Question

Republican President James Garfield was opposed to the spoils system, reform movements, the civil service, company contracts. 'Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!' cries she with silent lips. 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.' Who are the "tired," "poor," "huddled masses" to which the poem refers?

1. Americans who were leaving the country.
2. Americans who lived in New York City.
3. Immigrants passing through Ellis Island.
4. Immigrants passing through Angel Island.

Answer 1

The 'tired,' 'poor,' 'huddled masses' in the poem are immigrants passing through Ellis Island, welcomed by the Statue of Liberty as they sought a new life in America.

Step-by-step explanation:

The "tired," "poor," "huddled masses" referred to in the poem are immigrants passing through Ellis Island. This phrase comes from "The New Colossus," a sonnet by Emma Lazarus that is inscribed on a plaque at the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. The poem welcomes immigrants to America, suggesting that the country is a place of refuge and hope for those seeking a better life. It was written as a tribute to the Statue of Liberty and as an expression of Lazarus's empathetic support of immigrants arriving in the United States.