Analyzing Objects

Porcelain

Musket Ball

Smallpox

Nail

Reaper

Shirtwaist

Transistor

Coffee

Record

Tire

Dishwasher

Dress

Stereograph

Stone

Mail

Shoe

Question 1:
Historical thinking is analyzing primary source objects/sources to gain a better understanding of the past
Question 2:
You can use objects as a medium to demonstrate the importance of a period of time to an audience whether it be students or scholars
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Module Id: 689
User Id: 1372
Question 1:
I notice that it is elegant, distinguishable, proper, elite, noble, status-oriented, and very detailed
Question 2:
This porcelain "tea-cup" connects to American history in that it shows a living style that was prominent in Europe which has been transferred to the United States. As well, it, more broadly, shows status and how people living in the United States differentiated from one another. As with other areas of the world, the United States was founded on a class-based system
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Module Id: 951
User Id: 1372
Question 1:
We have nails of various lengths and widths. Of note is that each of these nails not only shows signs of rusting/erosion but also they have unique shapes. Each of the heads appears different to the naked eye as well as the insertion points. Some of the points are squared while others look in the tradition manner of narrow/pointed.
Question 2:
Looking at with the naked eye, I would make the hypothesis that there is a connection between American exploration of the Mid-West and West which would be linked to the nails as they would be used to built various structures. Additionally, the nails appear crude (disregarding their age) which I feel could be linked to these being handmade.
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Module Id: 953
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Question 1:
This is a leather shoe. Noticeable traits are that it was hand-stitched (a la the thread on the bottom of the shoe); the lace holes were hand-punched (they do not directly align with one another); lastly, the shoe is mud-stained which would led to the assumption that the wearer would engaged a physical laboring trade on some sort.
Question 2:
The development of work boots for those engaged in physical trades such as farming, construction, and transport of goods. These boots appear to be well-made and bonded so that they would not get damaged easily meaning that they could be worn for an extensive period of time which would be useful for those who were moving westward. Additionally, although boots were not cheap, they had value due to their durability so they could be worn for an extended period.
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Module Id: 1002
User Id: 1372
Question 1:
The dress that this woman is wearing has Victorian elements but is more liberal and loose fitting. The top of her dress actually looks like a sport jacket while the bottom is like a very long skirt. As well, the dress is all white which differs from the variety of colors seen in woman's dress leading up to this moment.
Question 2:
The dress shows changing times and changing views of what is expected of woman during the early 20th century. A conclusion could be made that women are gaining more rights during this period and therefore have chosen how they wish to dress (style). Simply "change over time".
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Module Id: 1075
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Question 1:
The first thing that I noticed was that all of the tires seem to be the same shape meaning that they all came from the same style of vehicle. It simply looks like a tire junkyard as the tires are dirty and one still has the hubcap on it.
Question 2:
The creation of the automobile. The size and structure of the tire lends itself to the car which as one of the most important inventions of the 20th century. The car allowed people to easily travel from on area to another and connected them to one another in ways never known possible previously.
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Module Id: 1108
User Id: 1372
Question 1:
This object looks like one of the original dishwashers. You can see the metal coils that would rotate and the places that the dishes would be inserted. As well, there is a handle that is in a similar style to the rest of the kitchen.
Question 2:
If this is a dishwasher, its very important to American history because it sped up the process of washing dishes after eating and meant that women (during this period) would not have to spend as much time in the kitchen cleaning as before. Simply making life easier.
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Module Id: 1093
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Question 1:
This shirt has a garnered waist which gives it an intrinsic style and flair. As well, the neckline is very narrow and the shirt has pinstripes.
Question 2:
This shirtwaist could be linked to either the late 19th or early 20th century and be representative of changing styles for women. Additionally, during this period we had the Women's Suffrage movement which could have also contributed to this change in shirt design.
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Module Id: 950
User Id: 1372
Question 1:
Historical thinking is not just analyzing primary source pieces but also understanding their larger connection to history and how each relate to one another to provide a better understanding of a given period in history
Question 2:
Objects can be used as a way to demonstrate continuity between periods by drawing on images or physical matter. Additionally, it can be used to show direct breaks in historical patterns and shifting views in time
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Module Id: 689
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Question 1:
Porcelain connects to the theme of disruption and separation as it shows the distinct difference between what the British government represented and the interests of the colonists. Specific examples would be the Stamp Act and Sugar Act which taxes American colonists directly as a means of the British government obtaining funds that were direly needed after the Seven Years War. Porcelain plays into this as it was viewed as a luxury and, for the American colonists, something that was "distinctly" British and therefore abhorred by the mid 18th century.
Question 2:
I would want to know more about the daily lives of American colonists compared to that of their English counterparts. As well, how the British government ruled over the colonists and different views that colonists had of the government. Additionally, primary source images from pamphlets would be useful in seeing how different things were portrayed. Lastly, what literature was being published during this period and what effect it had on the development of civil unrest which would later lead to the American Revolution.
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Module Id: 951
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Question 1:
