Constitutional Rights Foundation
History of Immigration From the 1850s to the Present
The Statue of Liberty may embrace the huddled masses of the world, but has American society always joined in? After young historians read a passage about the history of American immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on...
NPR
Chinese American Women Lesson Plan
The National Women's History Museum provides a plan designed to accompany their online CyberExhibit, Chinese American Women; a History of Resilience and Resistance. After examining a series of primary and secondary source documents,...
Museum of Tolerance
Disenfranchised People of the New Nation
Why are some immigrant groups in the United States embraced while others become disenfranchised? To answer this question, teams investigate why groups emigrated to the US, why some of these these peoples were disenfranchised, and their...
K12 Reader
Discrimination Against Gold Rush Immigrants
Immigration to the US has been a topic of discussion for many years. Inform your class about discrimination against immigrants during the Gold Rush with a short reading passage. After reading, class members answer five questions related...
Curated OER
What's In a Phrase? Finding Historical Understandings in an Immigrant Guidebook
Using a Chinese-English phrase book from the late 19th century, learners view a glimpse of life on the frontier for a Chinese immigrant. They work in groups and on their own to analyze and summarize the content of various phrases, given...
Curated OER
The Poetry of Chinese Immigration
Numerous people from China immigrated to the US during the era of industrialization and expansion. Provide your class with a glimpse into the life of a Chinese immigrant through the poetry they left behind. They then compose a poem of...
Curated OER
Opportunity and Danger
Students analyze the immigrant experience. In this Chinese immigration lesson, students research Internet and print sources regarding the topic. Students also watch videos regarding the topic and interview immigrants or children of...
Curated OER
All Aboard- Central Pacific Railroad
Second graders explore the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad. In this U.S. history lesson, 2nd graders discuss vocabulary and events that occurred in the 1860s pertaining to the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad....
Curated OER
Becoming American: The Chinese Experience
Students examine the experience of Chinese American immigrants in the PBS series BECOMING AMERICAN. ESL learners investigate and explore their own identities within a multicultural context.
Curated OER
From Bananas to Bok Choy
Students explore the contribution made by Chinese communities to the Australian diet and how Chinese immigrants have affected Chinese culture.
Curated OER
Chinese Immigration 1860s-1880s
Eighth graders consider the plight of Chinese immigrants to America. For this immigration lesson, 8th graders analyze political cartoons from the late 1800's that exemplify American public opinion regarding Chinese immigrants. The...
Curated OER
Lee Chew's Story
High schoolers put themselves in the shoes of a Chinese immigrant to America. In this immigration instructional activity, students read an account from Lee Chew, a Chinese immigrant to America in the 19th century. High schoolers discuss...
Curated OER
Chinese Oregonians
Eleventh graders examine the reactions of Oregon natives regarding Chinese immigrants in late 1800's. For this Oregon history lesson, 11th graders visit the Portland Classican Chinese Garden and consider its impact for healing the...
Curated OER
Chinese Immigrants in British Columbia, 1870
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this British Columbia history lesson, students read and analyze data regarding 1870 Canadian census data. Students...
Curated OER
Chinese Immigration in the Mid-19th Century
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this Chinese immigration lesson, students research the Chinese immigration between 1850 and 1882.
Curated OER
The Transcontinental Railroad
Students investigate the impact of the Transcontinental Railroad. In this Transcontinental Railroad lesson, students research Internet and print sources regarding the effect of the railroad on Chinese immigrants and American Indians,...
Curated OER
Lee Yick: Fighting Racism
Students study the 14th Amendment, then review and analyze a Supreme Court brief. There was much racism exhibited toward the Chinese immigrants by the European Americans; this came in the form of institutional racism and mob violence....
Curated OER
Chinese immigrants in British Columbia, 1870
Students create graphs and tables on the number of Chinese in British Columbia according to 1870 Census data. They analyze the data and complete worksheets in small groups and then discuss their conclusions as a class.
California Digital Library
Calisphere: Westward Expansion
A broad selection of images featuring westward expansion in California can be found on this site by Calisphere. By clicking on individual images you'll find high quality photographs and image information.
PBS
Pbs: The New Americans
This site from PBS chronicles the miniseries coming in April of 2004 entitled "The New Americans." The site documents the new American immigrants: read stories of immigrants from Argentina, China, Mexico, Hungary, Taiwan, Russia, and more.
US National Archives
Nara: Teaching With Documents: Affidavit and Flyers: Chinese Boycott Case
A lesson plan that includes a history of Chinese labor in America and pertinent historical documents and analysis sheets about the Chinese Boycott Case.
University of Illinois
University of Illinois: Chinese Experience in 19th Century: Exclusion: Chinese Perspectives
This instructional activity uses primary sources to take a look at the Chinese perspective on the issue of the Exclusion Act and the effects of prejudice and discrimination on the Chinese population in the United States in the late 19th...
University of British Columbia
Ubc Library: The Chung Collection
This is a fabulous collection of artifacts related to Chinese immigration to British Columbia. Although most of the artifacts are not online, there is a lengthy video interview with Dr. Wallace Chung, the collector, and detailed...
CPALMS
Florida State University Cpalms: Florida Students: Coming to America: The Era of Mass Immigration
From 1865 to 1914, up to 25 million people immigrated to the United States. This tutorial examines their reasons for coming, where they came from, the Ellis Island processing center, and how they adapted to their new country. The...