EUGENICS IN THE UNITED STATES MODULE
Race and Membership: The Eugenics Movement
Research, evaluate, and answer the following questions for each category.
Race and Science
Social Darwinism:
1. What is Darwin’s Theory of Evolution?
2. Describe Social Darwinism.
3. Who is Herbert Spencer?
4. How did Social Darwinism differ in Germany?
5. What were Samuel Morton’s theories on brain size and intelligence?
6. How did Plessy v. Ferguson relate to Social Darwinism?
Galton and Eugenics
1. Who is Frances Galton?
2. Describe the Eugenics movement and its effects.
Eugenics in the U.S.
Persuasion & Propaganda--
1. Look at and evaluate propaganda images on left-hand side--images 1-9.
-After viewing each image, write down what you think is the purpose of each images?
2. What similarities did you find among these images? Differences?
3. Which do you feel did the best job accomplishing the attended goal?
4. Describe the difference between positive eugenics and negative eugenics.
-Give and example of each.
5. Discuss side note--”Fitter Family Contests”
-What was their purpose?
-Why were they so popular?
Anti-miscegenation Laws--
1. Define miscegenation.
2. Evaluate image dealing with research--(top left-hand side)
-What is the conclusion of this research?
3. Evaluate “side note”-”Blood & Fractions” -What is this saying?
4. What was the purpose of the Virginia Racial Integrity Act 0f 1924?
Immigration--
1. Evaluate & describe changes in U.S. immigration policy from 1789-1917.
2. Describe the House Immigration Committee hearing on the “immigration problem”.
-Who was Harry Langhlin?
-Describe what he believed.
-Who was Herbert Jennings?
-How did he differ from Harry Langhin?
3. What did the Immigration Restriction Act of 1924 accomplish?
4. Read the side note:
-What is the effect of the phrases such as “hoards of Jews” and “undesirables”?
-Who are the carriers of inferior “germ plasm”?
-Whom does Davenport consider “superior”?
Sterilization--
1. What was the purpose of sterilization?
2. How did eugenicists decide who would be sterilized?
3. Describe the sterilization laws and the controversies.
4. Summarize and explain the case of Buck v. Bell.
5. What was the outcome of the case?