The mass-produced nail directly connects to the development of new technologies which led to the American Industrial Revolution in the mid 19th century. As per the images and accompanying texts, the mass-produced nail allowed different styles of houses to be built with relative ease and promoted the ease of traveling Westward without the fear of cost-intensive housing constructions.
Question 2:
The story of the nail is very similar to the theme of European power over the world. One cannot think about westward expansion without encountering the theme of Manifest Destiny. The white man was chosen, by God, to conquer the uninhabited/uncivilized areas of the world which in this case turned out to be most of the United States. This mission was aided by advancements in travel (horse-drawn wagons), navigational advancements, as well as advancements in weaponry. Lastly, you could make an argument for poor Americans who were seeking opportunity and promise in the undeveloped mid-west when they traveled Westward although rough conditions would meet them at every step whether environmental or physical.
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Module Id: 953
User Id: 1372
Question 1:
This shoe is directly connected the the Civil War Era and the War itself. The shoe represents one of hundreds of thousands that were produced during this period to supply the armies with in the ongoing fight. The development of the shoe itself is unique in that shoe-making was a laborious process which was sped up during the 1860s and led to greater developments in the evolution of shoe construction.
Question 2:
Of course, the resources in the module are very helpful as they show the changing relationship between American citizens and the government and how the government became more and more reliant on its citizens as materials were needed in a short amount of time to fulfill military quotas. Other resources that could be incorporated would be first-hand accounts from soldiers talking about these boots, the shoe-makers themselves, and well as government officials. More images of the boots in different contexts could also add in explaining the changing relationships. Secondary source documents such as scholar-produced manuscripts could also help with better understanding this topic. We could have a scholar who just focuses on citizens and one who just focuses on the government and compared the two.
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Module Id: 1002
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Question 1:
This dress not only represents a separation of traditional women's dress but also a call for women to be noticed as autonomous beings who should have equal rights with men. The white dress shows the purity of the women as well as a look back to the neo-classical period where woman embraced their freedoms. Examples would be the source that shows a women's suffrage movement wearing bloomers and the photograph of a woman dressed as lady liberty.
Question 2:
I would want to examine historical accounts of the period from a variety of scholars to developed a more based opinion of what was happening during this period. As well, looking at the children of suffragettes and seeing their explanations and reflections would be beneficial in better understanding this movement.
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Module Id: 1075
User Id: 1372
Question 1:
After looking at the source documents, the connection between tires is to the 1940s and World War II. The tires represent a commodity that had to be rationed due to the high demands of war thus people had to use their tires for a much longer period. War rationing was imperative to nation-building with propaganda serving the push Americans to save as much as possible and not over-consume. Examples were where automobile plants had been transformed into plants to produce produces needed for war vehicles. As well, tires were scarce because to produce them rubber had to be important from Southeast Asia which was predominantly controlled by Japan during this period.
Question 2:
When were they produced? Where were they produced? Who commissioned them? Were they for the masses or a specific sub-sector? Where they public or privately funded? How many were produced? What were their intended purposes? Where they successful? How would these be interpreted by people living during this period?
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Module Id: 1108
User Id: 1372
Question 1:
The dishwasher connects to broader themes in 20th-century history in that it was a product developed in the 1930s which was purchased by wealthy families but became a standard in middle-class families in the 1950s and 1960s. The rise of affordability for the dishwasher was a result of the end of World War II where there was a high demand for consumer products and companies were more than willing to employ former military and their families in the process. As well, this belongs in 20th century American history with connections that can be made to Europe. Examples would be primary source images of the dishwasher itself. As well, ads that promote giving women more freedom from domestic roles through investing in dishwashers.
Question 2:
These resources have provided me with mostly information I already knew regarding the Cold War but refreshed my memory. The blurbs were helpful that outlined World War II and how it lead to the Cold War with the Soviet Union. Where the relevance comes into play is seeing the "haves vs have-nots" in this dialogue.
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Module Id: 1093
User Id: 1372
Question 1:
After looking at the documents, we can see connections to women's history, women's rights, advancements in technology and the textile industry, as well as poor working conditions for employees and lack of safety protocol. The shirtwaist serves as a symbol of the changing times in the late 19th and early 20th century for both women and industry. An ad that marketed women's shirtwaists as a practical alternative to hoopers showed the changing styles and greater freedoms for women (allowing them to work outside the home). There were also many examples of images and texts describing the Triangle Waist Company relating to poor working conditions and inadequate safety protocols.
Question 2:
Where there not risks for owners who did not provide safety devices and buy fire insurance? No penalties? What was the average work week for men during this period? What was the pay disparity between men and women? Did workers have inherent rights in the company? Where dangers faced unavoidable?
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Module Id: 950
User Id: 1372
Title: Engagement for the High School Historian
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
I would engage students through incorporating primary source evidence in addition to their required activities in order to provide them with a deeper understanding on what leading figures where expressing during a given period. Additionally, I would use images of time-period activities and/or figures and/or pieces where the students would be provided images and they would have to work together to determine either who all of these images represented/belonged to or what the importance of these images are to the larger themes in our given unit.
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Module Id: 689
User Id: 1372
Title: Porcelain as a Medium of Conflict
