Vocabulary

1. Immigration- the movement of people from one country to another. Most often these groups of people settle permanently in another country.

2. Immigrant-a person that leaves their homeland to settle permanently in a new country.

3. Push Factors-factors that "push" people out of their homeland and cause them to move to another country. Some examples are environmental disasters such as famines, floods, hurricanes, mudslides, and volcanic eruptions. Others include poverty and human rights abuses.

4. Pull Factors-factors that "pull" or draw people to move to another country permanently. Some examples are the search for a better life, better paying jobs and more opportunities for employment or jobs, better education, family members who already live in that country and religious freedom.

5. Ethnic Groups-Groups of people who share the same cultural values or characteristics such as the same language, food, customs, clothing, history, holidays, etc.

6. Waves of Immigration-Large groups of people often from the same country or the same ethnic group who immigrated to a new country. In the United States we faced large "waves of immigration" from Europe in the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. An example would be when millions of people left Ireland and came to the United States because of the potato famine.

7. European Immigration-Most European immigration happened before airplanes were used to carry large numbers of people. Many people left Europe and moved to the United States to settle permanently. They traveled from Europe to the United States by boat. They settled along the east coast of the United States.

8. Ancestors-people that you are related to who lived in the past and are not alive now. Many people search for their family history and identity through the names and information written about their ancestors.

*Did any of your ancestors pass through Ellis Island?

9. Symbols of Immigration- There are many signs or symbols which represent or stand for immigration. When we see or hear of these symbols we automatically think of immigrants and immigration. Two of these are:

a. The Statue of Liberty-An enormous statue of a woman holding a torch above her head. She represents liberty and freedom and was a gift from France to the United States. Many immigrants would see the Statue of Liberty when they first arrived by boat to the United States. Today many people like to climb up inside the statue to get a view of New York City from the windows in her crown. It often takes 2-3 hours to climb from the base to the crown.

b. Ellis Island-An immigration processing center or port of entry where most immigrants passed through before being allowed to officially enter and settle in the United States. Ellis island is an island in the waters off New York City.

c. New York City-used to be one of the first capitals of the United States. Many European immigrants first settled in large cities like New York City as well as other cities on the east coast of the United States.

10. Customs Office-An office that people must pass through before being allowed to enter into another country.