Equipment & Supplies
- Computer Overhead Projection System Six Folders
Procedures
Preparation:
Before Day One prepare six group folders. These should include all images and documents located in the Teacher Resource section. Print and place one copy of every image and document in each of the six group folders.
Ask students to read the Historical Marker Page
The Great Strike of 1877. If students do not have access to a computer, distribute this marker page as a handout (Student Handout 1). Pass out Student Handout 1-The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 Historical Marker Page and Student Worksheet 1 Fact-finding Report. Assign the marker page as reading for homework. Ask students to mark their copies of the reading by highlighting or underlining key facts and individuals and noting causes of the strike, the impact to the communities, and overall consequences. Ask students to fill these out along with the other categories on the Student Worksheet 1-Fact-Finding Report. Remind students to bring the handout and worksheet to class tomorrow.
Day One
1. Begin the class by playing the brief ExplorePAHistory video about the Great Railroad Strike found in the Video files of the The Railroads of Pennsylvania Story. Here is its link: http://www.explorepahistory.com/media.php?videoId=13 If no overhead projection system is available, then read Student Handout 2-Transcript of Introductory Video.
2. After students either watch the video or read the transcript, have them discuss the information from last night's reading. This discussion is meant to generate student interest. Sample discussion questions could include:
-What were some of the reasons for the strike? Was this a unique point in time, or do they think general strikes could occur again in the future?
-Who were some of the main people involved? Did they form any opinions about some of the people? [Governor John Hartrantf, PRR President Thomas Scott, President Rutherford B. Hayes, National Guard troops, Robert Ammon-union leader and brakeman, strikers, sympathizers from the community, etc.]
-Did anything surprise your students about the strikes and rioting?
-Some of the quotes were very strongly and violently worded. What did they think about the strikers taunt "We will have bread or blood. We will wade up to our waists in blood before we leave." Or, Thomas Scott, President of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, exclaiming that he would "give them a rifle diet" for a few days?
-What were some of the consequences of this violence?
-After the strikes came to an end, how did the events affect the workers and the community overall?
3. Tell students that the video and marker page, while using some primary resources of quotes and photographic images, are secondary documents prepared after the event itself occurred. Now, working in small groups, they are going to investigate the strikes using primary resources of different perspectives. They will work in small groups to analyze newspaper accounts of the strike, a sheriff's proclamation, black and white photographs, and lithographs created by media correspondents at the scene. The task for this class is to complete a fact-finding mission to determine the causes and consequences of the strike.
4. Explain that tomorrow after they complete their analysis they will present at least two relevant facts of the case to the class in a roundtable discussion format. After all groups have reported their findings, the class will then take a vote on who was responsible for the strike and its associated violence, the railroad owners, the striking workers, the police, and/or the military troops.
5. This lesson assesses the students' participation in a group analysis and individually through a written analysis. Explain the two methods of assessment to the students. In small groups, they will prepare a written analysis of the primary sources on several student handouts. They will also write an individual analysis of the causes and impact of the strike on Pennsylvania. Each student will receive a grade for his or her group participation and an individual grade for the written analysis of the causes and consequences of the strike.
6. Divide the class into six groups. Distribute the primary source folders and copies of Student Worksheet 2 Image Analysis and Student Worksheet 3 Document Analysis to each group. Each student should have a copy of each worksheet.
7. Review the directions for the worksheets to make certain that the students understand the type of information to collect from each document. If necessary, analyze one document as a class. Here it may be helpful to give students the following advice with regard to the analysis of photographs or pictures as primary sources:
-Study photograph for about 2 minutes.
-Think about the overall impression from the photograph and decide what stands out in the photograph.
-Focus on the individual items in the photograph and notice what is in the photograph and what is missing from it.
-Divide the photograph into quadrants to better focus on the details.
8. Allow students approximately 30 minutes to discuss and analyze the documents with their group members.
9. Remind the students that each group will have 10 minutes to collaborate during tomorrow's class before giving the results of their analysis. Students will need to have Student Worksheet 1-Fact-Finding Report with them for tomorrow as well.
Day Two
1. Review the basics of the strike learned during the previous class.
2. Direct students to return to their groups and distribute the primary source document folders.
3. Tell students to get out Student Worksheet 1 Group Fact-finding Report and allow the students 10-15 minutes to work collaboratively within their groups to complete their fact-finding report and present it at the Great Railroad Strike roundtable discussion.
4. Quickly arrange the classroom desks in a circle.
5. Begin with Group 1 and have students report two relevant facts from their analysis. Students in the other groups will add new facts as the discussion progresses. When each group has presented its information, the class will then discuss the information presented or add additional information from Student Worksheet 3. This method will produce a continual discussion and thorough overview of the topic. (This should take approximately 25 minutes)
6. After a complete discussion of the facts gathered by the groups, the class should take a vote as to which group or groups they feel was/were responsible for the strike.
7. Explain the written assessment to the students. Based on the background reading completed for homework, the primary source analysis, and the roundtable discussion, each student will complete a written analysis of the causes of the strike and its impact on Pennsylvania communities.
8. Students may use the data collected on the worksheets to help with the written assessment and should turn in all collaborative work along with the written assessment.
