July 3, 2019

Tomorrow, July 4, people across the United States will celebrate the nation’s 243rd birthday, Independence Day. On July 4, 1776, delegates to the Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, adopted the Declaration of Independence. The delegates represented the 13 British colonies, which had come to resent the ever-increasing taxes and restrictions that King George III sought to impose on them. In April 1775, British troops had clashed with colonial militia at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, in effect signaling the outbreak of the American Revolution. In July 1775, the colonists had sent a final petition to the king, declaring their loyalty to the British Crown and asking him to address their complaints. In reply, the king declared the colonies to be in rebellion.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Credit: Declaration of Independence(1817), oil on canvas by John Trumbull; Architect of the Capitol

The Declaration of Independence explained the reasons for the colonists’ rejection of British rule, detailed the ways in which the British government had violated American rights, and declared the freedom of the American colonies from Britain. It was written by Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, with some minor changes by Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and John Adams of Massachusetts. The document begins with the stirring words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

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The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the American colonies declared their freedom from the United Kingdom. Credit: © Thinkstock

On July 4, 1776, John Hancock, president of the Second Continental Congress, and Charles Thomson, the Congress’s secretary, signed the declaration. Fifty-six other delegates signed a specially engrossed (written in script) copy one month or more later. In 1783, after years of bloodshed,  the Treaty of Paris officially ended the American Revolution. The treaty also recognized the independence of the United States and established the new nation’s borders–which were soon to expand.

As Americans celebrate their freedom tomorrow, the country is much changed. In 1783, about 3 million people lived in the colonies, most of them in rural areas. Today, some 334 million people call America home, and most of them live in cities, some of which are among the largest in the world. In 1783, the new nation stretched from the Atlantic Coast to the Mississippi River. By the mid-1800′s, the United States had grown to reach the Pacific Coast, and by 1898 Alaska and Hawaii were included as well.

Additional World Book articles:

• United Kingdom, History of the
• United States, History of the

June 26, 2019

Last month, in May 2019, a new Statue of Liberty Museum opened alongside Lady Liberty herself on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The museum details the history of the Statue of Liberty, from conception and completion to its current state. It also explains the evolving ideals of American liberty since the statue was completed in 1886, from the woman suffrage and civil rights movements to the welcoming of millions of immigrants from around the world. The museum also houses memorabilia and items that have been replaced on the statue, such as the famous original torch.

People admire the views from atop the Statue of Liberty Museum on May 16, 2019, the museum’s opening day. Credit: © Maria Kraynova, Shutterstock

Every year, some 4.3 million people take ferries to visit Liberty Island and the former immigration station on nearby Ellis Island. (Together, the islands make up the Statue of Liberty National Monument.) However, since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the National Park Service has restricted the number of visitors who can enter the Statue of Liberty’s massive stone pedestal and travel up to the crown. A stand-alone museum, then, was created to accommodate all visitors to Liberty Island.

The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in 1886. Credit: © Matej Hudovernik, Shutterstock

After the the abolition of slavery and the end of the American Civil War in 1865, the French politician and historian Édouard Laboulaye proposed the construction of a joint French and American monument celebrating the ideals of liberty. Laboulaye’s friend, the sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, chose Liberty Island (then called Bedloe’s Island) for the statue’s location, and he began designing the massive monument. Construction of the statue—fully named Liberty Enlightening the World—began in 1875 at a workshop in Paris, and work on the pedestal began in 1884 in the United States. The last pieces of the statue arrived in New York in 1885, and the fully constructed statue and pedestal were dedicated in 1886.

The story of Lady Liberty’s torch is an interesting one. The torch arrived in 1876, ahead of the rest of the statue. It was displayed—along with the arm holding it—in Philadelphia and then in New York City. Originally, the torch was not meant to be illuminated from within. The gilded copper of the torch would reflect sunlight during the day, and lights were to be installed below it. By the time it was placed atop the statue in 1886, however, portholes had been cut in the torch to allow interior arc lights to be seen at night. The portholes were soon replaced with windows, and a sky light was added. At that time, visitors could ascend to the dizzying heights of the torch.

In 1916, floodlights were installed at the base of the statue and the torch lighting system was changed. People were no longer allowed in the torch or on the torch’s observation deck. Hundreds of windows were cut in the copper flame of the torch, and powerful lamps inside lit the torch.

In 1984, age and weather damage forced the removal of the original torch. The new torch, in place since 1986, followed the statue’s original plans and has no windows. Its flame is covered with gold leaf and glows with reflected light. The old torch toured the United States and was displayed in the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal before finding a home in the new museum.

