World War II
Library Research and Essay
1. You will research a minority group that participated in World War II.
2. You will write a five to eight page essay covering that group’s involvement in the war.
3. Select one of the following groups:
a. African Americans
b. Mexican Americans
c. Japanese Americans
d. Native Americans
4. This assignment will include:
a. A title page containing the name of the minority group, your name, class
period, present date, and teacher’s name.
b. A thesis statement.
c. Where they fought: Pacific Theatre, European Theatre, North Africa, Atlantic,
China-Burma-India Theatre.
d. How the group was treated as a people on the war-front.
e. How was this group treated on the home-front (in the United States during
WWII)?
f. What set your group apart from the others during World War II?
g. Select one veteran (member of your minority group) and explain the following:
- Their name.
- Branch of the military (army, navy, marines, air force).
- Where they served and when.
- Give one brief story of their experiences in the war.
- Did they receive any awards, medals, recognition?
- Please include one photograph.
h. A closing statement.
i. A bibliography containing at least three sources.
j. The grading rubric.
5. The attached rubric will be used to grade the essays. The rubric page must be attached to the essay as the last page.
6. The due date is: _________________
7. California State Standards covered:
United States History and Geography: Continuity and Change in the
Twentieth Century, Standards 11.7-3:
Identify the roles and sacrifices of individual American soldiers, as well as the
unique contributions of the special fighting forces (e.g., the Tuskegee
Airmen, the 442nd Regimental Combat team, the Navajo Code Talkers).