Supreme Court of the United States and Primary Sources Sheet
Graded Assignment
Korematsu v. the United States (1944)
Use the background information and the primary sources in the Graded Assignment: Primary Sources sheet to answer the following questions.
(2 points)
Score
1. What did Fred T. Korematsu do that resulted in his arrest and conviction?
Answer:
He challenged the government order to evacuate all Japanese into war camps.
(2 points)
Score
2. According to the first paragraph from the excerpts of the majority opinion, what did the U.S. government believe some Japanese Americans would do if they were allowed to remain free on the West Coast?
Answer:
They believed that they would spy on America and sabotage our defenses.
(2 points)
Score
3. The majority of the court believed that compulsory exclusion of large groups of citizens from their homes was okay in what situation?
Answer:
When our shores are in danger, or threatened by hostile forces we must do what is necessary to protect them.
(2 points)
Score
4. What did the dissenting justices think about the power of military authorities?
Answer:
The Supreme Court
(2 points)
Score
5. The dissenting opinion raises the fact that Japanese Americans were being deprived of what rights?
Answer:
(40 points)
Score
6. Imagine you are living in Los Angeles in 1944 and have just read about the case of Korematsu v. the United States. Write a letter to the editor of the Los Angeles Times telling which opinion in the case (majority or dissenting) you support and explain why.
Refer to the rubric and scoring instructions on the next page to see how your teacher will grade your assignment.
Answer:
Your Score ___ of
Korematsu v. the United States (1944)
Use the background information and the primary sources in the Graded Assignment: Primary Sources sheet to answer the following questions.
(2 points)
Score
1. What did Fred T. Korematsu do that resulted in his arrest and conviction?
Answer:
He challenged the government order to evacuate all Japanese into war camps.
(2 points)
Score
2. According to the first paragraph from the excerpts of the majority opinion, what did the U.S. government believe some Japanese Americans would do if they were allowed to remain free on the West Coast?
Answer:
They believed that they would spy on America and sabotage our defenses.
(2 points)
Score
3. The majority of the court believed that compulsory exclusion of large groups of citizens from their homes was okay in what situation?
Answer:
When our shores are in danger, or threatened by hostile forces we must do what is necessary to protect them.
(2 points)
Score
4. What did the dissenting justices think about the power of military authorities?
Answer:
The Supreme Court
(2 points)
Score
5. The dissenting opinion raises the fact that Japanese Americans were being deprived of what rights?
Answer:
(40 points)
Score
6. Imagine you are living in Los Angeles in 1944 and have just read about the case of Korematsu v. the United States. Write a letter to the editor of the Los Angeles Times telling which opinion in the case (majority or dissenting) you support and explain why.
Refer to the rubric and scoring instructions on the next page to see how your teacher will grade your assignment.
Answer:
Your Score ___ of