Question

List at least three important details about Italian immigrants’ journey to the United States.

Answer 1

The main reason why people left Italy and traveled to America was poverty brought about by unemployment. The dream of earning enough money to return to Italy and buy lands was a great motivator. The journey of 3,000 miles by ship took almost 3 months. They had to pass through the Ellis Island Immigration Center for mental and physical examinations. After the mental and physical examinations, the migrants were sent to a room where they had to answer 32 questions to establish whether they could enter America. Failure in the examinations would mean separation from their families and deportation back to Italy.