Immigration in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era
- Students will identify what it means to be an immigrant and discover what was involved in the process of immigration.
- Students will investigate the impact immigration had upon the United States socially and economically.
- Students will assess the arguments given for and against the restriction of immigration.
- Handout A: Migration Experiment Graphic Organizer and Discussion Questions
- Handout B: Background Essay: The New Wave – Immigration in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era
- Handout C: The Challenges of Assimilation
- Handout D: Selections from Henry Cabot Lodge’s Speech in the Senate, March 16, 1896
- Handout E: Selections from the President Grover Cleveland’s veto message of the 1896 Literacy test March 2, 1897
- Handout F: Immigration in the Progressive Era
- Handout G: Class Discussion Questions
- Handout H: Immigration Today
- Migration
- Immigrant
- Ancestral
- Arduous
- Push factor
- Pull factor
- New World
- Civil Rights Act of 1866
- 14th Amendment
- Ellis Island
- Familial
- Social Darwinism
- Nativism
- Immigration Restriction League
- American Protective Association
- Chinese Exclusionary Act of 1882
- Literacy test
Activity I » 30 minutes
- Have students read the Handout B: Background Essay: The New Wave – Immigration in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, and answer the critical thinking questions.
- Students should be prepared to discuss their responses to the critical thinking questions with the class.
Activity II » 30 minutes
- Divide students into groups of 3 to 5.
- Have them read the instructions and introduction on Handout C: The Challenges of
Assimilation. - Afterwards, they should read Handout D: Selections from Henry Cabot Lodge’s Speech in the Senate, March 16, 1896, and answer the review questions.
- Finally, they should read Handout E: Selections from the President Grover Cleveland’s veto message of the 1896 Literacy test March 2, 1897, and answer the critical thinking questions.
- Once all groups are finished, move on to Activity III.
- Pass out Handout F: Immigration in the Progressive Era and allow your students time to read the two passages.
- Students should be instructed to write down 5 initial reactions to the passages.
- Using Handout G: Class Discussion Questions as a guide, lead your class in an open discussion about immigration restriction and its impact on the United States.
- Have students search for three articles on immigration. One should be economically focused, one should be socially focused, and one should be politically focused.
- For each question, have the students answer the questions on Handout H: Immigration Today.
- Discuss their findings in class.