home

= Teacher Guide = = Nativism Then and Now: The Irish Immigrant Experience in the late 1800's and The Immigrant Experience Today. =

LINKS: Student Guide What students will read - the directions. Referred to as "Student Guide" throughout the lesson.

Student Template What a student will do in their wikis. Students will have to create their own wiki space to complete various tasks throughout the lesson. Referred to as "Students Wiki" throughout the lesson. This is the space where student work will be uploaded.

___

Unit Essential Question:
How did immigration affect American conceptions of “We the People? Lesson Essential Questions: How did natives view and respond to Irish immigration to America? What is Nativism? How does immigration affect the idea of “We the People”? Does Nativism exist today in the 21st Century?

Standard(s):
USI.28B. the causes and impact of the wave of immigration from Northern Europe to America in the 1840s and 1850s

Guiding Question:
What is the essence of Nativism? and does Nativism exist today?

Introduction:
In the 1840s and 1850s large waves of immigrants, especially Catholic immigrants, arrived in the United States, sparking widespread anti-immigration sentiment. By 1860, the United States was home to nearly 3 million Irish and German immigrants. Due to their unfortunate economic status, the poor Irish Catholics were faced with constant discrimination. This attitude toward the Irish was expressed openly by Nativists who felt threatened for a variety of reasons by the new immigrants. This discrimination took many forms in 1860’s pop culture including newspaper editorials, songs, billboards, advertisements, posters, and political cartoons. Through policies of exclusion and exploitation immigrants remained on the fringe of who “We the People” constituted -unable to gain full access to the rights of citizenship and cultural acceptance. In lieu, Nativist sentiments were allowed a place in American culture and identity, and were arguably woven into the very fabric of what it means to be American.

Throughout the remaining 1800’s and the following 1900’s Americans continued their policies of exclusion and exploitation now on different immigrant and minority groups through similar discriminatory tactics. On March 2007 in New Bedford Massachusetts, a series of events left the New Bedford immigrant community desolate. Using the New Bedford events and immigrant community as an example, students will use inquiry to answer the essential question, “Does Nativism exist today? Are Nativist sentiments woven into today’s American culture?” Students will state their thesis statement and use primary sources to defend their thesis with evidence and analysis.


 * Background: **

This lesson falls after students have already identified the Push factors and Pull factors examining why Irish immigrants left Ireland and what allured Irish immigrants to move to the US in the 1840’s. Students accomplished this by reading the American Anthem text-book and completing the Push-Pull Chart provided.