Barriers to Immigration: The Chinese Exclusion Act

Immigration issues are nothing new. An interesting lesson plan focuses on the racially motivated Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and its impact on the Chinese American community. Scholars read articles, analyze political cartoons, and...

As part of a study of Angel Island Immigration Station, young historians examine the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the first restriction on the United States immigration based on race and nationality. They complete a matrix identifying...

The Chinese Exclusion Act was the first race-based restriction on immigration in American history. Why was the act passed after Chinese immigrants helped build the Transcontinental Railroad? A series of documents, including speeches and...

Class members investigate the Jim Crow Laws, Executive Order 9066, the Chinese Exclusion Act, and the Indian Removal Act to gather information about not only the challenges encountered by diverse groups of Americans, but their...

A gallery of photographs from 19th century America adorn these slides, bringing stark reality to a lesson about immigration and industrialization. The breadth and length of this presentation would lend well to a long-term history unit,...

Take a closer look at America's shift toward a primarily urban population and into the world's largest industrial power in the early twentieth century. This video reviews the demographics of the first major waves of immigration into the...

Racism against Asian American goes deep in American history. Using a broadside in favor of the Chinese Exclusion Act, class members examine clues—with key portions of the document blacked out—to better understand the roots of anti-Asian...

For a class learning about Chinese and Irish immigration in America, here's a great starting lesson plan. It has your critical thinkers examining song lyrics, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and a political cartoon, and finally...

Young scholars study the Chinese Exclusion Act and its impact on the Chinese here in the US and abroad. Students complete a Reflect on History worksheet (attached) and share their findings in a group discussion.

Students research and discuss the consequences of the Sedition Act. They illustrate the difficulty of balancing security needs and personal freedom using an example from John Adams's presidency.