Question
[1] The Immigration Act of 1924 limited the number of immigrants allowed to live in the
United States. It provided immigration visas to just 2 percent of the total number of
people of each nationality in the United States, based on the 1890 national census. It
completely excluded immigrants from Asia.
Literacy tests for immigrants
[2] In 1917, the U.S. Congress enacted the first widely restrictive immigration law.
[3] During World War I, uncertainty swirled about the nation's security. Fear made it
possible for Congress to pass this legislation, and it included several important
provisions that paved the way for the 1924 Act.
[4] The 1917 Act implemented a literacy test. It required immigrants over 16 years old to
prove they could read and understand what they read, no matter the language. The
1917 Act also increased the tax paid by new immigrants upon arrival, and allowed
immigration officials to exercise more power in making decisions over whom to exclude.
© Houston ISD Curriculum 2024-2025 14
What can the reader conclude about Congress's decision-making
process in the early 20th century?
Congress’s decision-making process... which...
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
What can the reader infer about the quota system
established by the Immigration Act of 1924?
A. It was designed to ensure fair representation of all
nationalities.
B. It favored immigrant groups already well-represented in the
U.S. by 1890.
C. It aimed to promote cultural diversity.
D. It primarily targeted European nations for exclusion.
© Houston ISD Curriculum 2024-2025 15
Guided Practice:
Reading/Annotation Focus
● What is happening in the text?
● How can I summarize the selection?
The "Asiatic Barred Zone"
[5] Finally, the Act excluded from entry anyone born in a geographically defined
"Asiatic Barred Zone." Essentially, it banned anyone from Asian countries except
for Japanese and Filipinos. In 1907, the Japanese government had already
limited Japanese immigration to the United States in what was called the
Gentlemen's Agreement. The Philippines was a U.S. colony at the time, so its
citizens were considered U.S. nationals and could travel freely to the United
States. China was not included in the Barred Zone, but the Chinese were already
denied immigration visas under another law called the Chinese Exclusion Act.
What was the primary purpose of the "Asiatic Barred Zone" provision in the 1917
Immigration Act?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
© Houston ISD Curriculum 2024-2025 16
What is the best summary of the excerpt?
A. The U.S. banned immigration from Asian countries except Japan and the Philippines
due to international agreements and colonial ties.
B. The Immigration Act encouraged immigration from Asian countries, including Japan
and the Philippines.
C. The "Asiatic Barred Zone" allowed Chinese and Japanese immigrants unrestricted
access to the U.S.
D. Immigration policies focused exclusively on European nations while ignoring Asian
immigrants.
Independent Practice
Reading/Annotation Focus
● What is happening in the text?
● How can I summarize the selection?
Immigration quotas
[6] The literacy test alone was not enough to prevent most potential immigrants from
entering. In turn, members of Congress sought a new way to restrict immigration in the
1920s.
[7] An immigration expert and Republican senator from Vermont, William P. Dillingham,
introduced a measure to create immigration quotas. He set a limit of how many people
could immigrate to the U.S.: 3 percent of the total population of the foreign-born of each
nationality, as recorded in the 1910 census. After this, the total number of visas
available each year to new immigrants stood at 350,000. The measure did not,
however, establish quotas of any kind for people who lived in North or South America.
What can the reader infer about the exclusion of North and South American immigrants
from the quota system?
The exclusion...because...
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
© Houston ISD Curriculum 2024-2025 17
Summarize the main idea of paragraphs 1-7 using details from the text.
The main idea...
This is shown by...
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
United States. It provided immigration visas to just 2 percent of the total number of
people of each nationality in the United States, based on the 1890 national census. It
completely excluded immigrants from Asia.
Literacy tests for immigrants
[2] In 1917, the U.S. Congress enacted the first widely restrictive immigration law.
[3] During World War I, uncertainty swirled about the nation's security. Fear made it
possible for Congress to pass this legislation, and it included several important
provisions that paved the way for the 1924 Act.
[4] The 1917 Act implemented a literacy test. It required immigrants over 16 years old to
prove they could read and understand what they read, no matter the language. The
1917 Act also increased the tax paid by new immigrants upon arrival, and allowed
immigration officials to exercise more power in making decisions over whom to exclude.
© Houston ISD Curriculum 2024-2025 14
What can the reader conclude about Congress's decision-making
process in the early 20th century?
Congress’s decision-making process... which...
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
What can the reader infer about the quota system
established by the Immigration Act of 1924?
A. It was designed to ensure fair representation of all
nationalities.
B. It favored immigrant groups already well-represented in the
U.S. by 1890.
C. It aimed to promote cultural diversity.
D. It primarily targeted European nations for exclusion.
© Houston ISD Curriculum 2024-2025 15
Guided Practice:
Reading/Annotation Focus
● What is happening in the text?
● How can I summarize the selection?
The "Asiatic Barred Zone"
[5] Finally, the Act excluded from entry anyone born in a geographically defined
"Asiatic Barred Zone." Essentially, it banned anyone from Asian countries except
for Japanese and Filipinos. In 1907, the Japanese government had already
limited Japanese immigration to the United States in what was called the
Gentlemen's Agreement. The Philippines was a U.S. colony at the time, so its
citizens were considered U.S. nationals and could travel freely to the United
States. China was not included in the Barred Zone, but the Chinese were already
denied immigration visas under another law called the Chinese Exclusion Act.
What was the primary purpose of the "Asiatic Barred Zone" provision in the 1917
Immigration Act?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
© Houston ISD Curriculum 2024-2025 16
What is the best summary of the excerpt?
