Civics

Do We Need Limits on Immigration?

by Drew Pinter

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

Understand and use research methodology, including primary resources

Analyze political cartoons

Discuss the role of government in immigration and its evolution throughout history

Students will gain a general understanding of U.S. Immigration from the late 19th century including its social, political and economic effects as well the immigrant groups involved

Understand that fear and racism about immigrant groups is fostered in public opinion until that group can assimilate into the dominant culture

A general understanding of the differing arguments concerning immigration policy

LESSON 1: Introduction Pre-Assessment

Lesson 1: (1 class period or about 60 minutes)

As a class watch the video “Exploring Immigration and the American Dream: 2: Do We Need Limits on Immigration? (16 minutes)

Lesson 1: (1 class period or about 60 minutes)

Warm Up – Small Group:  Have students break into shoulder partner groups of two and answer the essential question after watching the video.  (2 -5 minutes)

How has immigration affected communities, such as Holland, MI?

Have students get into groups of four and share their answers and create a combined single sentence answering the question.  (2 – 5 minutes)

The groups of four will then share their response with the class.  As the students share their responses with the class, the teacher will write down key words or ideas.  (10 – 15 minutes)

Guided Discussion Questions (5-10 minutes)

How is a communities heritage affected by immigration?

What ethnic groups in Holland, MI were discussed in the video?

What difficulties did Holland, MI face?  – think about cultural perception

Why do you think Cultural events take place in communities?

How did Holland, MI embrace this cultural shift?

Exit Ticket

Have students respond to the question

How did Holland, Michigan embrace the cultural shift of its community?

Give examples to explain your answer

LESSON 2: Pre-Assessment

Lesson 2:

Pre-Assessment: Looking for context and making predictions (1 class period or about 60 minutes)

The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act reshaped the U.S. immigration policy by ending an immigration-admissions policy based on race and ethnicity and gave rise to large-scale immigration, both legal and unauthorized.

Since 1790, people applying for citizenship have been asked to take an oath in support of the U.S. Constitution.  Since then, the oath has changed over time. Looking at the “Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America”, answer the following questions.

“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”

Vocabulary:

Renounce  – to deny, discard, disown

Abjure – renounce, relinquish, reject, disavow, abandon, deny

Allegiance – loyalty, devotion

Fidelity – faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support.

Potentate – king, monarch, ruler

Sovereignty – self-determination, self-governing state, the authority of a state to govern itself

Noncombatant – a person who is not engaged in fighting during a war, especially a civilian, chaplain, or medical practitioner.

5 Key Ideas:

What 5 key ideas are “new citizens” asked to uphold?

Partners Report:

Students working with shoulder partners

Partners should be prepared to report out their findings

Compare the 5 key ideas they wrote down to see if they are similar.

Were there any differences?  

What were they?

 

Small groups get about two minutes to discuss.

Small groups report to the whole class

As a whole class assemble the key ideas of the “Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America”

The U.S. Citizen & Immigration Services lists the 5 key ideas as

  1. Support the Constitution;
  2. Renounce and abjure absolutely and entirely all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which the applicant was before a subject or citizen;
  3. Support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;
  4. Bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and
    1. Bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; or
    2. Perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; or
    3. Perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law

Do these key ideas seem to be the same as the guidelines the U.S. government has set forth?

Why do you think the government selected these key ideas/points?

Do cities and municipalities have the same goals as the federal government? Why or why not?

Exit Ticket

Have students respond to the following quote

“The land flourished because it was fed from so many sources–because it was nourished by so many cultures and traditions and peoples.”

                                  – Lyndon B. Johnson signing the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act