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Year 2: Unit 4 – Making America Modern – Industrialism and the Gilded Age (1865 – 1910): Lessons

Lesson 1: American Industrialism (Gallery Walk)

Central Question: How did industrialism transform the American economy following the Civil War?

Historical Background

During the Civil War, the North began to rapidly industrialize: The nation’s railroad system and advanced weaponry were instrumental in the Union’s victory. Over the next 40 years, these innovations laid the groundwork for a period of industrialization in the United States. Railroads allowed goods to travel further than ever before, while new inventions, like steel and electricity, fueled the industrial boom. In addition, a few enterprising men paved the way for an explosion of industry, establishing trusts and monopolies to create the first era of big business. Altogether these factors paved the way for the industrial takeover of the American economy.

For more background, read “The Evolution of Corporate Empires” and “The Industrial Revolution” on the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History website (free login required).

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 4 Key Terms:

  • Gilded Age
  • Transcontinental Railroad
  • Industrialism

Scholars understand why the United States industrialized following the Civil War and can explain how this industrialization transformed the American economy.

Preparation

  • Display the Unit 4 Essential Question on the wall in your classroom for scholars to reference throughout the unit.
  • Create a word wall in your classroom with the Unit 4 Key Terms for scholars to reference during class discussion. Hold scholars accountable for using these Key Terms throughout the unit.
  • Post a timeline in your classroom or digitally to track key events from this unit and previous units.
  • To complete this gallery walk, before class you must:
    • Print all texts and images on card stock and distribute at each station.
    • Determine how you will present video or audio content, if necessary.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars complete the Unit 4 Lesson 1 Do Now in the Unit 4 Workbook.

Context — 15 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

  • Introduce the Essential Question for Unit 4: To what extent was the Gilded Age an era of opportunity?
  • Explain that, each day, scholars will gather more evidence to answer this question.
  • Remind scholars that this unit builds upon past content and that they must constantly make connections to previous periods of history to help them answer this Essential Question.
  • Then pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in launching their study of the emergence of the United States as an industrial nation.

Watch (10 minutes)

  • Watch the video “The Gilded Age” on the PBS American Experience website.
  • Tell scholars to think about the following question as they watch the video:
    • How did American society change following the Civil War?

Discuss (3 minutes)

  • Pairs of scholars discuss the question posed at the beginning of the video as well as the questions below. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the video.
    • Who benefited from these changes in American society? Who suffered? Why?
    • Make a connection to previous content. Ask: Based on your knowledge from Units 2 and 3, to what extent were these changes universally felt across the nation?

Investigate — 15 minutes

  • Divide scholars into three groups. Assign each group one of these stations to begin the gallery walk: The Railroad (pages 3–4 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook), the Evolution of Industries (pages 5– 7 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook), and the Rise of Big Business (page 8 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook).
  • Explain that each group will examine the images, watch the videos, or read the text at their assigned station for 5 minutes before switching to the next station.
  • After examining the sources, scholars should record their observations and inferences.
  • While scholars work, circulate to determine the major trends in scholars’ work and conference with groups of scholars as they rotate among stations.

Discuss — 5 minutes

  • Scholars discuss the following questions as a whole class. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the documents. Ensure that the discussion leads scholars to answer the Central Question.
    • Why did American industries prosper following the Civil War?
    • How did the rise of big business change the American economy?
    • Make a connection to the Essential Question. Ask: How did this new economy affect the economic opportunities of many Americans?

Exit Ticket — 10 minutes

  • Write a paragraph of no more than 200 words:
    • How did industrialism transform the American economy following the Civil War? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from two different sources.

Homework

  • Scholars read the article “Entrepreneurs and Bankers: The Evolution of Corporate Empires” by historian Robert Cherny on the Newsela website in preparation for the next lesson.

Lesson 2: Robber Barons or Captains of Industry (DBQ Writing)

Central Question: To what extent were the industrialists of the 19th century “robber barons”?

