Analyzing Objects

Porcelain

Musket Ball

Smallpox

Nail

Reaper

Shirtwaist

Transistor

Coffee

Record

Tire

Dishwasher

Dress

Stereograph

Stone

Mail

Shoe

Question 1: Historical thinking is critical thinking about information from the past.
Question 2:
Both primary and secondary sources allow us to compare and contrast information and develop conclusions about history.
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Module Id: 689
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Question 1:
This object looks to be a woman's shirt, possibly from the 1800s. The tie at the waist suggests a corset is being worn underneath.
Question 2:
This object connects to the broader theme of the beauty standards for women in the past.
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Question 1: These objects are varying lengths of railroad ties or nails.
Question 2:
The railroad was a pivotal piece of American history with its advancement of transportation, immigrant work force, economic boost, and cultural connection to the West.
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Question 1: This object is a bullet called a musket ball used during the Civil War era.
Question 2:
Despite being small, the musket ball had a huge impact on the Civil War. It enabled both the Union and Confederacy to shoot more accurately and inflict greater numbers of death.
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Question 1:
I notice that this envelope has Confederate States of America printed in the stamp corner.
Question 2: This belongs in the context of the Civil War.
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Question 1: This 1 oz. can contains Nestle coffee.
Question 2: It may connect to rationing during the world wars.
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Question 1: This object allows for closer examination of a photograph.
Question 2: It connects to early photography.
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Question 1: It's a vinyl record from Victor Record.
Question 2: Nora Bayes sang patriotic songs during WWI.
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Question 1: This object is an early dishwasher.
Question 2: This dishwasher may connect to the theme of American consumerism.
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Question 1: This object is a tire.
Question 2: Rubber manufacturing could be the broader theme.
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Question 1: This object resembles a satellite.
Question 2:
Satellites would connect to the Space Race during the Cold War or space exploration in general.
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Question 1: This object has a political pendant attached to it.
Question 2: I believe it connects to the women's suffrage movement.
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Question 1: This is a fancy tea/coffee mug.
Question 2: It could relate to fine dining.
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Question 1: This object appears to be a tombstone or marker.
Question 2: I'm not sure how it will connect.
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Question 1: It looks like particles under a microscope.
Question 2: This could possibly connect to pandemics.
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Question 1: This object has a series of levers and gears.
Question 2: It may relate to the Industrial Revolution.
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Question 1: These are leather shoes.
Question 2: I will find out!
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Question 1:
Historical thinking is a set of skills for evaluating and analyzing primary sources to construct an account of the past.
Question 2:
Objects allow us to critically think about their purpose and the context in which they were created.
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Question 1:
The shirtwaist connects to the Progressive Era of American history, and the work of labor unions to petition the government for better working conditions for the working class.
Question 2:
To what degree is the government responsible for the safety and well-being of its citizens? How involved should the government be in private businesses? How effective are worker strikes in affecting change?
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Question 1:
Mass-produced nails show the evolved typical American home that furthered western expansion.
Question 2:
The nail also connects to the need for a railroad which allowed goods and people to travel to unsettled areas of the West.
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Question 1:
The musket ball represents the highly disciplined British military during the American Revolution.
Question 2:
Letters, editorials, and other writings would give insight into how people in the late 18th century viewed armies and soldiers.
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Question 1: The Post Office was in the midst of the conflict leading up to the Civil War.
Question 2:
I did not realize the impact of the Post Office in distributing anti-slavery literature and how Southern states refused to send it out. It's a great example of how "states' rights" wasn't the real issue.
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Question 1:
Instant coffee connects to the production of instant meals for World War II soldiers and its marketing to domestic consumers following the war.
Question 2:
Advertising is from the viewpoint of the producer so simply analyze the advertisement will be skewed. Women, the lead consumer of the household, were being influenced by advertising and the societal expectations already in place for them.
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Question 1:
The stereoscope was an early technology tool that widened Americans' understanding of their nation and world.
Question 2:
It would be fantastic to show them these primary sources to view the same location such as Yellowstone National Park.
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Question 1:
The song "Young America" correlates to the immigration waves of the early 20th century.
Question 2:
Immigration records can be very insightful into understanding immigration patterns to the U.S.
