1. Primary Source Activity
John Q. Student

2. TEK
USH .3.C
Analyze social issues affecting women, minorities, children, immigrants, urbanization, the Social Gospel, and philanthropy of industrialists

3. Materials
Excerpt from Roughing It, Volume II, Chapter XIII: The Gentle, Inoffensive Chinese, by Mark Twain, 1871.
Document analysis worksheet

4. Excerpt from Roughing It, Volume II, Chapter XIII: The Gentle, Inoffensive Chinese, by Mark Twain, 1871.
Of course there was a large Chinese population in Virginia City - it is the case with every town and city on the Pacific coast. They are a harmless race when white men either let them alone or treat them no worse than dogs; in fact, they are almost entirely harmless anyhow, for they seldom think of resenting the vilest insults or the cruelest injuries. They are quiet, peaceable, tractable, free from drunkenness, and they are as industrious as the day is long. A disorderly Chinaman is rare, and a lazy one does not exist. So long as a Chinaman has strength to use his hands he needs no support from anybody; white men often complain of want of work, but a Chinaman offers no such complaint; he always manages to find something to do. He is a great convenience to everybody - even to the worst class of white men, for he bears the most of their sins, suffering fines for their petty thefts, imprisonment for their robberies, and death for their murders. Any white man can swear a Chinaman's life away in the courts, but no Chinaman can testify against a white man. Ours is the "land of the free" - nobody denies that - nobody challenges it. [Maybe it is because we won't let other people testify.] As I write, news comes that in broad daylight in San Francisco, some boys have stoned an inoffensive Chinaman to death, and that although a large crowd witnessed the shameful deed, no one interfered.

5. Learning Targets
Students should know how to analyze a primary source using an analysis worksheet as an aid
Students should understand some of the difficulties faced by new immigrants to US
Students should have an understanding of how immigrant culture impacted the US and how the US impacted it

6. Objective
The student will be able to analyze a primary source and apply that source to given topic
The student will explain social problems faced by new immigrants to America

7. Essential Questions How were Chinese immigrants treated in California?
Did Chinese culture contribute to this treatment or provoke it?
What specific social problems did the Chinese experience?

8. Lesson Delivery Document analysis
Students may work individually or in pairs
Students will analyze the given document using a document analysis worksheet

9. Understanding / Assessment
Students will apply the analysis by writing a one-page discussion of social problems Chinese immigrants faced in California using the essential questions as a guide

10. Reteach
Class discussion on analysis techniques and applying analysis to a given task

11. Closure / Summary
Ask students to compare treatment of Chinese with treatment of other racial/ethnic groups immigrating to US
Discuss 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act and its implications