top of page

Lesson 2*: The First Koreatown and the Legacy of Dosan Ahn Chang Ho

Pachappa Camp was not only the first Koreatown in America but also the center of early Korean community and independence movement activities during the early 20th century. This fills a void of modern Korean American and Korean history. Dosan Ahn Chang Ho is such a towering figure. Pachappa Camp was the origins of the democratic origins in Korea.”  

- Dr. Edward T. Chang, Professor of Ethnic Studies and founding Director of the Young Oak Kim Center for Korean American Studies at UC Riverside.

14CAToday-Riverside-Korea-jumbo.jpg

Ahn Chang Ho, Kap Suk Cho, and other workers at an orange orchard in Riverside, CA, in early 1900s. (Source: Courtesy of Korean Heritage Library, University of Southern California)

*This lesson was adapted from the lesson Korean American Leader Dosan Ahn Chang Ho—Community, Struggle, Voice, Identity by Dr. Edward Chang, Professor of Ethnic Studies and founding Director of the Young Oak Kim Center for Korean American Studies at UC Riverside.  Supplemental activities were developed by Ms. Hera Kwon, Sunny Hills High School, Fullerton, CA. 

Lesson Standards

  • History/Social Science Analysis Skills

  • History/Social Science Content Standards

  • ​Common Core Grades 6-12 Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, & Technical Subjects

 

Lesson Features

  • TOPICS:  Establishment of the First Koreatown in Riverside, Pachappa Camp, Korean Independence Movement, California Citrus Industry

  • HISTORICAL TIMEFRAME: 1900-1940

  • NOTABLE KOREANS: Dosan Ahn Chang Ho (1878 - 1938)

  • SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Civic Engagement/Service Learning Report

 

Lesson Overview

  • Students explore the life of Dosan Ahn Chang Ho, his immigration to the United States, and his life as an activist and community builder. They examine how the first Koreatown was established in Riverside, California, and compare the experiences of Korean, Mexican, and women citrus pickers and packers.  Finally, they identify Dosan's contributions to the United States and Korea.

 

Lesson Activities and Assessments

 

Timeframe

  • Activity 2 requires 55 minutes plus additional time for student research and sharing.

 

Objectives and Learning Goals

  • ​Students will be able to identify important events in the life of Dosan Ahn Chang Ho, including his immigration to the United States, and his life as an activist and community builder.

  • Students will be able to describe how the first Koreatown was established in Riverside, California, and compare and contrast the experiences of Korean, Mexican, and women citrus pickers and packers. 

  • Students will be able to evaluate Dosan's contributions to the United States and Korea.

 

Additional Resources​


Vocabulary

  • Pachappa Camp - founded in 1905 and is considered to be the first Korean settlement established in the United States. Located in downtown Riverside, California.

  • Deportation - the action of deporting a foreigner from a country.

  • Famine - extreme scarcity of food.

  • Gongnip Hyophoe - also known as “Cooperative Association." These were designed to develop democratic policies and institutions for the future founding of a democratic and independent Korean nation.

  • Korean Labor Bureau (KLB) -  a Labor Bureau opened by Dosan to facilitate employment and help bring Koreans to Riverside

  • Korean National Association - political organization established in 1909 to fight Japan's colonial policies and occupation in Korea.

  • Korean Provisional Government - a partially recognized Korean government-in-exile based in Shanghai, China, and later in Chongqing, during the Japanese colonial rule of Korea.

 

Lesson 2 Resources​

Lesson 2 Presentation (PDF)

Lesson 2 Teacher's Guide (PDF)

bottom of page