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Question 1: The dishwasher connects to the broader theme of American consumerism.
Question 2:
Including the Kitchen Debate video helped make the two world leaders more relatable in their arguments.
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Question 1:
Rubber was a rare commodity in the World War II era, so rationing occurred in the United States to aid the war effort.
Question 2:
Who produced the poster? Who was the audience that it was intended for? What is the message and content of the poster?
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Question 1: The transistor has impacted the technology of communication to what it is today.
Question 2: What differences do you notice between the patents?
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Question 1:
This dress represents the women's suffrage movement of the early 20th century.
Question 2: It would be helpful to read scholarly articles about the suffrage movement.
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Question 1:
It relates to the boycott of coveted British goods prior to the American Revolutionary War.
Question 2:
I would want to know other events leading to anti-British sentiment in the American colonies.
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Question 1:
The boundary stone serves as an important reminder of the divide in our nation over the issue of slavery.
Question 2:
In the state of Virginia, the boundaries changed quite a bit. It would be important for students to explore those boundaries.
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Question 1:
Smallpox outbreaks connect to the European settlement of North America, the American Revolution, and the first vaccine.
Question 2:
The benefits are that students understand just how much of an impact that disease had in shaping the U.S. One drawback is that we often see those who died by disease in terms of numbers and not individuals.
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Question 1:
The reaper can be applied to the greater context of the shift from an agrarian society to an industrial society
Question 2:
Information on the cotton gin also helps to understand the impact of slavery on Southern society.
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Question 1:
This soldier's pair of shoes connects to the large amount of materials that were necessary during the Civil War.
Question 2: Primary laws and orders could be used to explain the changing relationship.
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Title: History is Messy
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Using contrasting primary source documents to engage students with the complexity of history. For example, Thomas Jefferson's runaway slave advertisement and the Declaration of Independence. Students would be encouraged to consider both documents in developing an understanding of one of our Founding Fathers.
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Title: The Locked Door
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
After an introduction to the events surrounding the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory tragedy, students would be asked to view a political cartoon from 1911 called "The Locked Door". Students would analyze the cartoon by describing the need for changes in industry brought about by this terrible accident. Then, as a class, we would discuss the pros and cons of industrialization. "The Locked Door" cartoon brings up compelling questions about how employers treated their employees; without proper safety regulations, the Triangle Shirtwaist Company amplified the loss of life in a horrific tragedy. Students will also be prompted to respond to the question: Is the government responsible for the safety and well-being of its people? After sharing their responses, students would be encouraged to tie in prior knowledge from America's founding documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and its promise of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Does the "life" clause of that statement apply to safe working conditions? Students may even be placed into groups to explore other Progressive era events and form conclusions about the responsibilities of government in those situations.
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Title: Nail Show & Tell
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Start the lesson by showing students a nail and asking them to make a hypothesis of how nails connect to westward expansion. Have them share their ideas with a partner and then with the entire class. Lead them through a direct lesson about cabins and other early housing structures with pictures to guide the instruction. Ask them to review their hypothesis: will you make any changes? Proceed by explaining the significance of the nail in making houses more affordable and easier to build. Ask students to consider the railroad's impact on encouraging Americans to move West. Are these new mass-produced materials easier to transport? Students will be asked to write a conclusion or reflection about the nail's impact on the West.
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Title: Musket Narrative
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Students would be asked to write a narrative essay in which they assume the role of a Continental soldier. Their character undergoes discipline training and fights in several battles. They should be specific about the weapons training and the emotions of their first battle versus later experience. While providing this insight, students are asked to make some reference to locations, militias, and leaders as a way to engage with the content.
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Title: Abolitionist Mail
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
In a jigsaw activity, students would be split into smaller groups to read and analyze several literatures of abolitionists from the pre-Civil War era. They would discuss the main points used against slavery. Group members would then rotate and learn about the different primary sources from their classmates. As a whole class, prompt them to discuss the usefulness of the Post Office in distributing these materials. What would it mean if Post Offices in the South stopped distributing antislavery materials? Then, lead a comparison of that issue to versus the Fugitive Slave Laws, which students would view. Form two groups to debate: Were states' rights a valid argument for the South? How do these two examples contradict each other?
