This guide traces the history of ideological visa denial to explore the intersection between immigration law and the right to free speech. It includes: 1) An overview of the history of visa denial in early 20th century, which allows students to assess historical fears of radical immigrants through the close reading of a political cartoon. 2) A discussion of the denial of visas to communists and alleged radicals in the Cold War, through a classroom exercise and discussion of an excerpted newspaper article. 3) An assessment of the role of the First Amendment in challenging visa restrictions through a close reading of a Supreme Court decision in 1972.

Help students understand the how religious beliefs shaped Americans' understanding of the Civil War using sheet music from the Library of Congress. 

Did the Chinese discover America before Columbus? How would or does this impact our understanding of European explorers and exploration?