WHO IS INVOLVED?

Name: Ryan Heckaman

School: City High School
Mentor Name: Mr. Craig Travis
Grade/Subject: 9th grade, U.S. History General Topic: Immigration and Urbanization

WHAT IS THE BIG PICTURE?

The goal of this class is to introduce students to Immigration and Urbanization in reference to
American history from 1870 through 1920. The students are approximately 15 years old and are
freshman in high school. The struggle with the material will be to synthesize the information in
the context of the era in which it happened and not allow the current climate and view of
immigration to impact the students learning the material from the time in which it happened. The
circumstances are similar but the context between then and now are very different. Trying to
keep a balanced approach is my goal in helping the students learn about this pivotal time in
American history. There are political reasons that immigration should be examined but when it
comes to history, the context and situation of the era need to be taken into consideration.

HOW DOES THIS UNIT RELATE TO THE BIG PICTURE?

This particular unit is based off of Chapter 7 in the textbook titled "The Americans:
Reconstruction through the 20th Century. (Danzer, Klor de Alva, Woloch, & Wilson, 1999) This
unit focuses on the challenges that America faced as it tried to establish a national identity from
1870 through 1920 with the immigration boom, urbanization, political machines and the social
reformers movements. This chapter provides an understanding of these events impact on the
overarching themes of immigration and urbanization. Understanding how immigration and
urbanization shaped the 20th century helps people understand why America looks the way it
does today.

WHY DOES IT MATTER TO THE STUDENTS?

As stated, immigration is still something that we are dealing with today. The pulse of America
suggests that Americans themselves are very split on how to view and handle immigration in
this country. By understanding the history of it and how America handled it in the past, students
can make informed opinions on the subject of immigration. This can help people wade through
political subjects that surround immigration and help students become more informed on the
matter and politicians stances on it. This can help the students in their decision-making process
when it comes to elections as well.

References
Danzer, G. A., Klor de Alva, J. J., Woloch, N., & Wilson, L. E. (1999). The Americans: Reconstruction
Through the 20th Century. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell Inc.