Final answer:
Most immigrants to pass through Ellis Island came from southern and eastern Europe, including countries like Italy, Russia, and Austria, driven by both push and pull factors. They often settled in urban neighborhoods amongst others from their homelands, forming immigrant communities that maintained their native languages and cultures.
Step-by-step explanation:
Most immigrants to pass through Ellis Island originally came from various parts of Europe, particularly southern and eastern European countries. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this included nations such as Italy, Austria, Greece, Russia, and several Slavic countries. In contrast to earlier immigrants from northern and western Europe like Germany and Ireland who were often relatively well off, these new immigrants arrived in the United States due to "push" factors like famines, religious and political persecution, or to avoid military service, and they were also "pulled" by the promise of consistent work in America's rapidly growing manufacturing sector.
Between 1870 and 1900, nearly 12 million immigrants arrived in the United States through Ellis Island, with a peak between 1900 and 1910 when over nine million people arrived. These immigrants often settled in urban areas and formed communities where they could maintain their native language and cultural practices. The federal government's policy at the time was to allow those who could afford first or second class tickets to bypass Ellis Island's inspection, under the presumption that wealthier immigrants were less likely to become financial burdens.