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
I am actually fortunate to have a porcelain tea set at my house which was passed to me from my grandmother so I would bring that into school as a means of stimulating discussion. I would ask the students what this object represented and what, if any, connections they could make better the porcelain tea set and the American colonies in the mid-18th century. After some hypotheses, I would have the students compare their findings and develop an argument that they would present out to the class. After their T-P-S was concluded, I would explain how this tea set, which looks so simplistic and ordinary at face-value, was actually antagonistic during that period. This would allow me to draw connections between how different primary source content can have different meanings during different periods. As the saying goes, "what is one man's trash is another's treasure" we often see this construct replicated in history. The one strategy that I really think is useful for the students is this concept of "Think" and "Re-Think" because it promotes the students to actively reflect on what their initial thoughts were on a topic and how they evolved/changed after being exposed to different sources/theories/thoughts.
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Module Id: 951
User Id: 1372
Title: The Nail as a Revolution
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
I would bring in ordinary, factory-made nails and put one on each desk before the students arrived. After they sat down and class began, I would ask the students why I put a nail on their desk. They would probably respond with off-topic answers (expected) but this would lead to a "teachable moment". The nail would serve as a discussion-piece to technological advancements in the 19th century. I would be able to utilize the primary sources in this lesson to show students to timeline aka "evolution of the nail" and relate it to rapid development of industry in 19th century America. The theme I would keep reflecting back toward would be "How can a simple nail be a Revolution?" so to keep my students engaged and actively reflecting on the lesson. The beauty of the nail is that, unlike a more era specific piece of history, it is timeless. As well, it shows students that even the most basic materials can be historically-fused and utilized in historical inquiry.
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Module Id: 953
User Id: 1372
Title: One Heck of a Shoe
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
The benefit of this topic is that everyone in the classroom wears shoes! So the discussion can start with why we wear shoes. What is the purpose? Just for style? Or comfort? Or is it a necessity? Then I can connect shoes to our discussion on the Civil War era and how shoes (esp. military boots) played a huge role in the changing relationship between American citizens and the US government. As before, I would use the Think/Re-Think strategy to have the students reflect on what their initial assumptions were and connect that to what they learned and how their views changes after looking at the primary and secondary source documents. Before the lesson, I would also browse to see if there were any media clips that showed boots during the Civil War and have the students reflect on these. Lastly, shoes will be used to show how the US government took a hands off approach for nearly 80 years and how the War lead them to become more directly involved with the citizenry.
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Module Id: 1002
User Id: 1372
Title: Dressed in White - A Reflection on the Woman's Suffrage Movement
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Unlike previous topics, I would approach the Suffrage Movement with a discussion on what rights women have compared to men in 2020. I would encourage the girls to share out how they feel about their position in society and whether or not they are still marginalized. This topic is highly provocative so after a short discussion, I would incorporate primary source materials having the students reflect on these in groups. Each group would be given a set of images with explanations and told to put them in chronological order. After the groups are finished, the groups would come up and present their timelines in front of the class. This will not only encourage the students to work together but also foster bonds between themselves. Lastly, Think/Re-Think will be incorporated.
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Module Id: 1075
User Id: 1372
Title: When the Wheels Stop - The Symbolism of Tires during World War II
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
I would bring in a tire which would serve as the opening activity for the lesson. I would ask the students why I brought in a tire? What is its importance? How does this relate to World War II? After our discussion, I would provide the students with an overview of the importance of tires in World War II, showing them how the tire was not just a limited resource but could be used, when melted, in so many different ways. Lastly, I would have the students each take one image and analyze it for its importance in context. This could be done has part of a larger lesson or as a sub-lesson during FLEX.
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Module Id: 1108
User Id: 1372
Title: Dishwasher Friendly
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
The discussion of dishwashers in American history is a sub-sector of the larger discussion on the flexibility of the American economic and labor system. I would use the content in this module to structure a lesson that would serve to introduce the students to American advancement after World War II. The documents which describe WWII would be used to set the stage with the focus on American consumerism and the rise of the middle class being the focal point. I would use the image of the dishwasher in the 1930s and have the kids analyze it for relevance. After reflection, the students would be given advertisements showing dishwashers during the 1950s and 1960s and be asked to make connections between how Americans were able to rebound so quickly after both the Great Depression and World War II.
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Module Id: 1093
User Id: 1372
Title: Women on the Move
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
This particular moment in American history is really interesting because we see a rise in both women and new technologies coming into play that make companies extremely profitable as well as dangerous. I would first ask students to group up and analyze selected images to see what they can hypothesize from them. After they finish, they will share out and we will have a discussion about women and their changing roles in the late 19th and early 20th century. After finishing, I will show them a short clip that discusses the Triangle Factory and its impact on improving working conditions and setting new regulations for workplace safety. The students will then look at the shirtwaist that this module started with and write about their impressions then turn in at the end of class as an Exit Ticket.
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Module Id: 950
User Id: 1372