Historical Background

Starting in the middle of the 19th century, the first truly large enterprises began to emerge. The rise of big business reshaped not only the economy but politics and culture as well. A few key individuals played a leading role in this process. Condemned as robber barons or praised as captains of industry, they helped invent the giant corporation and became the focus of the modern debate over opportunity and equality, the power of private enterprise, and the role of government regulation.

For more background, read “Robber Barons or Captains of Industry?” on the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History website (free login required).

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 4 Key Terms:

  • Corporation
  • Monopoly/trust
  • Robber baron
  • Industrialist
  • Philanthropy

Scholars can apply their knowledge of American history to interpret original sources and use these sources to write clear, concise, and compelling claims about robber barons during the Gilded Age.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous lesson based on the grade and feedback you gave them.

Launch — 5 minutes

  • Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
  • Build excitement for today’s DBQ and invest scholars in beginning their study of the emergence of the United State as an industrial nation. Tell scholars they will apply all their knowledge as historians to answer a question using new sources that they have not seen before.
  • Scholars read the Lessons 2–4 DBQ Historical Context and Task in the Unit 4 Workbook to frame their thinking.
  • Ask: What is the DBQ Task asking us to do?
  • Scholars interpret the Task in pairs. Call on pairs to share out.
    • As a class, be sure to define the meaning of the phrase “robber baron.”
    • Ask: Why might someone characterize an industrialist as a “robber baron”?

Guided Document Study — 20 minutes

  • Set the expectation that scholars must tackle Documents A through D by writing a main idea next to the title and using the text and their main idea annotations to concisely answer each short-answer question with a clear claim.

Read and Write (8 minutes)

  • Read Document A* on page 10 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook with scholars. After reading, scholars should write a main idea next to the title and use their understanding of the text to write a claim for the accompanying short-answer question in the Unit 4 Workbook.
    • *Note: Document A contains complex and difficult ideas. If you anticipate that scholars will struggle more with Documents B, C, or D, read one of those documents instead.

Discuss (10 minutes)

  • Have a scholar with an exemplar main idea annotation and/or claim share out. Have scholars discuss 1) how the main idea annotations reflect full understanding of the document and/or 2) why the claim effectively answers this short-answer question.
  • Share non-exemplar work. Have the class discuss why the main idea annotation does not reflect full understanding of the document and/or why the claim does not answer the short- answer question.
  • Ensure that scholars understand how this feedback is transferable to their own work and know what they must do to improve.

Give scholars 2 minutes to revise their main ideas or claims based on the discussion.

Read and Write — 20 minutes

  • Scholars read and annotate the remaining documents on pages 11–13 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook and write a clear and concise answer to each short-answer question in the Unit 4 Workbook. Hold scholars accountable for the clarity and strength of their claims!
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have scholars explain their thinking. Can their main idea annotations be made stronger? Are their claims simple and clear? Are they revising their writing?
    • Hold scholars accountable for implementing the feedback you’ve given them.

Teacher Feedback Guidance

  • Before the next lesson, review scholars’ short answers and provide feedback on the quality of their work. Prioritize the most important change that scholars must make to improve both the strength of their claims as well as their future writing. Use your study of scholars’ work to determine a common trend in scholars’ writing.

Lesson 3: Robber Barons or Captains of Industry (DBQ Writing)

Central Question: To what extent were the industrialists of the 19th century “robber barons”?

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars can plan and draft clear and compelling written arguments that answer a historical question with strong theses and evidence that supports or proves their theses.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars revise their short answers from the previous lesson based on the feedback you gave them.

Plan — 15 minutes

  • With partners or in small groups, scholars discuss possible answers to the DBQ task. Ensure that scholars explain why an industrialist might or might not be considered a “robber baron.”
  • Lead a whole-class discussion on possible answers to this task. Remind scholars that there is not a single right answer to this question, but they must have evidence to defend their answers!
    • Call on pairs to share out their answers and defend them with evidence from Documents A through D.
    • Have scholars evaluate one another’s answers. Scholars should consider whether each answer is compelling and based on accurate evidence from the text.
    • Give scholars feedback on the clarity and quality of their answers.
  • During the discussion, chart strong versus weak answers. Ensure that scholars can explain what makes a particular answer strong versus weak.
  • Tell scholars that their answers to this question will become their theses in their final DBQ essays. All of the evidence in an essay must prove this thesis.
  • After the discussion, give scholars 2 minutes to determine their own theses on the planning page of the DBQ in the Unit 4 Workbook. Ensure that scholars are not just copying an answer that was discussed but are actually formulating their own theses based on the discussion.

