Partners in History: Danbury TAH Grant

This unit will focus on the relocation of Japanese-Americans from the West Coast during WWII and will make students aware of the fragility of civil rights in the presence of a perceived threat to national security. Students will examine primary documents, including Executive Order 9066, letters from camp residents, photographs of camp life, a newspaper article and President Bush's 1990 letter of apology in which he offers restitution. Students will also view film footage of the attack on Pearl Harbor and America's reaction. They will read interviews with Japanese-Americans regarding the relocation experience and with other citizens regarding their memories of the time. Students will examine the Bill of Rights and assess violations of civil liberties. Throughout the unit, students will remain watchful for biases in the material presented.