The incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII was not the result of one simple action. In this activity, students will create a timeline of 5-10 events beginning with the bombing of Pearl Harbor and ending with the subsequent apology and reparations issued by Ronald Regan 40 years later. Students will include a short description of each event and create an illustration with appropriate scenes, characters, and items to convey the injustice of Japanese American Incarceration in the United States during WWII.
Teachers can pre-select the events they would like students to include into the timeline, or students can choose their own. In order for students to thrive in this assignment, they should be encouraged to research ten events, and select the five that they found to be the most interesting.
For an alternative to the timeline layout, have students create a timeline poster to incorporate into a presentation or gallery walk. You can add more than one template to this assignment to give students lots of options, and update the instructions accordingly.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a timeline in chronological order with accurate dates, descriptions, and illustrations for 5-10 important events relating to Japanese American incarceration during WWII.< /p>
Student Instructions:
Requirements: 5-10 events listed with correct dates, 1-3 sentence description, and appropriate illustrations.
Incorporate primary sources like photos, letters, and government documents about Japanese American incarceration to deepen understanding. Engaging with authentic materials helps students connect emotionally and think critically.
Present a historical photo or document, and guide students through observing details, asking questions, and inferring meaning. Modeling the process builds student confidence and analytical skills.
Divide students into groups, assigning each a different primary source to examine and discuss. Collaborative analysis encourages active participation and diverse perspectives.
Have each group share key findings and discuss how their source relates to the timeline events. Presenting helps students synthesize information and make meaningful connections.
Encourage students to incorporate evidence or insights from primary sources into their timeline descriptions and illustrations. This practice enriches timelines and develops historical thinking.
Key events leading to Japanese American incarceration during WWII include the bombing of Pearl Harbor, issuance of Executive Order 9066, forced removal from the West Coast, construction of internment camps, and the eventual government apology and reparations decades later. Each event played a significant role in the injustice faced by Japanese Americans.
To create a timeline about Japanese American incarceration, students should research important events, choose 5–10 milestones, write accurate dates and short descriptions for each, and create illustrations that visually represent the events and their impact.
Creative ways include having students make illustrated timelines, designing timeline posters for presentations or gallery walks, and allowing students to select events that interest them most. Using multiple templates can help engage diverse learners.
Learning about Japanese American incarceration helps students understand civil rights violations, recognize the impact of wartime fear, and reflect on the importance of justice and government accountability in U.S. history.
A strong timeline project should include 5–10 key events with accurate dates, concise descriptions (1–3 sentences each), and illustrations that clearly depict each event and its significance.