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Module Id: 1021
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Title: Effective Advertisement
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Students would explore a gallery of World War II home front advertisements and determine the audience and purpose of each message. Afterwards, they would write about their findings with specific information, such as which group of Americans were the primary target of the advertisements, included in their summary. Students would then be asked to create their own WWII rationing advertisement. Upon its completion, their advertisement project would be placed in a class gallery for their classmates to view and discuss its effectiveness to influence its targeted audience.
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Title: Artifact Exploration
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
The ultimate lesson would be to obtain some of these artifacts like the stereoscope. Students would be given a similar image of a location, such as Yellowstone National Park, and write down what they observe in the photograph. Each group would be able to view the image from a different artifact. After everyone has recorded their observation, the class will compare the location: Which artifact offered the best view? How did the newer version improve upon the latter?
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Title: Assimilation
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Starting an immigration lesson with the song "Young America" would introduce various ethnic groups to the class. Divide the class into groups and assign each a different immigrant ethnicity to research. Students would conduct specific information about their assigned ethnic group and their immigration to the United States in the early 20th century. How did assimilation occur? When research is complete, groups would present their findings to the class in a visual and auditory format. As an extension, students could research and discuss connections or relationships of their assigned ethnic group to the other groups in the room.
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Title: Kitchen Debate
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Showing students the Kitchen Debate video and having them construct a debate on which world leader formed the best arguments in favor of their own nation.
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Title: Rationing Posters
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Have students analyze rationing posters of WWII. Ask them specific questions about the poster's author, audience, and message. Prompt them to illustrate a poster that would have been created by the U.S. government during the war to promote rationing a certain item or good.
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Title: What Is In Your Hand?
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Students would research the history of technology and its impact on hand-held smartphone devices of today. Compose a written essay about that history along with an analysis of how technology impacted American culture.
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Title: Declaration Comparison
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Students would utilize a graphic organizer to compare and contrast the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of Sentiments. Discuss why the suffragists at the Seneca Falls Convention included the ideals of liberty set forth in the Declaration of Independence in their own document.
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Title: Are We American Patriots or British Subjects?
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Following direct instruction on the acts imposed by Parliament, students would draw either "American Patriot" or "Loyal British Subject" from a hat. In those two groups, students would devise an argument to explain their justifications. After a sufficient amount of time, representatives from the groups would face off in a debate.
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Title: Stone
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Construct a field trip (in-person or virtual) of the nation's capitol. Explore those areas of contention in the 1800s. Discuss the importance of Virginia in the mix of it all.
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Title: Inoculation vs. Vaccination
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Begin by identifying the smallpox inoculation efforts during the Revolutionary War. Read George Washington's order. Students will be prompted to agree or disagree with this order. Did the government have the right to force soldiers to undergo the risky smallpox inoculation? Discuss as a whole group. Then pose this question, "Does the government today have the right to require citizens to receive vaccinations against contagious, deadly diseases for the protection of all citizens?" Students may further discuss this in a debate setting or essay format.
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Title: Taking a Break from the Cotton Gin
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
After a discussion about the cotton gin and mechanical reaper's impacts on the 1800s, students will be asked to decide which of these inventions was the most influential to changing American society. They will then illustrate and describe an invention of their own that might cause a great shift in society. Present to the class and explain the impact it could have.
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Title: Shoes, Shoes, Shoes
Grade Level: High
Short Answer:
Taking snapshots of information from major military conflicts in American history and having students research how the government handled the production of goods needed for the soldiers. In a share-out session, students will discuss how that has impacted the government's role today.
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