A. The U.S. banned immigration from Asian countries except Japan and the Philippines
due to international agreements and colonial ties.
B. The Immigration Act encouraged immigration from Asian countries, including Japan
and the Philippines.
C. The "Asiatic Barred Zone" allowed Chinese and Japanese immigrants unrestricted
access to the U.S.
D. Immigration policies focused exclusively on European nations while ignoring Asian
immigrants.
Independent Practice
Reading/Annotation Focus
● What is happening in the text?
● How can I summarize the selection?
Immigration quotas
[6] The literacy test alone was not enough to prevent most potential immigrants from
entering. In turn, members of Congress sought a new way to restrict immigration in the
1920s.
[7] An immigration expert and Republican senator from Vermont, William P. Dillingham,
introduced a measure to create immigration quotas. He set a limit of how many people
could immigrate to the U.S.: 3 percent of the total population of the foreign-born of each
nationality, as recorded in the 1910 census. After this, the total number of visas
available each year to new immigrants stood at 350,000. The measure did not,
however, establish quotas of any kind for people who lived in North or South America.
What can the reader infer about the exclusion of North and South American immigrants
from the quota system?
The exclusion...because...
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
© Houston ISD Curriculum 2024-2025 17
Summarize the main idea of paragraphs 1-7 using details from the text.
The main idea...
This is shown by...
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Answers
GPT-4o mini
### Congress’s Decision-Making Process
Congress’s decision-making process in the early 20th century can be characterized as reactionary and influenced by prevailing social attitudes and fears, particularly during times of unrest, such as World War I. This is evident from the passage of restrictive immigration laws driven by a desire to protect national security and maintain demographic conformity. The implementation of literacy tests and exclusionary quotas reveals a legislative trend toward limiting immigration, particularly from certain regions, based on perceived threats and racial biases.
### Inference about the Quota System Established by the Immigration Act of 1924
B. It favored immigrant groups already well-represented in the U.S. by 1890.
### Purpose of the "Asiatic Barred Zone" Provision in the 1917 Immigration Act
The primary purpose of the "Asiatic Barred Zone" provision in the 1917 Immigration Act was to systematically exclude immigrants from Asian countries, reinforcing racial and ethnic biases. By defining geographic boundaries that prohibited immigration from these regions, the law specifically targeted certain groups while allowing limited access for others, reflecting a broader intent to manage and control the demographic composition of immigrants in the United States.
### Best Summary of the Excerpt
A. The U.S. banned immigration from Asian countries except Japan and the Philippines due to international agreements and colonial ties.
### Inference about the Exclusion of North and South American Immigrants from the Quota System
The exclusion of North and South American immigrants from the quota system suggests that Congress aimed to prioritize immigrants from certain parts of the world, particularly Europe, while ignoring the implications of immigration from the Americas. This might indicate a perception of cultural and economic ties with neighboring countries or a strategic decision to maintain favorable relationships within the Americas, which reflected a different set of priorities in immigration policy.
### Main Idea of Paragraphs 1-7
The main idea of paragraphs 1-7 is that U.S. immigration policy in the early 20th century became increasingly restrictive, characterized by the implementation of literacy tests and quota systems designed to limit the entry of immigrants based on nationality. This is shown by the introduction of the 1917 Immigration Act, which included literacy tests and provisions that primarily targeted Asian immigrants, and the subsequent creation of quotas in the 1924 Immigration Act that further restricted certain nationalities while favoring those already represented in the U.S.
Congress’s decision-making process in the early 20th century can be characterized as reactionary and influenced by prevailing social attitudes and fears, particularly during times of unrest, such as World War I. This is evident from the passage of restrictive immigration laws driven by a desire to protect national security and maintain demographic conformity. The implementation of literacy tests and exclusionary quotas reveals a legislative trend toward limiting immigration, particularly from certain regions, based on perceived threats and racial biases.
### Inference about the Quota System Established by the Immigration Act of 1924
B. It favored immigrant groups already well-represented in the U.S. by 1890.
### Purpose of the "Asiatic Barred Zone" Provision in the 1917 Immigration Act
The primary purpose of the "Asiatic Barred Zone" provision in the 1917 Immigration Act was to systematically exclude immigrants from Asian countries, reinforcing racial and ethnic biases. By defining geographic boundaries that prohibited immigration from these regions, the law specifically targeted certain groups while allowing limited access for others, reflecting a broader intent to manage and control the demographic composition of immigrants in the United States.
### Best Summary of the Excerpt
A. The U.S. banned immigration from Asian countries except Japan and the Philippines due to international agreements and colonial ties.
### Inference about the Exclusion of North and South American Immigrants from the Quota System
The exclusion of North and South American immigrants from the quota system suggests that Congress aimed to prioritize immigrants from certain parts of the world, particularly Europe, while ignoring the implications of immigration from the Americas. This might indicate a perception of cultural and economic ties with neighboring countries or a strategic decision to maintain favorable relationships within the Americas, which reflected a different set of priorities in immigration policy.
### Main Idea of Paragraphs 1-7
The main idea of paragraphs 1-7 is that U.S. immigration policy in the early 20th century became increasingly restrictive, characterized by the implementation of literacy tests and quota systems designed to limit the entry of immigrants based on nationality. This is shown by the introduction of the 1917 Immigration Act, which included literacy tests and provisions that primarily targeted Asian immigrants, and the subsequent creation of quotas in the 1924 Immigration Act that further restricted certain nationalities while favoring those already represented in the U.S.