Outline and Draft — 30 minutes

Outline (15 minutes)

  • Scholars create an outline for their DBQ essays on the planning page of the DBQ by finalizing their theses and the three strongest pieces of evidence from Documents A through D that support their theses, based on their work in the previous lesson and the class discussion.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have each scholar explain his or her thesis. Does his or her thesis answer the DBQ task? Is it compelling? Does the evidence selected actually prove this thesis?
    • If scholars are struggling to choose strong evidence, have them write how each document helps answer the DBQ task on each document or in their outline.

Draft (15 minutes)

  • Scholars use their outlines to draft their DBQ essays. As scholars draft, they must focus on proving their theses with strong evidence from at least three documents.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have scholars explain their writing. Can their writing be made stronger?
    • Ensure that scholars are using relevant evidence to prove their theses in their DBQ essays.
    • Ensure that scholars are revising their writing to make sure it is simple and clear.
    • Hold scholars accountable for rereading their writing and eliminating any typos and errors in basic conventions.
    • Coach scholars on how to implement the feedback you’ve given them.

Teacher Feedback Guidance

  • Before the next lesson, review scholars’ drafts and provide feedback on the quality of their work. Prioritize the most important change that scholars must make to improve both the strength of their theses and supporting evidence in this essay as well as their future writing. Use your study of scholars’ work to determine a common trend in scholars’ writing.

Lesson 4: Robber Barons or Captains of Industry (DBQ Writing)

Central Question: To what extent were the industrialists of the 19th century “robber barons”?

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars revise their essays based on individualized teacher feedback to make their essays stronger and clearer and to understand how to use their feedback to grow as writers.

Preparation

  • To complete this revision, before class you must:
    • Choose an exemplar and non-exemplar draft essay from the previous lesson to use in the Launch and Mini-Lesson. If there is no exemplar piece, plan to use your own teacher model piece.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars read your feedback on their initial drafts of their DBQ essays and discuss with a partner how they will apply this feedback in their revisions today.

Launch — 10 minutes

  • The launch is your opportunity to provide a whole-class model of excellence and explain the biggest issue that holds scholars back from achieving excellence. The launch should end with scholars describing how this piece of writing exemplifies the Habits of Great Writers.
    • Reread the DBQ task with scholars: To what extent were the industrialists of the 19th century “robber barons”?
    • Then share an exemplar draft from the previous lesson. Have scholars discuss 1) what makes the scholar’s thesis compelling and 2) why the evidence selected is effective in proving this thesis.
    • Have scholars articulate to partners how the work study applies to their own writing today.

Mini-Lesson — 10 minutes

  • Choose an anonymous scholar’s draft essay that demonstrates a whole-class trend from your study of scholars’ work in the previous lesson and show this scholar’s line-edited draft to the class.
  • Have the class work together to apply your individualized feedback to begin to revise the DBQ essay. Then call on scholars to articulate how this scholar must apply this feedback to all writing moving forward.
  • Set your expectations for how scholars will apply their individualized feedback to revise their work today.

Revise 1 — 10 minutes

  • Scholars use their individualized feedback to revise their DBQ essays.
  • Set the expectation that scholars should use this entire time to revise their work based on the feedback you have given them. Explain that some scholars will need to start from scratch, and that is OK! Note that this time will only be productive if you have given every scholar individualized feedback.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have scholars explain the feedback that they have received, as well as their plan to apply it.
    • Coach scholars on how to apply your feedback.

