Idaho Social Studies 5.SS.1.7
The Standard
Explain the religious, political, and economic motives of immigrants to the United States.
Idaho Content Standards: K-12 Social Studies
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students explain why people moved to the United States for religious, political, or economic reasons. They use details from a person's account to support their explanation. They recognize that a person may have more than one reason.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can tell why a family facing religious attacks, a person facing arrest for opposing a government, or a worker seeking wages might move. They point to evidence and name more than one motive when the account supports it.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may assume everyone came for a job or that everyone from one country had the same reason. They may confuse being punished for religious beliefs with being punished for criticizing a government.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Give students three accounts of families moving to the United States: 'Our worship was banned,' 'We were jailed for criticizing leaders,' and 'A factory offered wages.' Ask them to label each motive and underline the clue.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs three case cards: Jewish families facing religious attacks, Cuban dissidents facing arrest, and Irish workers seeking wages; sort and cite clues.
Ask, 'Could someone leave because worship is restricted and jobs are scarce?' Have students write two reasons and give evidence for each.
Play Motive Match: read migration clues aloud, then have teams hold up religion, politics, or economy cards and explain their choice.
Read a published immigrant interview from a local newspaper; students mark the person's stated reasons for moving and note any that overlap.
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Printable 5.SS.1.7 Worksheet
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Related Standards
- 6-9.WH.2.2
Identify the main reasons for major migrations of people.
- 6-12.US1.26
Analyze the religious, political, and economic motives of immigrants who came to North America between 1820-1860.
- 6-12.US1.46
Analyze the religious, political, and economic motives of 19th-century immigrants who came to North America.
- 5.SS.1.9
Analyze or distinguish the geographic, economic, and religious motivations that influenced the movement of people.
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