Palmer Raids Student Materials PDF

Palmer Raids Timeline April 1917- The U.S. entered World War I, which resulted in a spike in patriotism, nationalism, and nativism. June 1917 - Congress passed the Espionage Act, which made it illegal to convey information that hurt the war effort or aided the enemy. November 1917- Bolsheviks led...

Palmer Raids Timeline April 1917- The U.S. entered World War I, which resulted in a spike in patriotism, nationalism, and nativism. June 1917 - Congress passed the Espionage Act, which made it illegal to convey information that hurt the war effort or aided the enemy. November 1917- Bolsheviks led by Vladimir Lenin launch a revolution in Russia that would lead to the establishment of the Soviet Union. May 1918 – The Sedition Act made it illegal to say negative things about the U.S. government or the war effort. October 1918- The Immigration Act of 1918 authorized the exclusion of and deportation of “aliens who are members of the anarchistic and similar classes.” November 1918 – Armistice signed to end fighting in WWI. January 1919 – War Industries Board, which regulated industry and managed labor disputes during WWI, is decommissioned. 1919 – Violent labor strikes took place in cities across the country, including Seattle, Chicago, and Boston. March 1919 – A. Mitchell Palmer appointed U.S. Attorney General. April, June 1919 – Homes of prominent Americans are bombed by supporters of Italian anarchist Luigi Galleani. 1919 – Deadly race riots occur in cities across the country; the largest, in Chicago, lasted 13 days and left at least 38 dead. November 1919 – The U.S. Department of Justice launches the first of the Palmer Raids. DIGITAL INQUIRY GROUP inquirygroup.org  Document A: Case Against the "Reds" (Modified) Excerpt from an article written by U.S. attorney general A. Mitchell Palmer for The Forum, a popular American magazine. It was published in February 1920, after the Palmer Raids. … revolution was sweeping over every American institution a year ago… My information showed that thousands of aliens supported communism in this country. The whole purpose of communism appears to be a mass organization of the criminals of the world to overthrow the decencies of private life, to usurp property that they have not earned, to disrupt the present order of life… The Department of Justice will pursue the attack of these "Reds" upon the Government of the United States with vigilance, and no alien, advocating the overthrow of existing law and order in this country, shall escape arrest and prompt deportation. Vocabulary aliens: term used at the time for immigrants or foreigners usurp: take over DIGITAL INQUIRY GROUP inquirygroup.org  Document B: Evening Missourian This article was written by United Press, a national news agency. It appeared on January 3, 1920, in The Evening Missourian, a newspaper in Columbia, Missouri. REVOLUTION IS PREVENTED Radical Elements Were on the Verge of Fusion, Intending to Elect Bolshevist Candidate Next President and Set Up Soviet Government Forty-five hundred radicals, both men and women, most of them members of the communist and communist labor parties were arrested last night and early today in a nation-wide roundup by federal authorities. The raids, according to the Department of Justice agents, averted a move to establish a soviet government in the United States. Vocabulary fusion: a partnership or coalition of political groups bolshevist: Russian communist averted: prevented soviet government: communist government like the Soviet Union DIGITAL INQUIRY GROUP inquirygroup.org  Document C: New York Tribune These images appeared on the front page of the New York Tribune, a popular New York City newspaper, on June 4, 1919. The photos show three homes bombed by members of an anarchist organization. The home in the middle belonged to Attorney General Palmer. Overall, 36 bombs were mailed to prominent Americans in the spring of 1919. Two people were killed and two severely injured by the bombs. DIGITAL INQUIRY GROUP inquirygroup.org  Document D: Evening World (Modified) Excerpt from an article in The Evening World, a New York City newspaper, reporting on criticism of Attorney General Palmer and his actions during the Palmer Raids. The article was printed in January of 1921, about a year following the last of the arrests. Palmer Under Fire The Attorney General’s proceedings against so-called “Reds” is also scathingly criticized in a report prepared by twelve lawyers last year. Mr. Palmer’s high-handed policies toward aliens have made it certain that he would sooner or later be overtaken by concerted efforts to call him to account. It is only just to recall, however, that large sections of the American public were stirred by events during the war into abnormal states of distrust and intolerance toward aliens and toward “free speech” in the mouths of aliens. Such abnormal states of the public mind do not justify an Attorney General of the United States in losing his head … But the country should remind itself that its own nerves and