Mid-Workshop Teach — 5 minutes

  • Share an essay that has greatly improved through revision. Have the scholar explain how he or she has applied his or her feedback to effectively revise.
    • If there is a clear whole-class misconception that must be addressed, share an anonymous example of that trend. Have the class discuss how the scholar needs to change his or her approach to revision in order to make more substantial changes.
  • Ensure that scholars understand how this feedback is transferable to their own work.
  • Scholars articulate to their partner how they will revise their work based on the Mid-Workshop Teach.

Revise 2 — 10 minutes

  • Scholars use the transferable takeaway from the Mid-Workshop Teach to continue revising their essays.
  • Set the expectation that scholars should use the entire time to continue revising their essays.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Help scholars focus on what is most important: a strong thesis and supporting evidence.
    • Coach scholars on how to apply your feedback.

Homework

  • Scholars read the article “From the Countryside to the City” on Independence Hall’s USHistory.org website and examine the map on page 15 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook in preparation for the next lesson.

Teacher Feedback Guidance

  • Before the next lesson, give each scholar a final grade on their revised essay, as well as one transferable next step that they must apply to their next piece.

Lesson 5: Urbanization (Source Analysis)

Central Question: Why did American cities grow so rapidly in the late 19th century?

Historical Background

As the nation began to industrialize, new employment opportunities came to American cities, with factories in need of laborers. Furthermore, as Americans continued moving westward, the idyllic Western frontier was becoming settled and the continent was filling up. In 1893, historian Frederick Jackson Turner published his “Frontier Thesis,” arguing that the frontier of the United States was officially “closed” and that as a result, cities were the new American frontier, the new land of opportunity. Furthermore, word of these lands of opportunity was spreading beyond American shores; immigrants from all over the world came pouring into the United States during this era, further contributing to the growth of American cities.

For more background, read “America Moves to the City” on the Khan Academy website.

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 4 Key Terms:

  • Urbanization
  • Immigration

Scholars understand the population growth that occurred in American cities in the late 19th century and can explain the factors that sparked this urbanization.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars complete the Unit 4 Lesson 5 Do Now in the Unit 4 Workbook.

Context — 5 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

  • Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
  • Pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in continuing their study of the emergence of the United States as an industrial nation.

Discuss (3 minutes)

  • Scholars discuss the questions below in pairs. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the homework.
    • Why did immigrants move to American cities?
    • Compare the motivations of immigrants with those of Americans moving to cities. To what extent were their motivations similar?
    • Make a connection to previous content. Ask: How did urban life during the Gilded Age differ from that in previous eras of American history?

Investigate — 20 minutes

  • Scholars read and annotate Documents A through D on pages 16–19 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook. After reading each source, scholars should write a main idea next to the title of the source.
  • While scholars work, circulate to determine the major trends in scholars’ work.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have each scholar tell you the main idea of the document he or she is reading. What is the main idea of this document? How do you know? How does this document help answer the Central Question?
    • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on the main idea of the document.

Discuss — 5 minutes

  • Scholars discuss the following questions as a whole class. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the documents. Ensure that the discussion leads scholars to answer the Central Question.
    • How did westward expansion influence urbanization?
    • How did the characteristics of both urban and rural life influence the growth of cities?
    • Make a connection to the Essential Question. Ask: Why did life in cities provide new opportunities for Americans?

Exit Ticket — 10 minutes

  • Write a paragraph of no more than 200 words:
    • Why did American cities grow so rapidly in the late 19th century? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from two different sources.

Homework

  • Scholars read the articles “The Glamour of American Cities,” “The Underside of Urban Life,” and “Corruption Runs Wild” on Independence Hall’s USHistory.org website in preparation for the next lesson.

Lesson 6: Life in an Industrialized City (Jigsaw)

Central Question: Did the opportunities for Americans in Gilded Age cities outweigh the hardships?

Historical Background

As cities and industries grew, life changed for Americans living in cities. On one hand, cities provided new opportunities in terms of entertainment and social life for Americans, and new innovations like skyscrapers made cities modern marvels. On the other hand, cities were overcrowded, and despite the availability of jobs, factory work paid little and required long, hard hours. Furthermore, political corruption meant that local politicians did not have the interests of laborers and immigrants in mind, focusing instead on enriching themselves.

