Eugenics Mini-Lesson

GATTACA – Eugenics Lesson Part I: Research & Questions

The Eugenics Movement is a darker period of American history that is not often talked about or taught in your Social Studies textbook. However, the three decades that it was popular had both immediate and far reaching effects on the American public and America politics. For the next two days, you will explore this flawed methodology and see its global effects.

YOU MAY WORK IN GROUPS OF TWO & TWO ONLY - There are two paragraphs needed for this activity, Each member of the group must respond to both paragraphs. You will be given two formative grades for this project – one for the group questions, one for the individual response questions.

Go to the following link : http://www.eugenicsarchive.org/eugenics/ Click on “Enter the Archive” Click on “Menu of Virtual Exhibits”

After reading through the various articles and viewing the photos that are attached to the articles, answer the following questions. The questions do go in order of the articles.

1). What social issues led to the creation of the American Eugenics movement? 2). What were the goals/ aims of the eugenics movement? List two or three aspects of society that eugenics was designed to improve. 3). Who was in charge of the Eugenics movement? Who was involved? Who “participated”? 4). How was eugenics tied in with scientific research? 5). How did scientists hope to “improve humanity”? 6). Explain the problems that eugenicists had when attempting to compare traits to the Mendelian process. 7). How are scientists able to resolve those issues stated in question 6 today? 8). How was research gathered? Who was targeted? 9). Why were immigrants more likely to fail the given “tests”? 10). List at least seven traits that were studied in the eugenics movement. Explain how these traits had an impact on categorizing immigrant groups. 11). How did flaws in eugenic research affect the American population? This response needs to be answered in a standard paragraph that includes three specific quotes from the section in the website titled “Flaws in Eugenics Research” (And yes, Viriginia, there is an author… so… you need to have parenthetical citations for your quotes). 12). With the popularity of Eugenics in the 1920’s & 1930’s, where could students be exposed to information on eugenics (list at least two places)? What did this informational propaganda spawn? 13). Give two examples of how states used Eugenics and “scientific driven data” to create laws that promoted racism. 14). Explain President Coolidge’s comment that “Americans must remain American” on page 7 of the article “Eugenics Laws Restricting Immigration”. 15). In a standard length paragraph, defend your position for the following question: With the problems facing our current global society – overpopulation, food shortage, resource shortage poverty, etc - could you see public support for mandatory sterilization of particular groups come to the forefront yet again? Use at least two examples from this particular section of the website to support your comment. Remember this question asks you to think globally, not just nationally.