Injustice at Home
Grade 4 California history lesson on the Japanese American internment during World War II and Executive Order 9066, from Pengi Social Studies Chapter 7. Students learn how 120,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes and sent to internment camps like Manzanar, one of the most serious civil rights violations in U.S. history.
Key Concepts
War brought fear and prejudice. After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government issued Executive Order 9066 . This order forced 120,000 Japanese Americans—most of whom were U.S. citizens—to leave their homes and businesses.
They were sent to internment camps like Manzanar in the California desert. They lived in barracks behind barbed wire, despite having done nothing wrong. Years later, the government apologized for this unjust violation of civil rights .
Common Questions
What was Executive Order 9066?
Executive Order 9066 was signed by President Roosevelt in 1942 after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It authorized the forced removal of Japanese Americans from their homes on the West Coast and their imprisonment in internment camps.
What was the Manzanar internment camp?
Manzanar was one of ten internment camps in California where Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. Located in the Owens Valley, it held over 10,000 people in harsh conditions far from their homes.
Why was the Japanese American internment unjust?
About two-thirds of those interned were U.S. citizens, born in America. They were imprisoned without trial based only on their ancestry, not any evidence of disloyalty, violating constitutional rights to due process and equal protection.
What happened to Japanese Americans after internment ended?
When internment ended in 1945, many Japanese Americans returned to find their homes, farms, and businesses taken. In 1988, the U.S. government formally apologized and paid reparations of ,000 to surviving internees.