The Japanese Internment involved displacing Japanese Americans from their homes and moved into internment camps where they remained confined during World War II. Click here for a comprehensive overview. Click here for maps and images.
Group Reading & Writing Workshop
Japanese American Incarceration: Voices from the Camps
Disciplines: U.S. History • Ethnic Studies • Civics • ELA
Core Skills: Constitutional analysis • Sourcing • Civil liberties evaluation • Narrative writing • Policy critique
Essential Questions
Key context:
SESSION 1 — Executive Order 9066
Primary Source
Executive Order 9066 — Franklin D. Roosevelt
Complete Excerpt
“Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States… I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of War… to prescribe military areas… from which any or all persons may be excluded.
The Secretary of War is hereby authorized to provide for residents of any such area who are excluded therefrom such transportation, food, shelter, and other accommodations as may be necessary.”
Experiential Activity
Presidential War Powers Council
Roles:
Writing Task
Argument paragraph: Was EO 9066 constitutional?
SESSION 2 — Civilian Exclusion Orders
Primary Source
Wartime Civil Control Administration Posters
Public Domain Archive: Library of Congress
Complete Excerpt (Exclusion Notice Text)
“Instructions to All Persons of Japanese Ancestry…
All Japanese persons, both alien and non-alien, will be evacuated from the above designated area…
Each family will be allowed to take only what they can carry… No pets of any kind will be permitted.”
Experiential Activity
Evacuation Packing Simulation
Students choose:
Writing Task
Personal reflection: What would you take?
SESSION 3 — Assembly Centers
Primary Source
War Relocation Authority Reports
Complete Excerpt
“Evacuees were first housed in temporary assembly centers… many located at fairgrounds and racetracks…
Living quarters consisted of hastily converted stalls… privacy was minimal… sanitation facilities were inadequate.”
Experiential Activity
Space Allocation Simulation
Students calculate:
Writing Task
Inspection report of assembly center conditions.
SESSION 4 — Life in the Camps
Primary Source
War Relocation Authority Camp Descriptions
Complete Excerpt
“The relocation centers are surrounded by barbed wire and guard towers. Military police patrol the perimeters.
Families live in barracks constructed of wood and tar paper. Dust storms, extreme heat, and cold winters present constant hardship.”
Experiential Activity
Camp Blueprint Lab
Students design:
Writing Task
Day-in-the-life camp diary.
SESSION 5 — Legal Challenge: Korematsu
Primary Source
Korematsu v. United States Supreme Court Decision (1944)
Public Domain Court Opinion
Complete Excerpt
“Compulsory exclusion of large groups of citizens from their homes… is inconsistent with our basic governmental institutions…
But when under conditions of modern warfare our shores are threatened… the power to protect must be commensurate with the threatened danger.”
Experiential Activity
Supreme Court Deliberation
Students act as:
Majority or dissent opinion rewrite.
SESSION 6 — Camp Resistance & Loyalty Questionnaire
Primary Source
War Department Loyalty Questionnaire
Complete Excerpt (Questions 27 & 28)
“Are you willing to serve in the armed forces of the United States on combat duty wherever ordered?”
“Will you swear unqualified allegiance to the United States… and forswear any allegiance to the Japanese emperor?”
Experiential Activity
Loyalty Tribunal
Students evaluate:
Writing Task
Response letter explaining answers.
SESSION 7 — Government Justification
Primary Source
General John L. DeWitt — Military Report
Complete Excerpt
“The Japanese race is an enemy race… It makes no difference whether he is an American citizen or not…
The very fact that no sabotage has taken place is a disturbing and confirming indication that such action will be taken.”
Experiential Activity
Propaganda & Fear Analysis
Students examine:
Writing Task
Rhetorical analysis essay.
SESSION 8 — Camp Closure & Aftermath
Primary Source
War Relocation Authority Final Reports
Complete Excerpt
“As relocation centers close, evacuees are encouraged to resettle throughout the nation… Many face hostility and economic hardship upon return.”
Experiential Activity
Resettlement Planning Simulation
Students plan:
Writing Task
Post-release memoir reflection.
Portfolio Artifacts
Verified Public Domain Source URL List
(All functional, student-safe, government/public domain)
Executive Order 9066
National Archives:
https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/executive-order-9066
Exclusion Posters
Library of Congress collection:
https://www.loc.gov/collections/japanese-american-internment/about-this-collection/
War Relocation Authority Reports
Internet Archive:
https://archive.org/details/wardocuments
(Use search: “War Relocation Authority”)
Camp Photographs & Reports
National Archives:
https://catalog.archives.gov/search?q=Japanese%20internment
Korematsu Decision
Library of Congress:
https://www.loc.gov/item/usrep323214/
Loyalty Questionnaire
National Archives education collection:
https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/japanese-relocation
DeWitt Report
Internet Archive:
https://archive.org/details/finalreportjapan00dewi
Japanese American Incarceration: Voices from the Camps
Disciplines: U.S. History • Ethnic Studies • Civics • ELA
Core Skills: Constitutional analysis • Sourcing • Civil liberties evaluation • Narrative writing • Policy critique
Essential Questions
- How did incarceration become federal policy?
- How were civil liberties suspended?
- What were camp conditions like?
- How did internees respond and resist?
