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Every state teaches the origins of Hinduism as part of world history. Few teach the story of Hindu Americans, whose faith Thomas Jefferson named among those protected by religious freedom in 1786.
From the Parliament of Religions to the Hindu Temple Down the Road takes its title from the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago, where Swami Vivekananda opened with “Sisters and Brothers of America,” and from the temples Hindu Americans have since built in communities across the country. Students follow that story from the 1907 Bellingham riot and the Supreme Court’s 1923 Thind decision to the immigration laws of 1946 and 1965, the first temples of the 1970s, and Congress’s 2007 recognition of Diwali. Along the way, they see how Hindu Americans built a home here and contributed to the communities around them.
What’s inside
- A three-period inquiry lesson for Grade 11 U.S. History, with adaptations for Grade 12 civics and a Grades 6–9 bridge to the origins-of-Hinduism unit
- Nine primary sources, from Jefferson’s autobiography and Vivekananda’s 1893 address to the Thind decision and the 2007 Diwali resolution, each with context, a glossary and discussion questions
- A teacher answer key, an assessment rubric and differentiation strategies
- Ten full-page images for projecting or photocopying
- Alignment to the C3 Framework, NCSS themes and AP U.S. History, plus a worksheet for matching the plan to your state’s standards
- A built-in ING speaker panel, with first-person voices from diverse Hindu Americans, available in person or virtually in every state
For educators: The lesson teaches about religion academically, not devotionally, and fits the U.S. History content you already teach. It can also support state requirements to teach Asian American history.
For community leaders: Share this plan with teachers and school leaders in your area, and connect them with ING to schedule a speaker panel.
Complete the form below to download a PDF copy.