Day 1

Throughout our history there have been religious communities that were established by an individual leader with a religious vision. One such site was Economy, (now called "Old Economy Village" in southwestern Pennsylvania, the third and last stop for the Harmony Society.

• Who were these people and what did they believe?


• What was their settlement like and how did their beliefs impact the settlement?

Distribute Source 1: "Biography of George Rapp" and ask students to read it. Discuss:

• Why would people follow this man first out of Germany and then throughout the United States?


• Why do people follow a leader?

Show the Video "Old Economy Village." Afterward, discuss these questions, which establish the characteristics and beliefs of the Harmonists and the type of community Economy was:

• Who was George Rapp?


• Why were people willing to follow him from Germany and then throughout the United States?


• What were the core beliefs of the Harmonists?


• Briefly describe the settlement of Economy Village?


• Why did the Harmonists eventually disappear?

Homework:

• Follow up reading:Source 1: "Story of Old Economy"


• Worksheet 1. "Harmonists and the _______ Group." Students should complete the section on the Harmonists.

Day 2

Review the basic history and beliefs of the Harmonists (from homework assignment).

The Harmonists were not the only communal experiment in the 19th century.

Divide the class into five groups, each one will be assigned one of the following groups or communal experiments:

• Shakers


• Oneida Community


• Amana settlements


• Zoarists


• New Harmony

Let each group explore web sites or conduct library research about these communities (see Student Web Links)

Each group should locate the following information on the Web and enter it on their chart:

• Leader(s)


• Date founded


• Location(s)


• Description of the make-up of the community members
• Description of layout of the community


• Religious Beliefs
• Economic Activities


• Rules of community


• Success/Failure (details)


• Impact on Society


• Present Status

Assignment: Look at the information about your group and the Harmony Society. Use Worksheet 1: "Harmonists and the _______ Group" Chart to arrange the information in parallel and identify similarities and differences between the two groups.

Day 3

First teacher will review the baseline information on the Harmonists and enter it into the appropriate column on and overhead made from Worksheet 2: "Comparing utopian communities" Chart (included with previous worksheet). Distribute paper copies of Worksheet 2: "Comparing utopian communities" Chart to students. This chart compares all six groups.

Now each group will report back on the information of the group they researched. Teacher will fill in the squares on the overhead while students fill in their charts by taking down the information on the other groups.

Once the chart is completed the teacher should lead the class in comparing each group with the Harmonists, pointing out similarities and differences.

Close with a discussion of the present status of some of the groups and how they were formed that help explain why people join these types of communal experiments:

• Why were these communal experiments started? (answers will vary, but often there was a leader or a set of beliefs that impacted the development of the communal experiment)


• Why were people willing to join these groups?


• What was the fate of these groups? If they still remain what changes have been made?


• Are there still groups of this nature? Why? What motivates the formation of these groups today?