5. Immigration Syllabus
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/10/us/20090310-immigration-explorer.html
IMMIGRATION SYLLABUS immsyllabus2011
Some historians argue that immigrants define who we are as Americans. In this short unit, you will study the role immigrants have played in our history beginning in the 1790s and following through to the 1980s. How do immigrants define us? Are the opinions of native-born Americans toward immigrants similar or different than those of native-born Americans 50, 100, 150 and 200 years ago?
As you read, consider your opinions about immigrants and how they fit with those in the past.
There is not a lot of textbook reading for this unit. Instead, you interview an immigrant. You will be reviewing for your exam and beginning your research project as we go through this unit.
Date In class Review Homework
1/3 Look at research papers 1 Read handout on research paper. Pick out possible topics; Find immigrant to interview, study for presidents
1/4 Presidents Quiz 31-45; Map, graphs, Stats about First Wave; Alien and Sedition Acts,174-5 (162-3); Early 19th century immigration 272-7, 292; (249-53, 264); Chinese immigration 379-80, (344). Pick out possible research topics
1/5 Library – Choose topic, make list of ideal sources
HISTORY SALON ON PRIMARY SOURCE – MARK TWAIN AND CHINESE IMMIGRATION
1/6 Library – Hand in topic and ideal sources. Find real sources.
Read Second wave of immigration –Societies of the Far West 483-88 (426-32), “Immigrant Work Force,” 534 (468-9), “The New Urban Growth,”545-9 (479-85) including Global Migrations
1/9 Talk about first wave of immigration; primary sources on Irish;
Continue textbook reading: “Strains of Urban Life,” 555-58 (489-92), Immigration Restriction 652-3 (573-6), “WWI Search for Social Unity,” 693-5 (614-5);
1/10 Second wave of immigration; Use birth and death records
“Red Scare,” 702-4 (621-3); 1920s “Women and Minorities in the Workplace,” 712, (631-2) 720-2; “Conflict of Cultures” (640-43), Depression “Hispanics and Asians in Depression America,” 741-2, (660-1) , WW II “Race and Gender in Wartime America, 824-7;(736-40)
1/11 Second Wave of immigration: Red Scare in CT
LBJ The Other American 899, (802-4) “Cities Schools and Immigration,” 919-20; (824-5) Latino Activism 954-5; (858-9) “New Patterns of Immigration and Ethnicity,” 1029-30 (938-40)Third Wave; Discuss interviews.
1/12 Third wave of immigration; For Harkness Discussion tomorrow, read Read The Arizona Immigration Act, http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/i/immigration-and-emigration/arizona-immigration-law-sb-1070/index.htm, the Alabama Immigration Act, and the Dream Act http://dreamact.info/,
Also read immigration website http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/i/immigration-and-emigration/index.html?scp=1-spot&sq=immigration&st=cse
HISTORY SALON: PRIMARY DOCUMENT ON
1/13 Complete interview; Harkness Discussion on immigration -How should the US treat immigrants without documents?
1/16 MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
1/18 Immigration FRQ multiple choice
1/19 Immigration interview write up due.
1/20 HISTORY SALON REVIEW FOR MIDTERM EXAMS – ROOM 169
1/25 Bibliography Due
IMMIGRATION INTERVIEW
Immigrants are all around us. You will interview an immigrant in this assignment to find out what their experience in this country has been like. The main theme of your interview is to find out how this person “became an American” or is in the process of “becoming an American.” What parts of their lives have remained steeped in the culture of the old world? What parts of their lives have more quickly become American?
Your immigrant should be someone who has been here for at least 5 years. Adults will probably be better subjects than fellow students – but you could also try a classmate. You could learn more of your family history by interviewing one of your relatives if they are available. You are welcome to do interviews in teams.
YOUR SCHEDULE:
January 5 – Find someone to interview. Write a paragraph about this person, including age, relationship to you, place of emigration, date of emigration and when you can interview them.
Use the list of questions attached to complete your interview
January 13- Complete the interview. Tape it. It should be about a 30-minute interview. Your job is to get the person talking and telling stories. Try not to cut them off, but do try to keep them on track.
January 15 – Talk to a classmate to compare the experiences of your interviewees
January 19 – Write a 3–4 page paper describing your immigrant
An “A” paper will include:
• A thesis statement in the intro about whether this immigrant considers themselves to be an American and if you do (that is if you might disagree)
• Relevant background statistics (which you did in step 1).
• A favorite story they told you.
• A vivid description of their experiences including information on
• Process of immigration
• Settlement
• Jobs
• Culture
• A compare and contrast with an immigrant that another student interviewed
• A conclusion which analyzes whether you think they are typical of other immigrants
• Paper is organized so that one section flows from another.
• Paper captures the spirit of your individual and analyzes how they help define us as Americans.
Immigration Interview Questions
1. What was the process of your immigration?
a. When did you immigrate and with whom?
b. Why did you emigrate (family? Economics? Freedom?) What was life like in the old country?
c. Has anyone in your family remigrated? Did anyone go back to the old country?
2. Where and why did you settle where you did?
a. Where did you first settle and why? Did you move once in the United States and why?
b. Did you settle with others family members and with others from your group?
3. What jobs have you had?
What was your first job? What jobs did men in your family get? What jobs did women in your family get? Did you get a job where there were other immigrants from your group?
4. What parts of your culture have you kept and in what ways have you assimilated?
a. Did you keep your native language? Oral? Written? Only in ceremonies? Do your children speak the language? Do you read literature, see theater, listen to music, dance, or art particular to your group? What native foods do you cook? Is your culture evident in the Hartford area? What traditions did you pass on to your children?
b. Did you marry someone from the same immigrant group? Here or in the old country? Did you marry someone of the same religion?
c. What role has education played in retaining your culture or in assimilating? How much education did you have? Can you read and write English? Did you go to a school for just people from your ethnic group or religion? What is the educational background of your family in the old country and in America?
d. How has religion been part of your identity as an immigrant and as an American? Do you practice religion? Which? Has it changed from the old country? Are there any churches, synagogues or mosques in the Hartford area for your group? Describe.
e. Do you belong to any groups particularly for your immigrant group? Even if you don’t, do you know of any that exist? Are there any local newspapers for your group? Have you gotten involved in politics here? Have you ever been discriminated against because you are an immigrant? Have you become a citizen? Has the role of women and children changed here from that in the old country?
5. Do you consider yourself to be an American? Why or why not? What of your children?
Add other questions that are particular to your immigrant.
