St. Louis Without Immigrants?
A Counterfactual Project
Overview
In this lesson, students will envision what St. Louis would have been like
without the immigration of German and Irish people in the mid 19th century.
They will navigate the landscape of St. Louis in 1850 to assess the cultural,
economic, political and physical influence of these immigrants on St. Louis
society. The lesson can serve as a springboard for a broader discussion
on the influence of immigrants on United States society and the meaning
of the concept, E Pluribus Unum.
Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will:
- Identify the cultural, economic,
political and physical contributions of German an Irish immigrants to St.
Louis society.
- Assess the importance of
immigration in shaping United States society.
- Apply a historical understanding
of immigration to current issues.
Show Me Standards 1.2, 1.4,
1.5, 1.9, 1.10, 2.3, 3.5, 4.2 Social Studies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Process
- Begin the lesson by reviewing the history of immigration in the United
States. Ask students to list groups who have come to America over the past
three centuries. Review the concept of E Pluribus Unum (out of many
one), have students reflect on how each of these diverse groups has helped
shape
an ever changing "unum" in United States history. Introduce the
lesson and explain that they will participate in a counterfactual activity,
trying to determine how St. Louis would have been different without the contributions
of two immigrant groups from the 1850's, the German and Irish.
- Introduce
the St. Louis Virtual City website to the class. Show them how to navigate
using Cortona. Familiarize them with the three dimensional model
on the left side of the screen and the data on the right side of the screen.
Have students practice with the interface so that they can gain expertise
using the program.
- Distribute the student instructions and have students
answer the questions as they navigate through St. Louis in the 1850's (once
the 1860 site is
operational, students can also navigate through that decade).
- Conclude
the activity by facilitating a large group discussion about immigration
and St. Louis. Have students explain how the city would have
been different
culturally, economically, politically, and physically. What would St.
Louis have lost? Ask students to apply their historical understanding
to current
issues. How have recent immigrant communities influenced St. Louis
society (for instance, how has Vietnamese immigration affected the South
Grand
neighborhood)?
Click here for student instructions