US History - Standards of Learning - USII.2
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5354/
Sometimes call the most famous speech in American political history, Bryan
galvanized the Democratic party and secured its nomination for President in
1896. The speech can be read and a partial audio copy heard at the above
named site. Bryan’s words can be used to examine events both past and
present. While focusing on the issue of monetary policy at the end of the
19th century, he is more directly addressing the regional issues of American
politics in 1896. The speech itself can also be used to compare the
Democratic and Republican parties of the 19th century with those of the 21st
century. At the link above there is also an audio file of the speech being
delivered by Bryan himself.
-Chris Garth
Source IDTag:
USII.2.001
2. American Anthropologist, Vol XI, No. 12, December 1898, Front Cover
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/images/modeng/public/RusMedi/RusMcvr.jpg
This source is the front cover of a late 19th century journal. The issue
here covers topics related to American Imperial activity at the turn of the
century. Articles and notes about Filipino, Hawaiian , Native American and
other cultures reflect the direction American land grabs were heading in.
One of the noteable entries on the table of contents is the article that
deals with primitive man. Students who see this image could be asked what
the scholarly interests of the period might say about the political
realities of American policy towards non-White culture.
-Chris Garth
Source IDTag:
USII.2.002
3. Newspaper Chicago Defender, 2 September 1929.
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4976/
A newspaper account of race riots in Chicago following the “Great Migration”
The Chicago Defender was founded at the turn of the century and remains in
circulation today. In this article which is included in full text so that
teachers may select all or part to serve their needs the riots which
followed the transformed American society in the years following World War I
are described. It is noteworthy that these events come barely a month before
the collapse of the Stock market and the historical foundation of the Great
Depression. This source can be used to show the effects of World War I, the
continued struggle for racial equality, to bride the gap between
Reconstruction and the 1950’s or as a resource to develop skills in
historical analysis as the issue of bias can be explored.
-Chris Garth
Source IDTag:
USII.2.003
4. President Taft in Fall River’s Cotton Centennial Parade 1911
http://www.sailsinc.org/durfee/cdpictures/cottoncentennial14.jpg
This photograph, by an unknown photographer—possibly “Quimby”, was taken at a parade during Fall River’s celebration of one hundred years of involvement of the Cotton Industry. Taken on June 25, 1911, it serves as an image of Fall River at its high point in the industry—the bottom will fall out soon after. In 1933, Fall River becomes the first American city to file for bankruptcy. Students remark about the stress the enormous President Taft puts on the tires of the auto. Photo also sparks interest in other Presidential visits to the area.
5. 19th Century Women’s Issues
http://www.lizzieborden.org/bordencollection.htm
You know the rhyme, this is the axe. A crime unfathomable for a Victorian age woman has kept Fall River on the map far longer than its industrial past. This case is a window into the Gilded Age and its views towards the capabilities of women. Did Lizzie Borden commit the murders?
6. 19th Century Women’s Issues
http://www.lizzieborden.org/bordencollection.htm
There she is, Lizbeth Borden. Daughter accused of killing her father and stepmother. This case drips with possible scenarios that still confound investigators. No matter where I have traveled in this country, when I mention where I am from, Lizzie comes up. She is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, just a few yards from my house. The house where the murders took place is now a bed and breakfast.
7. 19th Century Women’s Issues
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/LizzieBorden/andrewbody.jpg
Photographic evidence from the crime scene shows Andrew Borden’s body dead where he took his last nap. The savage attack becomes even clearer when you view the photograph of his skull.
8. 19th Century Women’s Issues
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/LizzieBorden/bordenskull.jpg
Could this crime have been committed by anyone other than Lizzie Borden? The level of violence obviously suggested rage and passion and all fingers seem to point to Lizzie. Is this really a case study in corruption?
One of the all time baseball greats played from 1890-1911, Cy Young. Young was a pitcher for a five different teams throughout his career and currently still holds the record for most wins in a season at 511. Young has 94 more wins than the second place person on the list, Walter Johnson. Young was a member of one of the first classes inducted into the baseball hall of fame.
Along with baseball becoming America’s national pastime, the rise of baseball cards also grew in popularity. The document is a Cy Young baseball card issued by the American Tobacco Company in 1909. Using baseball cards as documents in the classroom can be useful because they are still in existence today, and many kids can relate to them having collected them at some point in their lives. Cy Young was chosen because he is a name that is easily identifiable to the students because the award for best pitcher each season is named in his honor.
This addresses standard USII.2 Explain the important consequences of the Industrial Revolution. After examining a number of different baseball cards, the students can be assessed in a variety of ways. They can make their own baseball cards, or they could do a writing assignment where they have to be a baseball fan in the late 1890s and describe the role the sport plays in their life and the experience of attending a baseball game during that time period.
The author is a professor at Boston College whose site covers many topics of local history. While I am not an expert on the landfills, it is dubious he would have any motivation to misrepresent the stages of the landfill in his presentation.
The site includes early photographs of Boston that display different sections of Boston at different times in history; the Back Bay, Boston Harbor and early Boston are all included. We also see Quincy Market, which was originally had the harbor right in front of it and then we see the addition of the Wharf in front of Quincy Market.
This is a dynamic, interactive website that shows students changes in Boston as its population grew and technological developments allowed the city to expand on landfills, mostly using dirt brought from neighboring communities like Needham.
In the classroom, I would have students view the slideshows and have them list 5 changes to Boston that were particularly striking in preparation for a discussion. I would also have students, following the slides and discussion, write a reflection entry on whether the physical growth in Boston was a positive historical development. The main reason I’d consider covering this topic is it’s a great example of local history and something where kids can actually walk around Boston and imagine how Boston changed over time.
