Lesson Plan, Article, Video Primary Sources: Eugenics, White Supremacy, World's Fair 1904
- Grade Level 3rd-5th Grade
- Time Period Early 1900s
Introduction
This set examines primary sources related to the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, focusing on the Igorot village exhibit, and explores themes of eugenics, white supremacy, and U.S. imperialism. Through photographs, newspaper articles, and lesson plans, students will analyze historical sources to understand societal values and attitudes of the time.
Resources:
Theodore Roosevelt Center: Blog post of artifacts, photos and newspaper articles: "’Savages’ in the White House and the 1904 World’s Fair” (July 6, 2019)
The Asian American Education Project: Lesson: Activities 1-3: “1904 World’s Fair - Exhibition of the Igorot Filipino People” including excerpt from Asian Americans
Essential Questions
What can sources (e.g., photographs, advertisements, letters, news reports) from the past teach us about
what life was like at the time?
What are things to notice in the sources to reveal that information?
What do they tell us about what people thought and valued?
Related Resources
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