SS.912.A.3.7

In this lesson, students will review the experiences of different groups of immigrants in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students analyze primary source documents in an effort to answer the central historical question: Why were Japanese-Americans interned during World War II? The teacher first distributes a timeline, which the class reviews together. Students then view a government-made newsreel from 1942 explaining the rationale for internment. This is followed by 4 more documents, including the "Munson Report," an excerpt from the Supreme Court's decision in U.S. v Korematsu, and the 1983 report of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. For each, students answer guiding questions and formulate a hypothesis: according to the document, why was internment necessary? A final class discussion has students determine which document(s) best explain what occurred.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students analyze primary source documents in an effort to answer the central historical question: What factors contributed to the Chinese Exclusion Act? After a mini-lecture on the Transcontinental Railroad, students read a timeline and formulate hypotheses as to why Chinese were legally excluded from mainstream society in 1882. They then answer guiding questions on 4 documents: 1) an anti-Chinese play, 2) a Thomas Nast cartoon, 3) an anti-Chinese speech, and 4) the autobiography of a Chinese immigrant. For homework, students write a 1-page answer to the central question using evidence from the documents.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students analyze primary sources in an effort to answer the central historical question: Why did Teddy Roosevelt oppose the segregation of San Francisco's public schools? The teacher first informs students of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the resultant attempted segregation of Japanese students. Students then read 4 source documents-letters and public speeches-in which President Roosevelt discusses his reasons for opposing the law, as well as a political cartoon addressing the issue. For each, students answer questions on a graphic organizer: Why do you think TR opposed the issue? What can you infer about the U.S. in 1906? Finally, the class goes over a timeline of relevant events, enabling the teacher to show how reading contextually lets students learn historical context from documents. Students then respond in writing, using all evidence to reach a conclusion of their own.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this interactive tutorial, learn about the era of mass immigration from 1865 to 1914, when as many as 25 million immigrants entered the United States, many of them through Ellis Island.  You'll learn where immigrants came from, why they emigrated, how they adjusted to life in the U.S., and you'll compare the experiences of European and Asian immigrants.  

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn about America's history in this interactive tutorial. This webisode from PBS's History: A Freedom of Us provides detailed informational texts, primary source documents that include photographs, and online quizzes to help you explore aspects of this complex time in American history. You'll learn about the 1862 Homestead Act, the rise of immigration, different aspects of the immigrant experience, the expansion of the American West, and the violent conflicts that resulted in the deaths of Native Americans and the removal and relocation of different tribes onto reservations.

Type: Tutorial

In this tutorial video, you will take a whirlwind journey through the migration patterns and influx of immigrants to our nation during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, along with the resultant growth of cities. These trends impacted the labor movement, workforce, and politics of this era. Enjoy this "crash course" in U.S. history!

Type: Tutorial