balance were sorely tried. Vocabulary reds: a term for leftist groups, especially communists scathingly: harshly, intensely high-handed: showing no concern for the rights or feelings of others aliens: term used at the time for immigrants or foreigners sorely tried: burdened, stressed DIGITAL INQUIRY GROUP inquirygroup.org  Document E: Phoenix Tribune (Modified) This article originally appeared in the Baltimore Daily Herald. The Phoenix Tribune re-printed it on February 1, 1919. The end of World War I saw a spike in racial conflict as African Americans fought for rights and equality, and deadly race riots broke out in several cities across the country in the summer of 1919. BOLSHEVISM AND THE NEGRO The success of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia will likely arouse the ambition of daring spirits in America who will try to rally the working classes under the banner of Bolshevism. Their scheme of government is impractical, but it appeals with great force to the masses. They offer absolute justice and equality of opportunity to all and especially those who have suffered from injustice or class or race restriction and oppression. There are ten million negroes in the United States, more than eight million of whom are deprived the right of self-determination. A people in a democracy that is shut out from the rights of citizenship and restricted by unjust legislation and inequitable enforcement of the laws cannot be blamed for turning to anyone that offers promise of relief from the oppressor. It would be the policy of wisdom for the dominant race, in the South especially, to give thoughtful consideration to the Negro and extend to him the privileges and rights of citizenship and good government so that the forces of anarchy and destruction will not be appealing. All he wants is justice and will accept it from any source from which it may come. Vocabulary Bolshevism – Russian communism self-determination – ability to determine your own fate and to make your own political and economic choices DIGITAL INQUIRY GROUP inquirygroup.org Document F: Emma Goldman Deportation Statement (Modified) Emma Goldman, an influential anarchist, made the following statement just before she was deported to her native Russia in 1919. Goldman was a labor activist, an advocate for women’s access to birth control, and a critic of U.S. participation in World War I. In 1917, she was arrested for encouraging resistance to the military draft, which was a violation of the Espionage Act. I wish to protest these proceedings, whose very spirit is nothing less than a revival of the ancient days of the Spanish Inquisition or Czarist Russia [when anyone who disagreed with the government was deported, imprisoned, or killed]. Today so-called aliens are deported. Tomorrow American citizens will be banished. These measures confuse different social philosophies in order to group together every type of social protest, so all classes of workers may be locked up and the most active of the strikers hurried out of the country, in order to serve the interests of the leaders of industry. The real purpose of all of these repressive measures is to support the current capitalistic conditions in the United States. It is deceiving to say that the safety of the country or the well-being of the American people demands these drastic methods. Vocabulary aliens: term used at the time for immigrants or foreigners banish: send away, exile strikers: employees who are on strike DIGITAL INQUIRY GROUP inquirygroup.org  Shemar Campbell Guiding Questions Name_____________ Document A: Case Against the Reds 1. (Sourcing) Who wrote this document? And how does this affect the reliability of the document? U.S attorney General A.Mitchell Palmer, he's a professional and also a representative of the country so If anyone should be speaking it should be him. 2. (Close Reading) According to Palmer, why were the raids conducted? Immigrants (Aliens) were trying to expose communism to America which would be bad for the Country. Document B: Evening Missourian 3. (Close Reading) What does Document B suggest about the causes of the Palmer Raids? They prevented the Aliens from setting up a communist government and also stopped it from taking action. 4. (Corroboration) How does this document compare with Document A? Both documents had the same idea and plans. 5. (Sourcing) Newspapers frequently ran articles about anarchists and the threats posed by “radicals” in 1919 and 1920. Why might newspapers be interested in running these kinds of stories? How might this have influenced the Palmer Raids? To show up the country's defense against communism, This probably could've triggered government officials. Document C: New York Tribune 6. (Close Reading) What does Document C suggest about the causes of the Palmer Raids? Well since it stated "bombed by anarchist members" which initiated that he was a bump or in the way of what they wanted. 