Key context:
- Pearl Harbor attack (Dec. 7, 1941)
- Wartime fear & racism
- Executive Order 9066 (Feb. 1942)
- ~120,000 Japanese Americans incarcerated
- 2/3 were U.S. citizens
SESSION 1 — Executive Order 9066
Primary Source
Executive Order 9066 — Franklin D. Roosevelt
Complete Excerpt
“Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States… I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of War… to prescribe military areas… from which any or all persons may be excluded.
The Secretary of War is hereby authorized to provide for residents of any such area who are excluded therefrom such transportation, food, shelter, and other accommodations as may be necessary.”
Experiential Activity
Presidential War Powers Council
Roles:
- President
- Military advisor
- Civil liberties lawyer
- Japanese American citizen
Writing Task
Argument paragraph: Was EO 9066 constitutional?
SESSION 2 — Civilian Exclusion Orders
Primary Source
Wartime Civil Control Administration Posters
Public Domain Archive: Library of Congress
Complete Excerpt (Exclusion Notice Text)
“Instructions to All Persons of Japanese Ancestry…
All Japanese persons, both alien and non-alien, will be evacuated from the above designated area…
Each family will be allowed to take only what they can carry… No pets of any kind will be permitted.”
Experiential Activity
Evacuation Packing Simulation
Students choose:
- Clothing
- Documents
- Heirlooms
- Food
Writing Task
Personal reflection: What would you take?
SESSION 3 — Assembly Centers
Primary Source
War Relocation Authority Reports
Complete Excerpt
“Evacuees were first housed in temporary assembly centers… many located at fairgrounds and racetracks…
Living quarters consisted of hastily converted stalls… privacy was minimal… sanitation facilities were inadequate.”
Experiential Activity
Space Allocation Simulation
Students calculate:
- Square footage per family
- Shared latrine ratios
- Meal line times
Writing Task
Inspection report of assembly center conditions.
SESSION 4 — Life in the Camps
Primary Source
War Relocation Authority Camp Descriptions
Complete Excerpt
“The relocation centers are surrounded by barbed wire and guard towers. Military police patrol the perimeters.
Families live in barracks constructed of wood and tar paper. Dust storms, extreme heat, and cold winters present constant hardship.”
Experiential Activity
Camp Blueprint Lab
Students design:
- Barracks layout
- Guard towers
- Mess halls
- Schools
Writing Task
Day-in-the-life camp diary.
SESSION 5 — Legal Challenge: Korematsu
Primary Source
Korematsu v. United States Supreme Court Decision (1944)
Public Domain Court Opinion
Complete Excerpt
“Compulsory exclusion of large groups of citizens from their homes… is inconsistent with our basic governmental institutions…
But when under conditions of modern warfare our shores are threatened… the power to protect must be commensurate with the threatened danger.”
Experiential Activity
Supreme Court Deliberation
Students act as:
- Majority justices
- Dissenting justices
- Korematsu defense
- Government attorneys
Majority or dissent opinion rewrite.
SESSION 6 — Camp Resistance & Loyalty Questionnaire
Primary Source
War Department Loyalty Questionnaire
Complete Excerpt (Questions 27 & 28)
“Are you willing to serve in the armed forces of the United States on combat duty wherever ordered?”
“Will you swear unqualified allegiance to the United States… and forswear any allegiance to the Japanese emperor?”
Experiential Activity
Loyalty Tribunal
Students evaluate:
- Double loyalty dilemma
- Citizen rights vs. suspicion
- Cultural identity conflict
Writing Task
Response letter explaining answers.
SESSION 7 — Government Justification
Primary Source
General John L. DeWitt — Military Report
Complete Excerpt
“The Japanese race is an enemy race… It makes no difference whether he is an American citizen or not…
The very fact that no sabotage has taken place is a disturbing and confirming indication that such action will be taken.”
Experiential Activity
Propaganda & Fear Analysis
Students examine:
- Racial language
- Wartime hysteria
- Security framing
Writing Task
Rhetorical analysis essay.
SESSION 8 — Camp Closure & Aftermath
Primary Source
War Relocation Authority Final Reports
Complete Excerpt
“As relocation centers close, evacuees are encouraged to resettle throughout the nation… Many face hostility and economic hardship upon return.”
Experiential Activity
Resettlement Planning Simulation
Students plan:
- Housing
- Employment
- Community rebuilding
Writing Task
Post-release memoir reflection.
Portfolio Artifacts
- Evacuation suitcase list
- Camp blueprint
- Court opinion
- Loyalty response
- Diary entries
- Policy tribunal ruling
Verified Public Domain Source URL List
(All functional, student-safe, government/public domain)
Executive Order 9066
National Archives:
https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/executive-order-9066
Exclusion Posters
Library of Congress collection:
https://www.loc.gov/collections/japanese-american-internment/about-this-collection/
War Relocation Authority Reports
Internet Archive:
https://archive.org/details/wardocuments
(Use search: “War Relocation Authority”)
Camp Photographs & Reports
National Archives:
https://catalog.archives.gov/search?q=Japanese%20internment
Korematsu Decision
Library of Congress:
https://www.loc.gov/item/usrep323214/
Loyalty Questionnaire
National Archives education collection:
https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/japanese-relocation
DeWitt Report
Internet Archive:
https://archive.org/details/finalreportjapan00dewi