Before Day One prepare six group folders. These should include all images and documents located in the Teacher Resource section. Print and place one copy of every image and document in each of the six group folders.
Ask students to read the Historical Marker Page
The Great Strike of 1877. If students do not have access to a computer, distribute this marker page as a handout (Student Handout 1). Pass out Student Handout 1-The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 Historical Marker Page and Student Worksheet 1 Fact-finding Report. Assign the marker page as reading for homework. Ask students to mark their copies of the reading by highlighting or underlining key facts and individuals and noting causes of the strike, the impact to the communities, and overall consequences. Ask students to fill these out along with the other categories on the Student Worksheet 1-Fact-Finding Report. Remind students to bring the handout and worksheet to class tomorrow.Day One
1. Begin the class by playing the brief ExplorePAHistory video about the Great Railroad Strike found in the Video files of the The Railroads of Pennsylvania Story. Here is its link: http://www.explorepahistory.com/media.php?videoId=13 If no overhead projection system is available, then read Student Handout 2-Transcript of Introductory Video.
2. After students either watch the video or read the transcript, have them discuss the information from last night's reading. This discussion is meant to generate student interest. Sample discussion questions could include:
-What were some of the reasons for the strike? Was this a unique point in time, or do they think general strikes could occur again in the future?
-Who were some of the main people involved? Did they form any opinions about some of the people? [Governor John Hartrantf, PRR President Thomas Scott, President Rutherford B. Hayes, National Guard troops, Robert Ammon-union leader and brakeman, strikers, sympathizers from the community, etc.]
-Did anything surprise your students about the strikes and rioting?
-Some of the quotes were very strongly and violently worded. What did they think about the strikers taunt "We will have bread or blood. We will wade up to our waists in blood before we leave." Or, Thomas Scott, President of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, exclaiming that he would "give them a rifle diet" for a few days?
-What were some of the consequences of this violence?
-After the strikes came to an end, how did the events affect the workers and the community overall?
3. Tell students that the video and marker page, while using some primary resources of quotes and photographic images, are secondary documents prepared after the event itself occurred. Now, working in small groups, they are going to investigate the strikes using primary resources of different perspectives. They will work in small groups to analyze newspaper accounts of the strike, a sheriff's proclamation, black and white photographs, and lithographs created by media correspondents at the scene. The task for this class is to complete a fact-finding mission to determine the causes and consequences of the strike.
4. Explain that tomorrow after they complete their analysis they will present at least two relevant facts of the case to the class in a roundtable discussion format. After all groups have reported their findings, the class will then take a vote on who was responsible for the strike and its associated violence, the railroad owners, the striking workers, the police, and/or the military troops.
5. This lesson assesses the students' participation in a group analysis and individually through a written analysis. Explain the two methods of assessment to the students. In small groups, they will prepare a written analysis of the primary sources on several student handouts. They will also write an individual analysis of the causes and impact of the strike on Pennsylvania. Each student will receive a grade for his or her group participation and an individual grade for the written analysis of the causes and consequences of the strike.
6. Divide the class into six groups. Distribute the primary source folders and copies of Student Worksheet 2 Image Analysis and Student Worksheet 3 Document Analysis to each group. Each student should have a copy of each worksheet.
7. Review the directions for the worksheets to make certain that the students understand the type of information to collect from each document. If necessary, analyze one document as a class. Here it may be helpful to give students the following advice with regard to the analysis of photographs or pictures as primary sources:
-Study photograph for about 2 minutes.
-Think about the overall impression from the photograph and decide what stands out in the photograph.
-Focus on the individual items in the photograph and notice what is in the photograph and what is missing from it.
-Divide the photograph into quadrants to better focus on the details.
8. Allow students approximately 30 minutes to discuss and analyze the documents with their group members.
9. Remind the students that each group will have 10 minutes to collaborate during tomorrow's class before giving the results of their analysis. Students will need to have Student Worksheet 1-Fact-Finding Report with them for tomorrow as well.
Day Two
1. Review the basics of the strike learned during the previous class.
2. Direct students to return to their groups and distribute the primary source document folders.
3. Tell students to get out Student Worksheet 1 Group Fact-finding Report and allow the students 10-15 minutes to work collaboratively within their groups to complete their fact-finding report and present it at the Great Railroad Strike roundtable discussion.
4. Quickly arrange the classroom desks in a circle.
5. Begin with Group 1 and have students report two relevant facts from their analysis. Students in the other groups will add new facts as the discussion progresses. When each group has presented its information, the class will then discuss the information presented or add additional information from Student Worksheet 3. This method will produce a continual discussion and thorough overview of the topic. (This should take approximately 25 minutes)
6. After a complete discussion of the facts gathered by the groups, the class should take a vote as to which group or groups they feel was/were responsible for the strike.
7. Explain the written assessment to the students. Based on the background reading completed for homework, the primary source analysis, and the roundtable discussion, each student will complete a written analysis of the causes of the strike and its impact on Pennsylvania communities.
8. Students may use the data collected on the worksheets to help with the written assessment and should turn in all collaborative work along with the written assessment.
