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Summary and Objective
From the early 1880s to the late 1920s, a massive wave of immigrants from Europe came to the United States, particularly from Southern and Eastern Europe. The arrival of these newcomers touched off a debate among Americans about the potential threat these newcomers posed to the nation. After reading several articles on the topic of recent Polish immigrants, published in early 20th century Franklin County, Massachusetts newspapers, students will understand the arguments for and against immigration restriction made during the Progressive Era. They will particularly understand the economic and cultural nature of those arguments.
Teaching Plan
Step 1.
Before doing this activity, students should read chapters 5 and 7 of "Strangers in the Land" by John Higham.
Step 2.
On the day of the activity, the teacher and students should review the early 20th century pro- and anti-immigration arguments discussed in Higham's text. The teacher should write the respective arguments on the board.
Step 3.
The teacher should point out to the students that this was the time period when Polish immigrants came en masse to the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts, particularly to Hampshire and Franklin Counties. Like the rest of the nation, the residents of this area debated and discussed the benefits and drawbacks of their new neighbors.
Step 4.
Inform the students that they are now going to analyze several newspaper articles from the time period which focused on the benefits and drawbacks of the newly arrived Polish immigrants.
Step 5.
Escort the students to the computer lab and have them log on to the PVMA digital collection, where they will each be assigned one article from the list attached to this activity. As they read their respective article, they should identify whether the article is pro- or anti-immigrant and the supporting arguments contained in the article.
Step 6.
When every student is done reading his/her article, the teacher should call on students to identify and explain the arguments contained in their respective articles. The teacher should write them on the board in a two column chart.
Step 7.
Once the chart is composed, the teacher should guide the students to understand that most concerns about the immigrants revolved around issues of work and cultural differences.
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