Cultural Studies

9/11: Impact and Evacuation

Impact on Muslims in America

1. How were the safety of Muslims impacted by the 9/11 attacks?

2. How many Muslims are in the US today vs. before the attacks?

3. Were the jobs of Muslims in the US affected after the attacks?

Resources:

• Pew Research Center - Muslims in America

• ACLU - Post-9/11 Discrimination

• Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

Evacuation from New York

1. How many people escaped New York after the 9/11 attack?

2. What kind of people escaped?

Resources:

• History.com - 9/11 Timeline

• The 9/11 Memorial and Museum

• PBS - Escape from New York

Afghans in America

1. How were the Afghan people treated in America after 9/11?

   • How/Did they change this stereotype/stigma around them?

   • How have Afghans' past reactions to the hate they faced affected today’s generation and their lives in America?

   • How have the Afghan people grown/evolved their way of thinking from their experience in the US?

Resources:

• Pew Research Center - Afghan Refugees in America

• Refugee Council USA - Afghan Experiences

• Human Rights Watch - Treatment of Afghan Refugees

Armenian Immigrants

1. What were some challenges the Armenians faced when coming to America after the Armenian genocide?

2. How did they travel to America—was it boat, plane, or other methods? Was it a hard trip for them, with storms or little to no food and water?

Resources:

• Armenian Museum of America

• History.com - The Armenian Genocide

• Smithsonian Institution - Armenian Immigration

Brazilian-American Families

1. How are Brazilian-American families like compared to just American families?

2. What are their traditions/practices like?

Resources:

• Brazilian Cultural Center

• Migration Policy Institute - Brazilian Immigrants

• The Brazilian Immigrant Center

Chinese Immigrants

1. What are some positive contributions Chinese immigrants have made in American society?

Resources:

• PBS - Chinese Americans

• History.com - Chinese Immigration

• Asian American History Center

Cold War: Russian Immigration

1. How did the Cold War influence the experiences of Russian immigrants in America?

2. How did U.S. government policies affect Russian immigration during the Cold War?

3. How did Russian Americans contribute to U.S.-Soviet cultural exchanges or diplomacy?

Resources:

• Cold War International History Project

• Library of Congress - Russian Immigration

• Smithsonian Magazine - Cultural Diplomacy During the Cold War

Czech Immigrants

1. Why did they leave the churches once they got to America?

2. Why did they migrate to Texas?

3. What cities did they help found?

Resources:

• Texas State Historical Association - Czech Texans

• Library of Congress - Czech Immigration

• National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library

Greek Resistance in WWII

1. How did the Greek Resistance help the United States during World War II?

Resources:

• National WWII Museum - Greece in WWII

• History.com - Greek Resistance

• Smithsonian - Greece and WWII

Hawaiian Experiences

1. How do tourists affect Native Hawaiians?

2. How do Native Hawaiians feel about tourists?

3. How do tourists treat Native Hawaiians?

4. How were the people in Hawaii impacted by their home becoming a state?

5. What is the Hawaiian economy like after becoming a part of the United States?

6. How much more expensive has food and rent become since more people started visiting Hawaii?

Resources:

• Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism

• Cultural Survival - Native Hawaiian Issues

• PBS - The Statehood of Hawaii

Hmong Americans

1. How have Hmong Americans adapted to the American lifestyle?

2. What remnants of old Hmong culture are still prominent, and what parts of their culture are new?

Resources:

• Minnesota Historical Society - Hmong History

• Pew Research Center - Hmong in America

• Smithsonian Folkways - Hmong Cultural Practices

Irish American Immigration

1. Why were Irish Americans discriminated against despite having a valid reason to immigrate to America and mostly appearing white?