For more background, read “The Underside of Urban Life” on Independence Hall’s U.S. History website and “Tammany Hall” on the History Channel website.

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 4 Key Terms:

  • Tenement
  • Political bosses/political machines
  • Income inequality

Scholars understand the innovations, inequalities, and hardships of life in Gilded Age cities and can explain whether the opportunities of urban life outweighed the hardships.

Preparation

  • To complete this jigsaw, before class you must:
    • Make a plan for how you are going to divide scholars into groups for the jigsaw. These groups will be the same for the debate in the following lesson.
    • Ensure that each scholar has the Lesson 6 Note-Taking Template in the Unit 4 Workbook accessible to ensure that notes are purposeful and scholars are clear on your expectations.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous lesson based on the grade and feedback you gave them.

Context — 5 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

  • Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
  • Pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in beginning their study of the opportunities and hardships of industrialized society.

Discuss (3 minutes)

  • Pairs of scholars discuss the question below. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your questions with strong ideas and back up their ideas with evidence from their homework.
    • How did industrialism affect working and living conditions in American cities?
    • Make a connection to previous content. Ask: How was life in the city different than life in rural America?

Investigate — 15 minutes

  • Remind scholars that the purpose of a jigsaw lesson is to become experts at one topic so they are able to teach their peers. Set the expectations that scholars should be prepared to clearly and concisely share about their assigned topic at the end of their group work time.
  • Divide scholars into groups and assign each group one of two topics : hardships (pages 22–25 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook) or new opportunities (pages 26–30 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook) in preparation for the following lesson’s debate. Each group reads and annotates the documents for its assigned topic. After reading, scholars should write a main idea next to the title of the source.
  • While scholars work, circulate to determine the major trends in scholars’ work.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have each scholar tell you the main idea of the document he or she is reading. What is the main idea of this document? How do you know? How does this document help answer the Central Question?
    • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on the main idea of the document.

Teach — 10 minutes

  • Remind scholars that they are responsible for learning from their classmates during this time and should take notes in their Lesson 6 Note-Taking Template in the Unit 4 Workbook during each presentation.
  • Have scholars from each group present about their topic to the class in 5 minutes or less.
  • As scholars share, chart the major takeaways from each group and display this chart in your classroom for reference throughout the unit.

Discuss — 5 minutes

  • After each group presents, scholars discuss the following questions as a whole class. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the documents. Ensure that the discussion leads scholars to answer the Central Question.
    • How did industrialism provide new opportunities in American cities?
    • Why was life challenging in American cities?
    • Make a connection to the Essential Question. Ask: To what extent could all Americans experience the new opportunities in cities?

Wrap-Up — 5 minutes

  • Tell scholars that tomorrow, based on the reading and discussions from today’s class, they will debate the Central Question: Did the opportunities for Americans in Gilded Age cities outweigh the hardships
  • Scholars who read the opportunities documents will argue the pro side of the debate, while scholars who read the hardships documents will argue the con side of the debate.
  • Explain to scholars that for homework, they will be using the sources and discussion from today’s class to fill out the Debate Planning Guide in the Unit 4 Workbook in preparation for tomorrow’s debate. Emphasize that scholars who do not adequately complete the planning guide cannot participate in the class debate.

Homework

  • Scholars complete the Debate Planning Guide in the Unit 4 Workbook in preparation for the next lesson.

Lesson 7: Life in an Industrialized City (Debate)

Central Question: Did the opportunities for Americans in Gilded Age cities outweigh the hardships?

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars can explain whether the modern innovations and new opportunities for work, leisure, and entertainment outweighed the costs of poverty and corruption, and they can convincingly present their perspectives in a debate.

