Lesson Plan, Video Angel Island & The Chinese Exclusion Act
- Grade Level 6th-8th Grade
- Time Period Early 1900s
Introduction
This lesson provides students with an introduction to Angel Island. The lesson begins with students completing a timeline of Chinese immigration to America. The progression of events will help them understand the escalation of anti-Chinese sentiment in America culminating with the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the first law that restricted immigration based on nationality.
Essential Questions
Do you think the interrogation process on Angel Island was fair? Why or why not?
In this clip, Connie Young Yu states, “Angel Island has been called the Ellis Island of the West. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Ellis Island with the Statue of Liberty represents immigrants being welcome. Angel Island meant exclusion. It meant interrogation. It was a place to be feared.” Do you agree with her statement?
Recall the times in U.S. history when other people have been confined. How did their confinement compare to that of the Chinese? What were the causes, societal responses, immigrants’ responses, similarities, differences?
In this clip, Connie Young Yu shares how her mother and sisters, who were American citizens, were separated from their mother, who was detained on Angel Island. She states, “One of the harshest punishments is to separate parents from their children. It’s the detention of people who are struggling to survive.” How would you respond to her statement based on your new understanding of Angel Island and past and present United States immigration policy?