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Teach PA History
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The Moravians: What Does It Take to Build a Religious Community?
Equipment & Supplies
  • Booklets in which to keep a diary, markers, transparencies, overhead projector, chart paper, drawing paper for the map, pencils
Procedures

Preparation


Download and copy the combined worksheets for this lesson.



Session 1


A. Brainstorm with students about how generic colonial communities began.


B. Create a list on chart paper from the following questions:



  1. Why do people move together to form communities?

  2. What does a community need to begin and develop?

  3. What would the surrounding land look like?

  4. Who would come and settle in the community?

  5. What type of work would you see done there?


[Suggestions: spring, river, lake; church; cemetery; gristmill; store; school; shops for tradesmen such as leather craftsmen, butchers, weavers; family dwellings; farms; taverns for lodging and meetings; fire station]


C. Discuss the community in which the students live today. Distribute Worksheet 1: Community Comparisons and use this graphic organizer to develop discussion of the same five questions students considered in Part B. Complete only the first two columns, "Colonial Community" and "Today's Community."


D. Collect Worksheet 1: Community Comparisons so that students may add ideas during Session 2.



Session 2


A. Introduce the religious community as an example of another type communal structure.


B. During this session students will take a virtual walk through the 18th century Moravian Community.


Tour using the following worksheets and the various photographs on the Teacher Resources Page:



  • Worksheet 3:A View of Bethlehem one of the Brethren's Principal Settlements in Pensylvania [sic] North America

  • Worksheet 4:"Plan of Bethlehem, 1766"

  • Worksheet 5:Town plan of Lititz, PA, 1759

  • Worksheet 6:Town plan of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, 1761

  • Worksheet 7:Town plan of Salem, North Carolina, 1766

  • Worksheet 8:Town plan of Emmaus, Pennsylvania, 1767

  • Worksheet 9:Town plan of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, 1771


Moravian leaders kept excellent, detailed records about everything that happened in their Community. This is a photograph of a diary entry written in German. The English transcription explains that an unmarried man wishes to join the Community. The entry also scolds the Brethren for not faithfully attending services.


C. After students have taken their virtual walk through the 18th Century Moravian Community, explain that this town was meticulously planned by the leaders. Each plan had to be approved by the church leaders back in Herrnhut, Germany.



Have students view once again, Worksheet 3: "A View of Bethlehem one of the Brethren's Principal Settlements, in Pensylvania[sic], North America" by Nicholas Garrison.


Ask them to identify as many buildings as they can now that they have taken their photo tour. Have students identify how these buildings were used.


D. Distribute copies of Worksheet 4: Plan of Bethlehem, 1766, for student pairs. Ask students to identify as many buildings as they can from their virtual tour experience.



E. Return Worksheet 1 to students to complete the "Community Comparisons" for Bethlehem. To aid in discussion teacher may want to ask:



  • What special needs would a religious community also require? [The meetinghouse or church would be one of the first buildings built. Also, members would sustain and support one another.] [Additional suggestions: dwellings for unmarried and married couples; dwellings for widows; communal areas to care for children; tavern–in some communities–where visitors from outside the community could meet with community members…windows on street-side were boarded to provide a private place to do business]

  • How might living in a religious community be different from a secular community? [The economy is exclusively for God's glory.]

  • What do members do to set themselves apart from the rest of the world? [Uniformity of clothes would indicate membership in the community. In addition, members may reach beyond their closed community to evangelize to others.]


E. As a review of the key points upon which the Moravian Communities were based students and teacher may want to create a list such as this:



  • The most important structure was the church. There was only one church in each Moravian Community

  • Most people of the town lived in communal buildings. Unmarried females, unmarried males and married couples each lived in separate dwellings.

  • People usually shared the same world view. There was little diversity.

  • The Moravian Community had very strong leaders.

  • Moravians dressed uniformly. They wore standardized clothes from the German region of their origin. A system of colored ribbons was used to identify the age and marital status of the women.

    • Young girls=red ribbons

    • Older girls and unmarried=pink ribbons

    • Married women=blue ribbons

    • Widows=white ribbons


  • Unity among the group was key. To be "of one mind" was held in high regard by the community.

  • All members had a religious quest to be as close to God as they could.

  • As the Moravian Community was planned, it was assumed that there would be commerce and industry.


Session 3


How can we know about communities from the past, such as Bethlehem? This is a brief lesson to help students assess and review ways they have been able to learn about the Moravian Community at Bethlehem.


A. Ask students: "How can we know about communities from the past, such as Bethlehem? Students may list the following:



  • Buildings that survive

  • Portraits of people

  • Town plans

  • Drawings of towns, such as Bethlehem

  • Diary entries, such as Bethlehem Diary



B. Explain to students that the Moravians were so well organized that they kept a diary about much of what they were doing and thinking. Visit again the website for Bethlehem Digital Project


C. Teacher may select various diary sources to read with students, or student pairs may read one entry and share with the whole group to get an overview of all the entries online.


Session 4


Have the whole group create their own community together. This will serve as the model for student pairs activity in Sessions 5 and 6.



  1. Decide on a purpose or reason for the community.

  2. Select a town name.

  3. Describe the region.

  4. Decide what buildings will be needed.

  5. What diary entries would be included in your town's activities for the week?

  6. Illustrate the style of dress for the community.

  7. Create a simple town plan or map.


Sessions 5 and 6


During the final two sessions student pairs will create their own Town Plan. Begin by making this announcement:


Now you have been introduced to the Moravian system. Count Zinzendorf, our church leader, has decided that you are to establish a new mission town. You will be sent out in small groups from Bethlehem, to found your own town. Remember all that you will need. All plans must be approved by your teacher.



Distribute Worksheet 2: Mapping a Town: A Blueprint for Building Your Own Community to provide scaffolding for students to create a map and diary of their imaginary town.


Distribute the rubric to students before they begin to create their map and diary.


Student groups should create their diary and town map during the next two work periods.


Students should meet as a whole group to present their work.

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