Preparation

  • To complete this debate, before class you must:
    • Think through systems for scholar note-taking during scholars’ debate time to ensure that notes are purposeful and scholars are clear on your expectations.
    • Divide your room into two sections before class. Label one side “Pro” and one side “Con.”
    • Ensure that scholars have their completed Debate Planning Guides in the Unit 4 Workbook accessible.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars complete the Unit 4 Lesson 7 Do Now in the Unit 4 Workbook.

Launch — 5 minutes

  • Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
  • Pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in continuing their study of the opportunities and hardships of industrialized society in today’s debate.
  • Show exemplar planning guides from both sides and have scholars discuss what makes the arguments chosen for the debate compelling.

Planning — 10 minutes

  • Break scholars into the same two groups from the previous lesson: those who believe that urban life provided many opportunities (the pro side) and those who believe the hardships were too great (the con side). Scholars sit with their teams on their respective side of the room.
  • Explain to scholars that they should use this time to plan how they will present their arguments in the debate.
  • As scholars plan, they should:
    • Summarize their assigned position on urban life during the Gilded Age.
    • Identify three to five arguments, based on their Debate Planning Guides and the previous lesson, that support their side of the debate.
    • Determine at least three counterarguments they anticipate the opposing side will argue, based on the previous lesson and their homework, and how they plan to rebut those arguments.
  • While scholars work, circulate to ensure that scholars are effectively planning their arguments for a debate and are keeping the ideas of their arguments front and center.

Debate — 20 minutes

  • Have a scholar from one side present his or her argument at the front of the class.
  • After this scholar presents his or her argument, have the other side respond directly to that scholar’s argument.
  • Then have a scholar from the opposing side present his or her argument, next allowing the first group to respond.
  • Hold scholars accountable for taking notes while scholars are presenting their arguments; they will use these notes to come up with a response to the other side’s argument.

Exit Ticket — 10 minutes

  • Write a paragraph of no more than 200 words:
    • Did the opportunities for Americans in Gilded Age cities outweigh the hardships? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from both sides of the debate.

Homework

  • Scholars read “Immigration” on pages 32–33 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook in preparation for the next lesson.

Lesson 8: The Land of Opportunity? (Jigsaw)

Central Question: To what extent was the United States a land of opportunity for immigrants?

Historical Background

During the Gilded Age, immigrants from around the world came to the United States. In the East, immigrants came from much of Europe, countries like Russia and Italy. In the West, immigrants came mostly from China and Japan. Lured by the promise of jobs and opportunities, life was often very difficult for these new Americans.

For more background, read “The Immigrant Experience,” “The Chinese Question,” and “Ellis Island and NYC” on the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History website (free login required).

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 4 Key Terms:

  • Immigration quotas
  • Chinese Exclusion Act

Scholars understand the opportunities and struggles many immigrants faced in the United States during the Gilded Age and can explain the extent to which these opportunities outweighed the struggles.

Preparation

  • To complete this jigsaw, before class you must:
    • Make a plan for how you are going to divide scholars into groups for the jigsaw.
    • Ensure that each scholar has the Lesson 8 Note-Taking Template in the Unit 4 Workbook accessible to ensure that notes are purposeful and scholars are clear on your expectations.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous lesson based on the grade and feedback you gave them.

Context — 10 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

  • Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
  • Pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in continuing their study of the opportunities and hardships of industrialized society.

Read (5 minutes)

  • Read the “Timeline of U.S. Immigration Policy” on the PBS website.
    • Scholars should read and annotate the source, writing a main idea about the Timeline.

Discuss (3 minutes)

  • Scholars discuss the questions below in pairs. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the homework and the timeline .
    • Why did immigrants come to the United States?
    • How did the American government respond to these new immigrants?
    • Make a connection to previous content. Ask: How did Americans’ attitudes toward immigration evolve over time?

