After reading information about Executive Order #9066, class members assume the voice of an 18 year-old Japanese-American born in California and placed in an internment camp. Individuals then craft a letter to President Roosevelt explaining why they feel the government was or was not justified in using this type of presidential authority.

Concepts

japanese-american history, internment camps, japanese-american internment, the executive branch

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Project images of the internment camps and the relocation process

Classroom Considerations

• The seventh in a series of 19 related resources that examine the United States political system
• The activity presumes class members are familiar with the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that led to the United States entry into World War II 

Pros

• The four-page packet includes the plan and background information about the order

Cons

• None