On December 31, 1890, a transition in history occurred. New York City will begin a new era in United States history, starting with the opening of Ellis Island as an immigration depot. This attracted many immigrants to the United States because of increased job opportunities and as a means to start a new life. As more and more immigrants came to America, it began to be known as the "land of opportunity." Immigrants come to full work spaces in industries with the hope of one day being successful. These immigrants helped demonstrate to other future immigrants that if you moved to America you could start a better life for yourself and your families. On the other hand, along with the positive aspects, there also come the negative ones, and there are many that concern immigration. Immigration refers to the act of coming to live in a foreign country (Lowell, 2006). Ellis Island was responsible for bringing millions of people into the United States and during this time the immigration station carried the load being responsible for approximately 90% of immigrants entering the United States (Fairchild, 1996). Before Ellis Island became an immigration depot, then an immigration station, individual states in America handled immigration. On the first day Ellis Island became an immigration station, 700 people passed through, mostly from northwestern Europe. The first official immigrant was Annie Moore, a young 14-year-old girl traveling with her two younger brothers from County Cork, Ireland (Chabotte, 2009). For being the first immigrant to pass through the gates, she was given a ten-dollar gold coin that would help her travel to a foreign country. Along with Annie Moore the lack of money would be a major problem for future immigrants undertaking the same journey....... middle of paper......ns until 1954. Today Ellis Island is a part of the statue of freedom monument, which occurred in 1965. In 1990, an immigration museum was created. Today, anyone can go to Ellis Island and take a look at many of the immigrants' original belongings. Some people may even be able to tie their assets together. At the museum you can see pictures and signatures of the original travellers. This country was created to escape persecution and allow for the formation of a place where all are equal and free. Many immigrants may have come to escape, get rich, look for work, be free to practice their religion, or simply to start over. This began when the first immigrants fled Great Britain and continues to this day in the United States. The United States was built by immigrants for immigrants and will continue to be the “land of opportunity” (Ellis,2003).