to get examinated. They are going to pass 3 exams: first of all a medical exam, then a mental exam and finally the legal exam where they will have to answer questions. Those who fails one of these exams were be forced to go back to their own countries. Passengers who were in the first or second class were privileged, they were inspected aboard.

Medical examination Once the immigrants arrived on Ellis island, doctors had to examine them As they walk up to the 2nd floor of the building, doctors looked at them from above to see if they had problems breathing or if they were limping. The examinators made them walk in a circle to examine every immigrant's hair, face, neck and hands. Any immigrant that had a problem that needs to be checked more thoroughly had chalk initials written on their clothes. All the medical exams put together took less than 5 minutes. Here is a full list of all the markings: -X = possible mental illness -X with circle around it = definite mental illness -B = back -E = eyes -P = physical or lungs -SC = scalp -L = lameness (to move difficultly) -CT = trachoma -PG = pregnancy -C = conjunctivitis -FT = feet -S = senility -N = neck -H = heart -SI = ( legal exam only) you had to see the board of special inquiry -G = goiter -F = face -K = hernia

Mental examination After you had been examinated by the doctors, you had to pass a mental exam. If doctors marked you with an X or an X in a circle, the doctors paid closer attention to you when you took these tests. The doctors had you perform things that we think are incredibly easy, but if you were an immigrant who had no education, the tests were very hard. Of course, not all immigrants did not have education. The tests were easier for those who did have an education. Some of the puzzles immigrants had to complete were: a steamship puzzle, a face puzzle, a happy sad face puzzle, 2 matching puzzles, and several geometric shape puzzles. Also, immigrants had to draw a diamond and the diamonds were classified by how many years of education the immigrant, who drew it, had.

Legal examination The last exam was the legal exam, in the exam, questions were asked to prove if the immigrants are legally allowed to go to America. It's considered to be the most frightening part in Ellis island because the immigrants were asked about 27 questions in 2 minutes, they had to answer it quickly and the frightening thing is that they could get deported even if they had gotten only one question wrong. Here's a full list of the questions that they were asked: 1.Age 2.Sex 3.Name in full 4.Married/Single 5.Occupation/job 6.Able to read/write 7.Nationality 8.Race 9.Last residence 10.Name and adress of relative in native country 11.Final destination 12.Whether having a ticket to final destination 13.By whom passage paid 14.Whether in possession of 50$ 15.Whether been to US before 16.Whether going to relatives, if so, list name and adress 17.Ever in prison, institution for care or insane, etc. 18.Whether a polygamist 19.Whether an anarchist 20.Whether coming with an offer, promise, or agreement of labor 21.Condition of health 22.Deformed or crippled 23.Height 24.Complexion 25.Colors of eyes/hair 26.Identifying marks 27.Place of birth: country/city/town

After the examination Failure: If the immigrants had confirmed diseases or if they were too sick and too weak to manage to work, they were not allowed to enter to the US. Sick persons above 12 years old that were not allowed to stay in the US were sent back by themselves to their country while children under the age of 12 were forced to go back with one parent. Deciding which parent should stay or go was rather difficult and sad. Succes: If you had passed all the tests correctly and had finished all legal things,you would have the right to enter the united states.But still some of the immigrants had some siblings stuck in the hospital so your life could have been miserable but if everyone in your family had passed you would start a brand new life in the “land of opportunities”.