Investigate — 15 minutes

  • Remind scholars that the purpose of a jigsaw lesson is to become experts at one topic so they are able to teach their peers. Set the expectations that scholars should be prepared to clearly and concisely share about their assigned topic at the end of their group work time.
  • Divide scholars into groups and assign each group one of two topics : immigration to the East (pages 34–37 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook) or immigration to the West (pages 38–40 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook). Each group reads and annotates the documents for its assigned topic. After reading, scholars should write a main idea next to the title of the source.
  • While scholars work, circulate to determine the major trends in scholars’ work.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have each scholar tell you the main idea of the document he or she is reading. What is the main idea of this document? How do you know? How does this document help answer the Central Question?
    • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on the main idea of the document.

Teach — 10 minutes

  • Remind scholars that they are responsible for learning from their classmates during this time and should take notes in their Lesson 8 Note-Taking Template in the Unit 4 Workbook during each presentation.
  • Have scholars from each group present about their topic to the class in 5 minutes or less.
  • As scholars share, chart the major takeaways from each group and display this chart in your classroom for reference throughout the unit.

Discuss — 5 minutes

  • After each group presents, scholars discuss the following questions as a whole class. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the documents. Ensure that the discussion leads scholars to answer the Central Question.
    • How did immigrants’ opportunities improve in the United States?
    • How were immigrants’ opportunities limited in the United States?
    • Make a connection to the Essential Question. Ask: How do these limitations challenge the claim that the United States was a land of opportunity for immigrants?

Exit Ticket — 5 minutes

  • Scholars independently complete the Lesson 8 Exit Ticket in the Unit 4 Workbook.

Homework

  • Scholars read the article “The Rise of Organized Labor” by the Independence Hall Association and published on the Newsela website and examine the image on page 42 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook in preparation for the next lesson.

Lesson 9: Labor Unions (Simulation)

Central Question: How successfully did labor unions fight for workers’ rights?

Historical Background

In response to long hours and difficult working conditions, American laborers decided to form unions. The first national union, the Knights of Labor, became a major force in the 1880s. They met with management and attempted to negotiate for better salaries and working conditions. The Knights of Labor, however, were disorganized and were replaced by the more successful American Federation of Labor, formed in 1886.

For more background, read “Labor Unions” on the History Channel website, listen to the podcast “A Brief History of the Labor Movement” on NPR, and browse the B&O Railroad Labor Negotiation Simulation on the B&O Railroad Museum website.

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 4 Key Terms:

  • Labor union
  • Strike
  • Labor negotiation

Scholars can evaluate the role of labor unions by simulating a labor negotiation between laborers and management.

Preparation

  • To prepare for this simulation, before class you must:
    • Arrange your classroom to create two groups, with an additional desk in the front.
    • Place name tents labeled “Labor” and “Management” for each group.
    • As scholars enter the room, assign them to either labor or management, or develop a system to let them choose which side they will represent before the beginning of class. Ensure that there are a nearly equal number of scholars on each side. Have scholars sit together with their group by their respective “Labor” or “Management” name tent.
    • If it makes sense for your classroom, choose one scholar (or a pair of scholars) to be the mediator in the negotiation and to sit at the desk in the front of the room. Otherwise, you should prepare to be the mediator.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars complete the Unit 4 Lesson 9 Do Now in the Unit 4 Workbook.

Context — 5 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

  • Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
  • Pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in beginning their study of how Americans organized to fight for better opportunities.

Discuss (3 minutes)

  • Pairs of scholars discuss the question below in pairs. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your question with claims supported by evidence from the homework.
    • Why did Americans form labor unions?
    • Make a connection to the Essential Question. Ask: How did labor unions improve the lives of American laborers over time?

Preparation — 20 minutes

Investigate (10 minutes)

  • Tell scholars that today, they will be simulating a labor negotiation between a labor union and management. Their labor negotiation is based on the B&O Railroad Strike in 1877, and the goal of the labor negotiation is to come to an agreement to prevent a strike.
  • Have scholars read “General Information for Union and Management Document” on page 43 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook.
  • Additionally, provide each group with the following confidential information for their side: Management Materials (page 43 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook), Union Materials (page 43 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook), or Mediator Materials (page 43 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook) (if relevant). This information must not be revealed to the other side, so hold scholars accountable for not reading the materials of another group.
  • Scholars should read and annotate their confidential information and review their homework.
  • As scholars read and review, they should:
    • Identify their three most important demands during this negotiation.
    • Identify other concerns on which they are most willing to compromise.
  • While scholars work, circulate to determine the major trends in scholars’ work.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have each scholar tell you the main idea of the document he or she is reading. What is the main idea of this document? How do you know?
    • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on the main idea of the document.