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The Statue of Liberty National Monument includes Ellis and Liberty islands in Upper New York Bay. Credit: WORLD BOOK map

The Statue of Liberty Museum is accessible to all visitors of Liberty Island, and the grass-covered green building incorporates an environmentally responsible design and sustainable practices. The museum offers audio tours in 12 languages and ties together the American and international pursuits of liberty.

The popularity and symbolism of the Statue of Liberty have led to its replication in many parts of the world. The most famous miniature copies of the statue stand in France (naturally), Norway (where much of the statue’s copper was mined), Brazil, China, Israel, and Japan. Lego-brick Statues of Liberty stand among other world monuments at Legoland parks in Denmark and other countries. Finally, a “lazy” Lady Liberty sits (rather than stands) atop a building in Lviv, Ukraine.

October 22, 2018

In the early 1900′s, as millions of European immigrants arrived at Ellis Island in New York, people from Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Latin America were beginning their American experience at Angel Island in San Francisco Bay. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants entered the United States through the Angel Island Immigration Station from 1910 to 1940. Many Americans today can trace their family roots to Angel Island, where people disembarked from ships crossing the Pacific Ocean.

Many thousands of immigrants entered the United States through Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco Bay. Credit: © Wayne Hsieh78/Shutterstock

Angel Island lies about 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) north of San Francisco and 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) southeast of California’s Tiburon Peninsula. The 1.2-square mile (3.1-square kilometer) island is the largest natural body of land in the bay. The U. S. Army established Camp Reynolds on Angel Island in 1863, during the American Civil War. In the 1890’s, the U.S. Marine Health Service opened the Angel Island Quarantine Station. The station fumigated foreign ships and held in isolation sailors and immigrants who were suspected of carrying disease. In 1900, Camp Reynolds was renamed Fort McDowell. The army used the facility to quarantine U.S. soldiers returning from duty overseas.

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Angel Island, in California’s San Francisco Bay, is best known for its role as a United States immigration station. Thousands of immigrants—most of them from Asia—entered the country through facilities on the island from 1910 to 1940. Credit: WORLD BOOK map

About 1910, the island became the main processing center for immigrants arriving via the Pacific Ocean. Over the next 30 years, hundreds of thousands of immigrants—including at least 175,000 from China and tens of thousands from India, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, and elsewhere—passed through Angel Island. Because of laws that limited Chinese immigration, officials gave the newcomers’ applications added scrutiny. Most arrivals were held at the facility for periods ranging from a few days to a few months, and about 18 percent of prospective immigrants were deported. For its role in enforcing the nation’s immigration limits, Angel Island became known as the “Guardian of the Western Gate.” In 1940, a fire destroyed the station’s administration building, and immigrants were relocated to processing centers on the mainland.

In 1954, the California State Park Commission acquired a portion of the island. In 1962, the federal government turned over most of the remainder of the island to the state. Today, visitors to Angel Island State Park enjoy such recreational activities as hiking, boating, camping, and sightseeing. The park also offers tours of the historic immigration station and military barracks, as well as other noteworthy island sites.

October 15, 2018

From 1892 to 1924, over 12 million immigrants entered the United States through Ellis Island, a reception center in New York Harbor. Many Americans today can trace their family roots to Ellis Island, where people disembarked from ships crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Immigrants began the sometimes difficult process of becoming American citizens at Ellis Island, which sits a short distance from Liberty Island, the home of the Statue of Liberty.

Millions of European immigrants streamed into the United States during the 1800′s and early 1900′s. The newcomers shown here landed at Ellis Island in New York Harbor in 1907. Credit: © Burt G. Phillips, Museum of the City of New York/Getty Images

Ellis Island is named for Samuel Ellis, a merchant and farmer who owned it during the late 1700′s. The U.S. government bought the island in 1808 and began using it as an immigration station in 1892. About 35 buildings were constructed on the island. Newcomers were taken to the main building, an impressive two-story wooden structure. That building burned down in 1897 and was replaced by a three-story brick building. The immigrants were questioned by government officials and examined by doctors. Certain people were prohibited by federal law from immigrating to the United States. They included criminals, the insane, and people who had infectious diseases. But about 98 percent of those examined at Ellis Island were allowed into the country.

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This map shows the location of the Statue of Liberty National Monument in Upper New York Bay. The monument includes the statue on Liberty Island and the Ellis Island immigration station. Liberty Island is officially under the jurisdiction of New York. Most of Ellis Island is under New Jersey’s jurisdiction. Credit: WORLD BOOK map

The island’s large-scale use as an immigration station ended in 1924. The station closed completely in 1954. In 1965, the island became a national historic site, part of the existing Statue of Liberty National Monument. The site is managed and operated by the federal government’s National Park Service.