7. (Corroboration) Does this document support or refute the evidence in Documents A or B? How? Doc A supports the claims of doc b by highlighting the perceived communist threat in the U.S. Both justify government actions against radicals, with Document B providing an example through the preventive raids. DIGITAL INQUIRY GROUP inquirygroup.org  Hypothesis 1: What caused the Palmer Raids? The raids were sparked by the fear of communism and anti-immigrant settlement in the country. A bombing took place in 1919 that targeted Palmer, including 2 deaths and several injuries. Document D: Evening World 8. (Close Reading) When was this article published? What does the author believe caused the Palmer Raids? The article was published in January 1921, The believed the raids were caused by the American public's abnormal state of distrust and intolerance toward immigrants/Aliens, This fear created a space where actions against the "Reds" were supported 9. (Corroboration) How does the author’s explanation of the causes of the raids differ from Palmer’s explanation in Document A? This document ascribes the raids to heightened public distrust and intolerance towards Aliens and free speech, whilst doc A portrays the raids as a necessary response to serious an active threat posed by Immigrants supporting communism. 10. (Corroboration) Even though Document A and Document D differ, how might the discussion of “aliens” in both documents support a similar conclusion about the cause of the Palmer Raids? Document E: Phoenix Tribune 11. (Close Reading) What is the author’s argument in this passage? The success of the Bolshevik Revolution might inspire American workers an oppressed groups, including African Americans, due to its promise of justice and equality. 12. (Contextualization) What events of 1919 likely made this a pressing issue? World war I and the deadly race riots. 13. How might the issues discussed in this article have motivated the Palmer Raids? It most likely intensified fear among government officials. These concerns, coupled with the belief that such movements could exploit public unrest. 14. (Corroboration) How does this account compare to Palmer’s account in Document A? by focusing on public unrest and racial tensions as catalysts for radical movements, which could've driven the Palmer Raids. DIGITAL INQUIRY GROUP inquirygroup.org 15. (Contextualization) Both this article and Document B mention “Bolshevism.” What might this suggest about how events abroad helped cause the Palmer Raids? fears of radical movements spreading from abroad, particularly the "Bolshevik", this indicates that concerns about Bolshevism as a potential threat to America stability and security, were a significant factor in the decision to conduct the raids. Document F: Emma Goldman 16. (Sourcing) Who wrote the statement? And how does this affect its reliability? Emma Goldman, her background as a labor activist and critic of the government actions, including her own arrest and deportation, suggest her statement is highly biased against the authorities and their measures. 17. (Close Reading) What does Goldman think motivated the Palmer Raids? She believed the raids were motivated by a desire to suppress dissent opposition and protect capitalist interests. 18. (Corroboration) How does Goldman’s account compare to Palmer’s account in Document A? Emma saw the raids as repressive measures aimed at suppressing opposition whilst Document A justified the raids as a necessary response to a direct threat. Document G: Ford Motor Company 19. (Close Reading) What is the Uncle Sam figure protecting? What is he protecting it from? What is the message of the video? 20. (Close Reading) Who created the video? How would that influence the film’s message? 21. (Corroboration) How might this video corroborate Goldman’s statement? Hypothesis 2: What caused the Palmer Raids? (Revise your hypothesis from Documents A-C based on the evidence in Documents D-G.) The raids were driven y fears of radical movements spreading from abroad, such as Bolshevism, and by racial and economic tensions. therefore, the raids aimed to suppress social protests and protect capitalist interests during a time of growing dissent. DIGITAL INQUIRY GROUP inquirygroup.org  Final Writing Prompt Why did the U.S. Department of Justice arrest and deport hundreds of suspected anarchists and socialists in 1919-20? Start your response with your second hypothesis and support your argument with evidence from at least four documents. The arrests and deportations were aimed to suppress social protests and protect capitalist interests during the time of growing dissent. Evidence includes document D, which criticized Palmer's high handed policies as a means to control unrest and safeguard economic interests: Document F, where Emma Goldman argued that the raids were designed to stifle opposition and maintain capitalist conditions; Document B, which framed the raids as a response to prevent radical ideologies from threatening government stability; and the Pheonix Tribune article, which linked the appeal of bolshevism to widespread social dissatisfaction and oppression. DIGITAL INQUIRY GROUP inquirygroup.org