Read about the plight of the urban poor in the rapidly growing cities. In addition to the modern skyscrapers, the cities also had tenement housing where the poor lived. Find a description of that housing and the problems this housing bred.

The gold rush in California accelerated the western migration of thousands of young American men, who streamed into California to find riches. See who else arrived in California and find out what they did. In addition, there is a map...

The Industrial Revolution came to America, smuggled in by Samuel Slater, who brought plans for a cotton-spinning mill. See how the growth of industry led to the growth of corporations, the growth of the nation geographically, and the...

Explore trends in immigration to the United States between 1850 and 2010 with this interactive map. Each year shows the numbers of people that were born in a foreign country, with the data being represented in multiple ways. Use the...

This in-depth online exhibit features more than two hundred treasures of American Jewish life from the Library of Congress and other cultural institutions.

A great description of the Alien and Sedition Acts, passed by the Federalist Congress in 1798. See how the Federalists tried to hang on to power by restricting voting privileges and infringing on free speech and freedom of the press.

Section addresses U.S. tensions over immigration and government policies affecting the number of immigrants allowed to enter the U.S. after World War I.

Analyze primary sources in the media gallery and create an illustrated poem to learn how and why Chinese Americans were seen as threats to American society during the 1800s. This Anti-Chinese movement was one of the earlier incidents of...

Activity asking students to poll peers to investigate where they are from. Includes graphs of immigration patterns and corresponding questions.

Pretend you are an immigrant teenager and see how much you know about becoming a United States citizen. Play this online video game and see if you can make the right choices to avoid deportation by experiencing first hand what a...

This is a great site that talks about changes in the U.S.-Mexico border. It also discusses the meaning of the border, the people that live there, and border regions. Click "next" at the bottom of the page for more information on the...

A history of immigration timeline, which discusses and illustrates periods of U.S. immigration history, pre-1790 through 2000.

This site from the PBS show "The City" provides a timeline of U.S. immigration. Find out about the many ways immigrants were legally discriminated against by the passage of various immigration laws.

MALDEF offers many resources to the Mexican American community. Here anyone can learn about public policy, have access to laws regarding citizenship and equal access, and read news and events regarding the Mexican American community.

Find a link to the text of the Immigration Act of 1924 along with a brief summary of the quotas set in the legislation.

All immigrants to America bring a part of their homeland with them. The same was true of slaves. See how vocabulary, arts, and music were knit into American culture.

Part of an online exhibit that describes the experiences of migrants to the cities of the United States. Two American Tales asks students to compare and contrast the nearly contemporaneous experiences of European immigrants and...

From Joy Hakim's marvelous set of books, A History of US, this webisode offers narrative, pictures, and teaching guides for the settling of the West after the Civil War.

[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the lives of immigrants living in the tenements of Lower East Side Manhattan. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.

A young girl from Ireland was the first immigrant to come through Ellis Island. What was it like for her and those who came after her? Use this site to find out.

[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the Statue of Liberty and its message for immigrants. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.

[Free Registration/Login Required] An autobiographical account of a family looking for information about their great-grandfather. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.

The National Humanities Center presents collections of primary resources compatible with the Common Core State Standards - historical documents, literary texts, and works of art - thematically organized with notes and discussion...

This multi-task activity asks students to look at the DREAM Act in the context of immigration reform and also to reflect on blogging as civic engagement.