Introduction
The United States has often been referred to as a "nation of immigrants." While immigration has historically been the country's foundation, immigration continues to shape the structure and composition of the population. The majority of migrants move in response to economic pressures, but some migrants—called refugees—move because of fear. Recognizing their story is also an important part of understanding international migration.
Objectives
- To understand immigration to the United States
- To identify major international migration streams
- To evaluate the impact of migration on U.S. population structure
- To explain the impact of major refugee movements on both source and host countries
Content Standards
AP Human Geography*: Unit II—Population Unit
C. Population movement
2. Major voluntary and involuntary migrations at different scales
Student Activities
Lesson Resources
"Immigration: Shaping and Reshaping America" Population Bulletin 58.2 , pp. 3-5 and 23-29; pp. 20-23 (PDF: 380KB)
"International Migration: Facing the Challenge" Population Bulletin 57.1 , pp. 3-9 (PDF: 380KB)
"Refugees by Number" (UNHCR) http://www.unhcr.org/basics.html
[Note: The page numbers provided refer to the pages of the publication, not the pdf file.]
Central Concepts: Migration patterns
Case Locations: United States; selected source countries
This lesson plan is part of a teaching package, Making Population Real: New Lesson Plans and Classroom Activities.
* AP and the Advanced Placement Program are registered trademarks of the College Entrance Examination Board, which was not involved in the production of these lesson plans.