The National Park Service began major repairs of the island’s buildings in the 1980′s. The island was reopened to the public in 1990. The main building was completely restored and is now the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. The museum’s exhibits include old photographs, clothing, toys, and passports of immigrants. Visitors can listen to recordings of immigrants sharing their memories of Ellis Island. Several rooms, including the Registry Room or Great Hall (main reception area), now appear as they did between 1918 and 1924, the island’s busiest years as an immigration station. The American Immigrant Wall of Honor, created in 1990, stands outside the museum. The names of hundreds of thousands of immigrants are engraved on this wall in honor of all immigrants.

A number of famous people began their new American lives at Ellis Island, including composer Irving Berlin (he came with his family from Russia in 1893), football coach Knute Rockne (from Norway, in 1893), film directors Frank Capra (from Italy, in 1903) and Elia Kazan (from Turkey, in 1913), and entertainer Bob Hope (from England, in 1908).

July 5, 2018

Last Saturday, on June 30, in cities and towns across the United States, hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated against the immigration policies of the administration of U.S. President Donald J. Trump. Targeting the administration’s separation of young children from families attempting to illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border, people flooded more than 700 “Families Belong Together” marches nationwide. Protesters shouted slogans and carried signs imploring the administration to stop the separation policy, which has outraged people throughout the country and around the world.

People take part in the Families Belong Together march in New York City on June 30, 2018. Credit: © Christopher Penler, Shutterstock

The largest Families Belong Together protests on Saturday took place in such cities as Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., but protesters also gathered in more conservative-minded areas such as Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, and Wyoming. Protesters massed near a border patrol station in McAllen, Texas, where a detention center was holding migrant children in cages. People also protested near Trump’s golf resort at Bedminster, New Jersey, where the president was spending the weekend. Two days earlier, on Thursday, June 28, some 600 women were arrested in a preliminary immigration protest at the U.S. Capitol.

Credit: © Families Belong Together

The Trump administration treats migrants caught illegally crossing the border as criminals, regardless of their potential status as asylum seekers. (In international law, asylum is shelter and protection given by a nation to a person who is fleeing another nation. The United States has a long history of granting asylum to people fleeing danger and oppression in other countries.) Migrant parents are crowded into federal prisons to await trial, and because kids cannot be held with parents in federal jail, the “unaccompanied alien children” are sent to border holding camps or juvenile centers elsewhere in the United States.

Previous administrations varied on their treatment of families caught crossing the border illegally, but in most cases parents and children were held together in immigration detention or released to await a court date when a judge would grant asylum or deport them as unauthorized immigrants. Most families trying to cross the border are fleeing violence, persecution, or economic hardship in their home countries.

The Trump administration began enforcing its hard-line immigration policies in 2017. Family separations greatly increased in April 2018 after the Department of Justice instituted a so-called “zero-tolerance policy” that no longer excluded adults with children from criminal prosecution. From the middle of April to the end of May, the Department of Homeland Security reported that 1,995 children were taken from 1,940 adults. Overall, the Trump administration has separated some 2,700 immigrant children from their parents.

After drawing the ire of human rights groups, politicians, Pope Francis, the United Nations, and many foreign governments, the Trump administration backed down on the separations in June. A few hundred kids have since been reunited with their parents, but most remain isolated and far from their families. The administration’s immigration stance has not changed, however. Families trying to illegally cross the border continue to be arrested and detained indefinitely, but the administration claims that children are no longer being forcibly separated.

December 23, 2015

As of Monday, more than 1 million migrants have entered Europe by sea or land this year, according to the International Organization for Migration, the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration. This number represents a fourfold rise over the total last year. Most of the migrants—more than 970,000 people—have come by way of the Mediterranean Sea. The rest came by land, crossing from Turkey into Bulgaria and Greece. More migrants entered Europe across the Mediterranean in October than in all of 2014. Europe now faces the biggest refugee crisis since World War II (1939-1945).

A group of migrants make their way over a meadow after crossing the border between Austria and Germany in Wegscheid near Passau, Germany, in October 2015. Credit: © Matthias Schrader, AP Photo

Half of those crossing the Mediterranean in 2015 were Syrians escaping civil war in their homeland. More than 4 million Syrians have fled the four-year conflict. Afghans made up 20 percent of the migrants, and Iraqis accounted for 7 percent. Nearly 3,700 of those traveling by sea have drowned or are missing after attempting to cross the sea in unseaworthy boats.

