Angel island is an island which is located on the San Francisco Bay. Today, Angel Island is part of a State Park called Angel Island State Park, but within its history, Angel Island has been used for a variety of things, such as a military fort, and an immigration center.
Torwards the late nineteenth century, Angel island was designated as Fort McDowell. In 1891, a quarentine station opened there in Ayala Cove. The fort was used during the Spanish American War, and also during WWI and WWII. During WWII the fort was expanded to satisfy the needs of the troops. The island was used during wars to hold Japanese and German prisoners. The army decommisioned the island in 1946. There was a base establised there again for other purposes, but it was later decommisioned also.
Angel island was used as an immigration center from about 1910 until 1940. About one million Asian Immigrants came into the United States by using Angel Island, which gave it the name "The Ellis Island of the West."A lot of immigrants spend many years waiting on the island to be let in because of the Chinese Exclusion Act which was created in 1882. The Chinese trying to pass through Angel Island were put through much more harsh conditions than which the immigrants passing through Ellis Island were required to go through. The immigrants were put through incredibly complicated questioning, and while they waited on the island to find out if they would be let into the country or not they suffered in horrible cramped living quarters that were in poor condition. While the immigrants waited on Angel Island they wrote poetry which was later found.
I think it is interesting and sad what happened on the island. Although I understand why they were asked hard questions through the immigration system to limit the amount let in, it is sad that the people were treated so harshly. I think that Angel Island would be an interesting place to visit because of its history and the artifacts left there, such as the poetry.
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