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Lesson Plan, Activity, Video :

Lesson Plan, Activity, Video Bengali Muslim Peddlers in New Orleans

  • Grade Level 6th-12th Grade
  • Time Period Late 1800s - 1969
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Introduction

The first significant settlement of South Asians in the United States was a community of Bengali Muslim peddlers who, beginning in the 1880s, traveled from India to the United States to sell goods. While many of these peddlers intended to return to India, others continued traveling around the world. Those who stayed in the United States embedded themselves within local communities of color. In this lesson, students will learn about the history and motivations of these early Bengali peddlers. Students will also examine the significance of New Orleans, Louisiana to this community.
Lesson Objectives:
Students will:

  • Examine the geography of regions in South Asia and the American south to explain the settlement of Bengali peddlers.
  • Identify causes of and motivations for the settlement of Bengali peddlers in New Orleans, Louisiana.
  • Describe the experiences of early Bengali peddlers in the United States.