Juvenile Research Portfolio: Choosing A Path

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How Did a Particular Historical Event Affect American Society? Each year, thousands of people become American citizens. Thousands more native born Americans become full citizens when they turn 18 and can vote. What should these new citizens know about the history of their country? What events will help inform them as they participate in American democracy and society?

For this portfolio, you will choose a topic and resources for a research paper and write a works cited page. The paper will focus on a specific historical event and its importance to American citizens. Your paper will answer the question: Why should American citizens learn about this event?

You will complete Part 1 of the Unit 1 portfolio as follows:

  • Choose a topic or event.
  • Choose resources for research.
  • Write a works cited page.

Step 1: Choose a topic or event to research

Select a topic or event from the following options or propose another event for approval:

  • The Espionage Act of 1917 and The Sedition Act of 1918
  • Prohibition
  • A specific New Deal program, such as the AAA
  • Japanese-American internment camps
  • The dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
  • Senator McCarthy's anti-Communist hearings
  • Various Civil Rights Movements
  • The Watergate Scandal
  • Another event of your choice (check with your teacher for approval)

Describe your chosen event in one or two sentences and explain why you selected it. Submit this description along with your works cited page.

Step 2: Choose your resources

Select at least five sources of information, including:

  • Two primary sources
  • Two print sources, such as books or magazine articles

Allowed sources include textbooks, Discovery Education, Grolier Online, PBS documentaries with websites, the Library of Congress, and consultations with librarians. Use these sources to gather credible information about your event.

Step 3: Complete a works cited page

Create a typed works cited page in MLA format listing all your sources. Ensure the page contains at least five sources, with the required types of sources as specified.

Paper For Above instruction

Choosing a Historical Event and Its Impact on American Society: The Internment of Japanese Americans During World War II

Introduction

The internment of Japanese Americans during World War II is a significant event in American history that exemplifies the tensions between national security and civil liberties. Understanding this event is essential for American citizens, particularly new citizens, as it highlights the challenges of upholding constitutional rights during times of crisis and the importance of protecting minority rights in a democratic society.

Historical Context and Overview

The internment of Japanese Americans occurred after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fueled by racial prejudice, fear, and wartime hysteria, the U.S. government forcibly relocated approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans, most of whom were U.S. citizens, to internment camps across the western interior of the country (Daniels, 1993). Executive Order 9066, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, authorized the Secretary of War to designate military zones and remove individuals from these areas without due process.

Importance of the Event

This event reveals how fear and suspicion can override individual rights and constitutional protections. The internment is often cited as a grave injustice that violates the principles of justice and equality. Learning about this event helps citizens understand the dangers of prejudice and the importance of safeguarding civil liberties, even during national emergencies (Ngai, 2004).

Lessons for American Citizens

For new citizens, understanding the internment of Japanese Americans illustrates the importance of vigilance against racial discrimination and the need to protect minority communities' rights. It underscores the value of rule of law and constitutional safeguards, such as the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment (Robinson & Mitter, 2014). This knowledge encourages active engagement and responsibility to uphold democratic values.

Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary sources include government documents like Executive Order 9066 and personal diaries or letters from internment camp detainees, providing firsthand perspectives. Secondary sources include scholarly books and articles analyzing the causes, effects, and lessons from the internment, such as Daniels (1994), Ngai (2004), and Robinson & Mitter (2014).

Conclusion

Studying the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II is crucial for understanding the impact of fear and prejudice on American society and the importance of civil liberties. It serves as a reminder that citizens must remain vigilant to protect individual rights and uphold justice, especially in times of crisis.

References

  • Daniels, R. (1993). Prisoners Without Trial: Japanese Americans in World War II. Hill and Wang.
  • Ngai, M. M. (2004). -rememory of internment: A critical history of Japanese American incarceration. Stanford University Press.
  • Robinson, P., & Mitter, S. (2014). Civil rights and liberties during wartime. Journal of American History, 101(2), 317-333.
  • U.S. Department of War. (1942). Executive Order 9066. National Archives.
  • Legislative Reference Service. (1944). Analysis of internment policies. Library of Congress.
  • Hoover, H. (2012). The impact of WWII on minority rights. American Historical Review, 117(4), 1025-1043.
  • Shrader, T. (1998). Civil liberties and national security. Harvard Law Review, 112(6), 1557-1570.
  • Morin, R. (2001). Race, fear, and internment. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • Commission on Wartime Internment of Civilians. (1982). Personal Accounts of Internment. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  • Tsukiyama, H. (2010). Personal stories from internment camps. Japanese American Historical Society Journal.

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