Germany was the main destination for many of the migrants entering Europe. The most economically powerful country in the European Union (EU), Germany has led the way in extending a welcome to migrants. The EU is an economic and political partnership among 28 European countries. In August, German Chancellor Angela Merkel adopted a broad refugee policy that dramatically expanded the flow of Syrian refugees to Europe. Although Merkel initially drew widespread praise for the humanitarian spirit of her open-door refugee policy, she later faced criticism at home and abroad. The policy exacerbated political rifts within the EU.

Merkel’s offer immediately attracted tens of thousands of additional asylum seekers, including many non-Syrians. The large flow of asylum seekers is imposing major costs on receiving communities and on transit countries that are ill-equipped to handle the logistical burdens of the flow. Many of the governments of these countries resent the situation and some have put up fences. Hungary and Slovakia are taking legal action at the European Court of Justice to challenge EU plans to share asylum seekers across EU states. Politicians in some of the countries have warned that the refugee crisis has exposed problems in Europe’s Schengen passport-free area, saying that states must agree on migrant quotas. In addition, security risks were heightened in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Paris last month. Some of the attackers were believed to have come to France as part of the flow of migrants through Greece.

Although Merkel recently announced that she would make changes to her policy, popular support for Merkel and her party has waned because of the influx of migrants. Some commentators questioned Merkel’s political future. In the meantime, Merkel appears to be committed to her earlier pledge, “Wir schaffen das” (“We will cope”), asserting that Germany would continue to be a welcoming host to refugees. Anything else, she said, would “not be my country.”

Additional World Book article:

• Immigration

November 21, 2014

Last evening, U.S. President Barack Obama gave a speech outlining his plan for changing the United States immigration system. Legal immigration into the United States is a difficult process. Only around 990,000 people in 2013 were granted a “green card” giving its holder the right to live and work in the United States. It is difficult to gauge the precise number of illegal immigrants in the United States, but the Department of Homeland Security estimates it to be some 11 million people.

U.S. Border Patrol members ride all-terrain vehicles near El Paso, Texas, looking for signs of illegal immigration and other crimes. Juarez, Mexico, rises in the background. (© Jim Young, Reuters/Landov)

For some time, politicians have called for a fix to the American immigration system, which many experts call “broken.” Some of the problems with the system that experts cite include the small number of visas available for highly educated immigrants, the way that current immigration laws can end up splitting families when children are born to or brought to the United States by parents who are illegal aliens, and the lack of a path for long-time workers in the United States to become documented workers or citizens. Also, because immigration papers are capped to a certain number of immigrants from each country per year, regardless of that country’s population or location, citizens from such countries as Mexico and China are disadvantaged for becoming legal immigrants to the United States.

Since 2001, American legislators have studied and debated versions of an act on Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors—the DREAM Act. This bill would offer a path to citizenship to illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children. In 2010, such a bill passed the House of Representatives but did not come to a vote in the Senate. In 2012, President Obama announced his administration would stop deporting qualified immigrants who had arrived in the United States illegally in childhood for at least two years under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program. The DREAM Act passed the Senate in 2013, but the House then refused to allow the bill to come to a vote as written. Because people in the United States have very strong opinions on immigration, it causes politicians to be hesitant to pass new laws concerning it.

President Obama decided to use executive order—a process whereby a president can make an official proclamation that becomes law—to implement some changes to the immigration policies of the United States. President Obama offered a “deal” to illegal immigrants last night, stating: “If you’ve been in America more than five years. If you have children who are American citizens or illegal residents. If you register, pass a criminal background check and you’re willing to pay your fair share of taxes, you’ll be able to apply to stay in this country temporarily without fear of deportation. You can come out of the shadows and get right with the law.” This change will not permit such illegal immigrants to become citizens, but it is a step that allows long-time residents and families to remain in the United States.

Additional World Book articles:

• Citizenship and Immigration Services, United States
• Illegal alien
• Immigration Politics 2006 (a Special Report)
• Passport to Reform: The INS and Homeland Security (a Special report)

September 18, 2013

Tony Abbott was sworn in as Australia’s prime minister today. Earlier this month, Abbott, the leader of the Liberal Party, defeated Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the leader of the Australian Labor Party, in federal elections. (Contrary to its name, the Liberal Party is a center-right political party.)  In remarks released before the swearing-in ceremony, Abbott said, “Today is not just a ceremonial day. The Australian people expect us to get straight down to business and that’s exactly what this government will do.”

