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Immigration Research Project: Gordon: Assignment

Turn of the Century - Immigration Research Project! Who participated in the American Experience and why? How did this influence the country in an economic, political or social way?

Topic Choices

China (but be cognizant of dates--after 1882, immigration was severely restricted)

Japan

Northern and Western European Countries (first wave 1870) - It is a good idea to choose a country within this region if you choose Germany, Great Britain or Ireland

Southern and Eastern European Countries (second wave 1890) 

Mexico- 1900-1910 during the Mexican Revolution

You might choose specific countries within these regions (and some of you already have), but be sure you have enough research on the country to collect so that you can come up with a proper thesis.

Skill Objectives SWBAT

Skill Objectives: SWBAT:

  • Write research notes, using noodletools
  • Create an original, research-based,  thesis statement
  • Craft an outline
  • Draft a paper and peer-edit
  • Incorporate footnotes
  • Develop a bibliography
  • Think critically about a topic
  • Evaluate a variety of sources

Assignment

Assignment:  

You will be writing a research paper about the topic  of Immigration at the Turn of the Century (1870s-1920s).  The following topic options can be used for this assignment:

Country or ethnic group

Particular person who immigrated at that time or persons

Immigration then and now

Push/Pull factors

Xenophobia and/or Antisemitism

Chinese Exclusion Act and /or Gentlemen's Agreement

Immigration and Urbanization

Other???- See me

 

By May, you will submit a Research Paper with a cover page, final draft and a  bibliography.  The  thesis, outline and first draft will be submitted via blackbaud as we go and graded under the project category. 

Below are some guiding questions for your research that you will you use to create your OWN research questions (Or you might use some these to guide your research)

  • When did your chosen immigrant group come to the United States?
  • WHY did you group choose to immigrate to the U.S. (push factors and pull factors)?
  • Where did you group settle in the US and why?
  • What kind of work did your group do in the U.S.
  • What was the immigrant experience  like for your group?
  • How did United States government policies and programs affect immigration patterns for your group?
  • How did United States government policies and programs affect immigrants' assimilation* into the life of the nation?
  • What impact did immigrant cultural traditions have on the United States?

*Assimilation: process by which a person or group acquires the social and psychological characteristics of a group

 

SEE this for a link to research questions

Sources

How many sources will you need?

  • 5 Minimum- please see the criteria below;  at least three of those sources must come from the Macduffie database

What TYPES of sources must they be?

  • You must use at least ONE primary source - this can be from the database or from online, but must be reliable and relevant
  • You may use ONLY ONE Reference source
  • If you do not use all Macduffie databases, then the websites you use must be reliable sources (which means they must be relevant, have an author who appears to be an authority on the subject, come from reliable root sites, such as .edu or .gov and be current if not a primary source)

Notecards and NoodleTools

  • All notes must be done through Noodletools
  • You need at least one note per source
  • You need at least 25 notecards in noodle tools
  • Each source must have a source card in noodle tools