You are a member of a committee tasked with planning a museum dedicated to the history of immigration throughout U.S. history. Your specific job is to plan the exhibit that will document the experience of Irish immigrants in the 19th century, with a particular focus on the nativist reaction to the Irish. Your Social Responsibility Assignment will require you to submit a typed proposal for this exhibit.
To construct a well-organized assignment, follow the steps below in order. Make sure to address each question directly. The structure and mechanics of your paper are of less importance than your ability to address the issues presented below.
Step One: Ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities: To understand the context of Irish Immigration in the 19th century, please read the relevant sections from your textbook. Begin your proposal by describing your intended goal for this museum exhibit. What message do you hope to convey? Who is your intended audience? How will you reach out to individuals who are skeptical about the value of immigration in our country?
Step Two: Knowledge of civic responsibility: What connection will you hope your audience will make between the experience of Irish immigrants in the 19th century and the experience of immigrants today? How can our knowledge and understanding of immigration in the past help us to make decisions about immigration today that are more informed? What are the lessons that we learn from the story of Irish immigration?
Step Three: Intercultural competence: Refer to at least two of the attached 19th century anti-immigration cartoons. These political cartoons highlight nativist attitudes the Irish encountered. What arguments or assumptions did native-born Americans make in rejecting Irish newcomers? What were the fears of nativists about the Irish? What recurring patterns occur in the hesitation with which resident Americans have viewed the acceptance of newcomers? How will this exhibit promote greater engagement with America’s diverse heritage of immigrants? See attachment for anti-immigration cartoons.
Sample Solution
