Grade 8 Lesson at a Glance: Chapter 19, Lesson 1

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
A More Perfect Union

Lesson at a Glance
Chapter 19, Lesson 1: A Land of Immigrants (pp. 564-570)

The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Diversity Despite mixed reactions and various restrictions, immigrants have been coming to the United States throughout its history

Describe the reasons why immigrants were both welcomed and resented by people who came before them throughout American history. Discuss changes in American life after 1880 that made immigrants more unwelcome.

Create a timeline on the chalkboard, identifying immigration laws, official policies, and events that influenced attitudes toward immigration in the 20th century. Include and discuss exceptions that were made to the quota system.

Lesson Outline
Use the Lesson Outline to preview the content of the lesson. You may wish to print it for your students as a guide during reading.

Check for Understanding

Have each student write two letters to a newspaper editor. One letter should be from a nativist, arguing against increased immigration to the United States. The other should be from a recent immigrant arguing for open immigration policies.
Use a world map. Have students tape or pin labels to the regions and countries on the map that are referred to in this lesson, identifying when immigrants came to the United States from this region and also when, (if ever) immigration from this place was restricted.

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