Hmong Refugees in the United States

What year did the United States begin accepting Hmong refugees?

• 1975

• 1960

• 1980

• 1990

Which city has the largest number of Hmong refugees in the United States?

• Minneapolis, Minnesota

• Los Angeles, California

• New York City, New York

• Chicago, Illinois

What is a tapestry?

• A woven piece of art that often depicts a story or scene

• A type of traditional Hmong clothing

• A musical instrument used in Hmong ceremonies

• A type of Hmong dance

Who was the first Southeast Asian woman to serve in Minnesota's state legislature?

• Mee Moua

• Carol M. Highsmith

• Hillary Clinton

• Michelle Obama

What is Laos known for?

• Rainforests, rice agriculture, and Buddhist monasteries

• Deserts and pyramids

• Vast mountain ranges

• Large urban cities

What was the purpose of the Hmongstory 40 exhibit?

• To highlight the history, traditions, and culture of the Hmong people

• To showcase American art

• To promote tourism in California

• To teach the Hmong language

Where did the Hmong originally live before moving to Laos?

• China

• Thailand

• Vietnam

• Cambodia

What is a refugee?

• someone who must leave their home country for their safety

• someone who makes tapestries of stories about people and animals

• someone who tried to spread communism during the Cold War

• someone who was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota

What caused Hmong people to leave Laos for other countries?

• interest in seeing art in museums around the world

• persecution from the Communists who gained power in Laos

• better educational opportunities in neighboring countries

• climate change that made their agricultural lifestyle difficult

Read the following sentences.

“Starting in the 1960s, the United States worked with some Hmong to stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia during the Cold War. This was dangerous work. However, they were not able to stop Communists from taking control of Southeast Asian governments. After the Communists gained power in Laos, many Hmong were persecuted.…In 1975, the United States began accepting Hmong refugees to recognize the support the Hmong gave them during the Cold War. Since then, there have been several waves of Hmong refugees coming to the United States. The most recent wave of Hmong refugees to the United States was between 2004 and 2006, after the last Hmong refugee camp in Thailand closed.”

What conclusion can you draw from this evidence?

• The United States won the Cold War even though they were not successful in Southeast Asia.

• The Cold War improved living conditions in Laos and made it a better place for the Hmong to live.

• The Hmong people had to deal with the consequences of the Cold War for decades after.

• The United States had to act very quickly to resettle all Hmong refugees in under five years.