The incarceration of Japanese Americans in World War II was a grave failure of our democracy and highlights the dangers that can result when the three branches of government failed to uphold the Constitution and certain communities are excluded from political power. Until the 1950s, Asian Americans were not allowed to become naturalized citizens and did not have the power to vote or engage in many of America’s political processes. In this lesson, students will investigate how citizenship and voting rights have evolved throughout history and reflect critically on how the rights and privileges conferred by citizenship impact political power on both an individual and community level.