Summary: This lesson provides background on why immigrants decided to leave their homelands and settle in New Jersey in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Students will be asked to compare and contrast the immigration debate in the early twentieth century to today’s debate about immigration; to identify current issues regarding immigration and their impact on New Jersey; and to analyze the historical impact of changing U.S. immigration policies on New Jersey.
Overarching questions:
- CIVICS: Have the concepts of liberty, justice and/or equality changed during the time period? If so, how and what has been the impact?
- CIVICS: How well does the government balance individual rights and the common good, including the need to maintain order, safety and a healthy environment, during this time period?
- NEW JERSEY: How have changes in New Jersey during this time period influenced U.S. history?
NJ Student Learning Standards for Social Studies:
- 6.1.12.CivicsDP.7.a: Evaluate the impact of government policies designed to promote patriotism and to protect national security during times of war on individual rights (i.e., the Espionage Act and the Sedition Amendment).
- 6.1.12.CivicsHR.8.a: Analyze primary and secondary sources to explain how social intolerance, xenophobia, and fear of anarchism led to restrictive immigration and refugee laws, and the violation of the human rights of individuals and groups
Link to lesson: Immigration Policy and its Impact on New Jersey (1840s-today)