What does it mean to be an “American”? The very question is one that we often seem to consider only superficially, presuming that we can rightly identify in ourselves and others those characteristics and qualities that befit that label. Yet, it is tough to define those elements and coherently explain what citizenship in America means – its attendant opportunities, challenges, responsibilities, and the changing meanings of those terms. This seminar will help us better understand these issues by delving into the complex history of citizenship – debates about who could achieve it, what it meant regarding individual rights, its impact on identity, and the state’s role in conferring citizenship and protecting its citizens.
For my topic, please research and investigate the impediments to full citizenship and how Okies were not seen as American citizens but as burdens. I also want to show how Okies would eventually redefine their social and economic roles to achieve full citizenship in California following WWII. Eventually, Okies became the face of a labor and production shortage. Migrants evolved from a burden to a boon for the California economy.
Need 20 sources total with both a mix of primary and secondary sources.
Give some background and context for the period. Speak to the relevant historiography by briefly exploring what others have said and how your question/focus fits what has been done before. Really focus on connections between your topic and the course theme of citizenship in American history.
I will attach my paper proposal to the files with some sources.
