It the arc of instant coffee, from being as a soldier's food to becoming a wildly popular product, there's a story of how American culture brought it into the domestic sphere. Working against conventional gender roles, wartime messages encouraging self-sufficiency, and the appeal of all things homegrown, effective advertising boosted its popularity. The American people, primed by the consumer culture developing in the post-war period, were open to messages of convenience. That combined with the increase in working women made what seems like an unlikely candidate to take off in the marketplace not only acceptable but also desirable.

While advertisements may reflect women's roles, they cannot account for the complexity of change. The advertisements provided did not show anywhere close to the spectrum of roles women in the post-war period assumed. Where is the woman who broke out of the conventional role? I only saw the demure housewife.

Contrary to what I alluded to in my hypothesis, the shirtwaist being mass produced at the turn of the 19th century was indeed practical for working women. Unlike its predecessors, it was not restrictive. This change reflects the increasing number of women in the workplace. Advances in technology increased efficiency in the production process, opening new jobs to women that were often very dangerous. The terrible conditions in which many women had to work encouraged them to band together for better working conditions and higher wages. As labor movements grew, so did the women’s movement. The tragedy at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory made abundantly clear the necessity of safety regulations, and paved the way for labor unions.

This shirtwaist is a product of new machinery, but tells a deeper story of exploitation and empowerment.

I think the module touched on this, but I'm interested in exploring how attitudes about labor and worker safety evolved during the Industrial Revolution.

Considering the prevalence of socialist doctrine in the labor movement, I have questions about the role of capitalism in labor and work safety.

Contrary to what I alluded to in my hypothesis, the shirtwaist being mass produced at the turn of the 20th century was indeed practical for working women. Unlike its predecessors, it was not restrictive. This change reflects the increasing number of women in the workplace. Advances in technology increased efficiency in the production process, opening new jobs to women that could be very dangerous. The terrible conditions in which many women had to work encouraged them to band together for better working conditions and higher wages. As labor movements grew, so did the women’s movement. The tragedy at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory made abundantly clear the necessity of safety regulations, and paved the way for labor unions.

This shirtwaist is a product of new machinery, but tells a deeper story of exploitation and empowerment.

I think the module touched on this, but I'm interested in exploring how attitudes about labor and worker safety evolved during the Industrial Revolution.

Considering the prevalence of socialist doctrine in the labor movement, I have questions about the role of capitalism in labor and work safety.

I was way off. This is not a gravestone, but a boundary stone. When first planted, it was one of several that marked the border of the new capital. Even though Congress had been meeting in New York City, with the passage of the Residence Act, the capital was moved southward, where it was to permanently reside. Sandwiched between Virginia and Maryland, two large slave states, the city was not immune to the influences of its surroundings. The allure of cheap labor for building the nation’s capital, a giant undertaking, was very real. If there had been intentions of keeping slavery out of DC, those were quickly squashed as slavery spread throughout the city.

The capital in this period could be viewed as a microcosm of the irony about the United States after the Revolutionary War. Built by slaves, but meant to represent American ideals, DC highlights the contradiction between the ideas and actions of the founding generation of Americans.

Thinking about the West Virginia’s split from Virginia, in addition to studying maps, students could explore how boundaries have changed through the personal journals of both Confederate and US soldiers.

I was way off. This is not a gravestone, but a boundary stone. When first planted, it was one of many that marked the border of the new capital. Even though Congress had been meeting in New York City, with the passage of the Residence Act, the capital was moved southward, where it was to permanently reside. Sandwiched between Virginia and Maryland, two large slave states, the city was not immune to the influences of its surroundings. The allure of cheap labor for building the nation’s capital, a giant undertaking, was very real. If there had been intentions of keeping slavery out of DC, those were quickly squashed as slavery spread throughout the city.

The capital in this period could be viewed as a microcosm of the irony about the United States after the Revolutionary War. Built by slaves, but meant to represent American ideals, DC highlights the contradiction between the ideas and actions of the founding generation of Americans.

Thinking about West Virginia’s split from Virginia, in addition to studying maps, students could explore how boundaries have changed through the personal journals of both Confederate and US soldiers.

The innovation of the stereoscope, the evolving distribution of stereographs, first through door-to-door selling, and the widespread use of the device, across classes and ages, are indicative of the changing landscape of the United States at the turn of the 20th century.

The stereoscope was an instrument enjoyed by the wealthy and working, reflective of the diminishing gaps in this period. Only the wealthy were able to do the Grand Tour, and travel in general, but the stereoscope offered a similar experience the middle and working classes could afford.

As it moved into public libraries and schools, the stereoscope transformed teaching and learning.

I think it might be beneficial for students to first explore the context in which more advanced technology for viewing images was produced.

Rubber was in high demand during WW2, which led to a huge recycling campaign, of which this photograph is evidence. The recycling of rubber for wartime machines is but one part of a greater conservation effort during this period. As shown in the resources, the war also led to rationing, so that families could get their fair share of scarce goods.

