Guide

Becoming American Study Guide

This guide to accompany the film Becoming American helps students investigate identity and belonging through the stories of generations of Chinese immigrants in the United States and their paths to "becoming American."

Subject

Civics & Citizenship
History
Social Studies

Language

English — US

Updated

September 26, 2022

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Poster for "Becoming American: The Chinese Experience" by Bill Moyers. Black and white images of people and an American flag border the text on an orange background.

Download a PDF of this resource for free

Date of Publication: September 2012

The film Becoming American: The Chinese Experience describes the ways the first arrivals from China in the 1840s, their descendants, and recent immigrants have "become American." While specific to one immigrant group, it is a story about identity and belonging that will resonate with all Americans.

This study guide, designed to accompany the film, explores such universal themes in a particular history. Throughout the guide, students are encouraged to relate the story of the Chinese in America to their own history and to the history of the nation as a whole.

This guide seeks to promote student-teacher discussion around questions that Americans have asked in every generation, such as:

Who may live among us?
Who may become an American?
What does it mean to be an American?

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Facing History & Ourselves, “Becoming American Study Guide”, last updated September 26, 2022.

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Becoming American Study Guide

Subject

Language

Updated

Download a PDF of this resource for free

Download a PDF of this resource for free

How to Cite This Guide

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Becoming American Study Guide

Subject

Language

Updated

Download a PDF of this resource for free

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Stream videos from the Becoming American: The Chinese Experience Documentary Series

How to Cite This Guide

You might also be interested in…

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