2. Did Irish Americans clash with any other ethnic groups?

3. Did Irish Americans attempt to resume their normal lifestyle from Ireland in America?

Resources:

• American History - Irish Immigrants

• History.com - The Irish in America

• The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Manifest Destiny

1. When did Irish Americans first come to the U.S.?

2. How many Irish Americans stayed in New York?

3. Did Irish Americans move with the Manifest Destiny?

Resources:

• History Ireland - Irish Immigration

• National Archives - Irish Immigrants

• Library of Congress - Immigration and Manifest Destiny

Irish Americans Economic Boom 

1. How did the economic boom happen?

2. What was the experience of the Irish during the economic boom (1990-2007)?

3. What is the average income for an Irish person?

Resources:

• Economic History Society

• The Irish Times - Economic Boom

• BBC - Irish Economy History

Italian Americans

1. How has the Italian community impacted Americans?

2. How has the Italian-American Mafia positively affected the U.S. economy?

Resources:

• National Italian American Foundation

• Library of Congress - Italian Immigration

• PBS - Italian American Culture

Jamaican American Immigration

1. How many Jamaican Americans successfully have an education in the US?

2. Was immigration to the US a struggle for most Jamaican American families?

3. What are some hardships for Jamaican Americans?

Resources:

• Migration Policy Institute - Jamaican Americans

• The Jamaican Global Diaspora

• BlackPast - Jamaican Immigrants in America

Jamaican Americans (2)

1. Did their music affect the rights they had/have in the US?

2. How do younger generations of Jamaican Americans stay connected to the culture of their ancestors?

3. In what ways has Reggae helped maintain Jamaican America’s cultural identity?

4. Why did Jamaicans immigrate to America?

5. What challenges did they face, and how did they contribute to America?

Resources:

• BlackPast - Jamaican Americans

• PBS - Reggae and Jamaican Culture

• Jamaican Global Diaspora

Japanese American Internment

1. Did the United States government do anything to compensate for their actions other than freeing the Japanese-Americans after figuring out they were going about things wrong?

2. How was their mental health affected by their experiences in the camp once they were freed?

3. Was age taken into consideration for how they were treated in these Japanese-American camps?

Resources:

• Densho Encyclopedia

• The National Archives - Japanese Internment

• PBS - Japanese American Internment

Mexican Americans

1. What are some resources for Mexican indigenous tribes in California?

2. Why does the Mexican community change America?

3. What are the biggest challenges Mexican immigrants face in the United States?

4. Which states do Mexican immigrants do the best in?

5. Do Mexican immigrants feel supported/welcomed in the United States?

Resources:

• California Native American Heritage Commission

• Migration Policy Institute - Mexican Immigration

• Smithsonian Latino Center

Mormon Experiences

1. What types of persecution have Mormons faced throughout the years?

2. Does their way of life affect the people around them?

3. Do they have certain traditions?

Resources:

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• History.com - The Mormons

• Mormon History- Britannica 

Negro Leagues in Baseball

1. If they practiced, were there any interruptions from people who didn't approve of their league?

2. Who were some of the first people that joined the first Negro league?

3. Who coached the first Negro league team?

Resources:

• Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

• Baseball Hall of Fame - Negro Leagues

• History.com - Negro League Baseball

• Black Baseball Hall of Fame

Native Tribes and Natural Living

1. Do some tribes today still live in nature?

Resources:

• National Congress of American Indians

• Native Knowledge 360°

• Cultural Survival - Special Interest Group

The Sioux Tribe and U.S. History

1. What role did the Sioux tribe play in the creation of the US?

2. Was fighting against the Sioux necessary in order to establish land for the US?

3. Where are the Sioux tribe today, and how were they affected by the fighting?

Resources:

• National Museum of the American Indian - The Sioux Nation

• History.com - The Sioux Uprising of 1862

• Native Hope - History of the Sioux Tribe

Swiss Americans

1. What effect have Swiss Americans had on America and other Americans?

Resources:

• Swiss American Historical Society

• Library of Congress - Swiss Immigration

• National Archives - Swiss Contributions

Swedish Americans

1. What contributions have Swedish Americans made in the U.S.?

2. What is the percentage of Swedish Americans who are married and have children?

3. Is there a common job that Swedish people do?

4. What cultural aspects of Sweden did Swedish Americans bring to the U.S.?

5. What challenges/struggles did Swedes face in America?

6. What is the percentage of Swedish Americans who graduate from high school?

Resources:

• American Swedish Institute

• Migration Policy Institute - Swedish Immigrants

• Library of Congress - Swedish Immigration