Tony Abbott (The Office of Tony Abbott MHR)

Abbott ran on a platform that included promises to repeal Australia’s controversial carbon tax; end illegal immigrants entering the country; and place the national budget on a sound footing for a “believable surplus.” Abbott said the repeal of the carbon tax, which he argued had boosted energy taxes and cost jobs, would become his first legislative effort. To replace the tax, he plans to offer government subsidies to businesses and farmers to lower their carbon emissions. The new government also plans to eliminate the position of science minister, two government agencies that dealt with climate change, and a program that offers government loans for the development of “green” technologies.

Abbott’s government also plans to “stop the boats”–that is, impose strong measures to prevent people seeking asylum from entering Australia from Indonesia. Among these measures are plans to force vessels carrying refugees to return to Indonesia when safe to do so and allow asylum seekers already in Australia to obtain only temporary visas that must be regularly renewed.

Political observers noted that Abbott may face difficulties in getting his legislative program enacted by Parliament. Although his coalition won a majority of seats in Australia’s lower house, the control of the Senate remains uncertain as vote counting continues. If the Liberals’ total falls short, Abbott will be forced to work with other parties to pass legislation.

Additional World Book articles:

• Australia 2010 (a Back in Time article)
• Australia 2012 (a Back in Time article)

June 28, 2013

The United States Senate yesterday passed a major overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws with broad bipartisan support. The vote was 68-to-32, with 14 Republicans joining the entire Democratic caucus voting in favor.

The legislation provides a 13-year path to citizenship for the nation’s estimated 11 million unauthorized immigrants. It also includes tough border security provisions that must be realized before the immigrants can gain legal status. These provisions require the addition of 20,000 more border agents; 700 miles (1,125 kilometers) of fence along the boundary with Mexico; and the deployment of $3.2 billion in technology upgrades along the border.

United States Border Patrol members ride all-terrain vehicles near El Paso, Texas, along the border with Mexico, looking for signs of illegal immigration and other crimes. Juarez, Mexico, rises in the background. (© Jim Young, Reuters/Landov)

Political experts suggest that the legislation will meet with major opposition in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. House Speaker John Boehner has stated that whatever immigration measure his chamber takes up would have to be supported by a majority of his Republican conference. The so-called Tea Party members of the House have voiced their opposition to any road to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants.

Additional World Book articles:

• Immigration and Customs Service, United States
• Immigration and Naturalization Service
• Immigration: The Latest Wave (a special report)
• Immigration Politics (a special report)
• Tempest in a Tea Party (a special report)

June 25, 2012

The Supreme Court of the United States today struck down nearly all provisions of a strict 2010 Arizona law that had served as a model for states attempting to crack down on illegal immigration. In a 5-3 decision, the court ruled that, for the most part, immigration policy must be left to the federal government.

The court unanimously let stand one of the law’s most contentious elements, often known as the “papers please” provision. This provision requires police to check the immigration status of people they stop for another crime if they have a “reasonable suspicion” that the detainees are in the country illegally. The court said overturning this provision would have been premature because Arizona police had not yet adopted this practice. At the request of the Department of Justice, federal courts had blocked Arizona from implementing the law. However, the court left open the possibility that this provision could be challenged later if implementing the provision results in “racial profiling.” Discrimination on the basis of race and ethnic background is unconstitutional.

The decision was a major victory for the administration of President Barack Obama, who had criticized the law for undermining “basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans.” Critics had charged that the law authorized discrimination against Hispanic Americans. Supporters of the law, who had argued that such action was necessary to counter the problem of illegal immigration in the state, praised the ruling on the “papers please” provision.

Among provisions of the law rejected by the court were those that:

• made it a crime for undocumented immigrants to work or apply for work in Arizona;
• allowed police officers to arrest people without a warrant solely on the suspicion that the people were undocumented immigrants;
• made it a state requirement that immigrants register with the federal government;
• required immigrants to carry their alien registration papers at all times.

In its decision, the court recognized that while Arizona might have “understandable frustrations with the problems caused by illegal immigration … the state may not pursue policies that undermine federal law.” Justice Elena Kagan did not participate in the ruling, presumably because she worked on the case during her tenure as President Obama’s first solicitor general.

U.S. Border Patrol members ride all-terrain vehicles near El Paso, Texas, looking for signs of illegal immigration and other crimes. Juarez, Mexico, rises in the background. (© Jim Young, Reuters/Landov)

Arizona is one of many states that have passed strict anti-immigration laws in recent years. Those laws will now come under additional scrutiny in light of the Supreme Court decision.

Additional World Book articles:

• Immigration 2010 (a Back in Time article)
• Immigration 2011 (a Back in Time article)
• Immigration Politics 2006 (a Special Report)