Ones that would get students thinking about what messages the government wanted to send. Why do the posters use women to promote rationing? What link between mass production and democracy does the poster depict?

It's easy to forget how much harder life was for people in the past. They had to contend with disease that without the medical advancements of today was often fatal. Not only did the spread of smallpox in America have, frankly, disastrous effects for Native American communities, it dealt no small blow to communities in British North America.

It was a very real concern that divided people over the issue of inoculation. Many were in favor of the operation, but others thought it was stupid to risk your life over an uncertain positive outcome. Washington was faced with a tough decision as the commander of the Continental Army. He became immune to disease when he survived it in his teenage years, but his men weren't so lucky. Eventually he authorized inoculation acknowledging the grave threat the disease posed to the success of his army.

The slave trade was also affected by smallpox. Smallpox was not new to Africa at the conception of the triangular trade, but with the conditions in which the enslaved were forced to survive, disease was rampant on slave ships. Although traders were legally required to inform about the health of their ship, it a business like slave trading where profit seems to be the only aim, it seems unlikely they followed the law. Quarantining was, for a time, the only response to outbreaks, but its success depended on full cooperation of unreliable ship masters.

Smallpox was a disease that affected everyone, and that can be used to highlight the experiences of many groups in America. I did not know that African slaves in America had knowledge of the inoculation procedure which later became relatively popular in British America. Smallpox could be used as a jumping off point for so many topics, including the slave trade, Native Americans, the Continental Army, and vaccination. However it can be hard to talk about and even harder to look at. Life looked much different in the 18th-century, and I think looking at smallpox is a way to get that across. At the same time, I don't think our perception of history should be colored by disease and the notion that people are victims of their environment.

It's easy to forget how much harder life was for people in the past. They had to contend with disease that without the medical advancements of today was often fatal. Not only did the spread of smallpox in America have, frankly, disastrous effects for Native American communities, it dealt no small blow to communities in British North America.

It was a very real concern that divided people over the issue of inoculation. Many were in favor of the operation, but others thought it was stupid to risk your life over an uncertain outcome. Washington was faced with a tough decision as the commander of the Continental Army. He became immune to disease when he survived it in his teenage years, but his men weren't so lucky. Eventually he authorized inoculation, acknowledging the grave threat the disease posed to the success of his army.

The slave trade was also affected by smallpox. Smallpox was not new to Africa at the conception of the triangular trade, but with the conditions in which the enslaved were forced to survive, disease was rampant on slave ships. Although traders were legally required to inform about the health of their ship, it a business like slave trading where profit seems to be the only aim, it seems unlikely they followed the law. Quarantining was, for a time, the only response to outbreaks, but its success depended on full cooperation of unreliable ship masters.

Smallpox was a disease that affected everyone, and that can be used to highlight the experiences of many groups in America. I did not know that African slaves in America had knowledge of the inoculation procedure which later became relatively popular in British America. Smallpox could be used as a jumping off point for so many topics, including the slave trade, Native Americans, the Continental Army, and vaccination. However it can be hard to talk about and even harder to look at. Life looked much different in the 18th-century, and I think looking at smallpox is a way to get that across. At the same time, I don't think our perception of history should be colored by disease and the notion that people are victims of their environment.

It's easy to forget how much harder life was for people in the past. They had to contend with disease that without the medical advancements of today was often fatal. Not only did the spread of smallpox in America have, frankly, disastrous effects for Native American communities, it dealt no small blow to communities in British North America.

It was a very real concern that divided people over the issue of inoculation. Many were in favor of the operation, but others thought it was stupid to risk your life over an uncertain outcome. Washington was faced with a tough decision as the commander of the Continental Army. He became immune to disease when he survived it in his teenage years, but his men weren't so lucky. Eventually he authorized inoculation, acknowledging the grave threat the disease posed to the success of his army.

The slave trade was also affected by smallpox. Smallpox was not new to Africa at the conception of the triangular trade, but with the conditions the enslaved were forced to survive in, disease was rampant on slave ships. Although traders were legally required to inform about the health of their ship, in a business like slave trading, where profit seems to be the only aim, it seems unlikely they followed the law. Quarantining was, for a time, the only response to outbreaks, but its success depended on the full cooperation of unreliable ship masters.

Smallpox was a disease that affected everyone, and that can be used to highlight the experiences of many groups in America. I did not know that African slaves in America had knowledge of the inoculation procedure which later became relatively popular in British America. Smallpox could be used as a jumping off point for so many topics, including the slave trade, Native Americans, the Continental Army, and vaccination. However it can be hard to talk about and even harder to look at. Life looked much different in the 18th-century, and I think looking at smallpox is a way to get that across. At the same time, I don't think our perception of history should be colored by disease and the notion that people are victims of their environment.