Planning (10 minutes)

  • Scholars discuss with members of their negotiating teams to plan a bargaining strategy and discuss their demands.

Simulation — 15 minutes

  • Tell scholars that the goal of each group is to negotiate the best possible deal for their side. Stress that a skillful negotiator is not always the loudest, but he or she is always the most persuasive. Each side must be able to explain the rationale for why they will or will not compromise on their positions. For a negotiation to be successful, both sides must agree to all parts of a labor contract. Therefore, scholars must work to convince their peers why they should or should not compromise on different issues.
  • Before scholars begin, set clear expectations for scholar participation and roles within the groups. Ensure that scholars understand that their arguments and decisions must be based on their group’s perspective (labor or management) not their own.
  • As scholars negotiate, the mediator should ask questions to encourage a compromise as each side presents its demands and both sides work to come up with an agreement.
  • While scholars discuss, press scholars to reflect their side’s beliefs accurately and to propose authentic and compelling negotiations. Address misconceptions within both groups, or stop and address the whole class based on what you hear.
    • If you notice that only a few scholars are dominating the conversation, break up the negotiation into smaller groups with two laborers, two management representatives, and a mediator to continue negotiations.

Wrap-Up — 5 minutes

  • After scholars have engaged in their negotiating, have them work together to develop a labor contract. The contract must include agreements on all of the issues listed in the “General Information for Union and Management Document.” All members must agree to sign the contract.
  • Tell scholars that as they learned in the lesson and in their homework, labor negotiations are difficult because so many interests are involved. Explain that labor negotiations are often unsuccessful, leading to strikes. Also, tell scholars that even though labor negotiations are difficult, before labor unions, laborers had little negotiating power at all.

Homework

  • Scholars read the articles “Homestead Strike” and “Haymarket Riot” on the History Channel website and “Pullman Strike” on Encyclopedia Britannica in preparation for the next lesson.

Lesson 10: Labor Unions (Jigsaw)

Central Question: How successfully did labor unions fight for workers’ rights?

Historical Background

When unions and management couldn’t agree to a labor negotiation, workers went on strike. Three of the most famous — and contentious — labor conflicts were the Haymarket Affair in 1886, the Homestead Strike in 1892, and the Pullman Strike in 1894. All three conflicts resulted in massive violence, committed by both the strikers and management. While strikes sometimes successfully won workers more rights, often the violence that erupted was a setback for labor unions and workers.

For more background, read “The Pullman Strike” on the Encyclopedia Britannica website and “The Homestead Strike” and “The Haymarket Riot,” both on the History Channel website.

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand the goals and purpose of American labor unions and can explain the extent to which labor unions successfully promoted workers’ rights.

Preparation

  • To complete this jigsaw, before class you must:
    • Make a plan for how you are going to divide scholars into groups for the jigsaw.
    • Ensure that each scholar has the Lesson 10 Note-Taking Template in the Unit 4 Workbook accessible so that notes are purposeful and scholars are clear on your expectations.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars complete the Unit 4 Lesson 10 Do Now in the Unit 4 Workbook.

Context — 10 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

  • Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
  • Pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in continuing their study of how Americans organized to fight for better opportunities.

Watch (5 minutes)

  • Watch the video “The Homestead Strike” on the History Channel website.
  • Tell scholars to think about the following question as they watch the video:
    • Why did laborers go on strike in Homestead, Pennsylvania?

Discuss (3 minutes)

  • Pairs of scholars discuss the question posed at the beginning of the video as well as the questions below. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the homework and the video.
    • What was the outcome of the Homestead Strike? Why?
    • Make a connection the Essential Question. Ask: To what extent did the Homestead Strike improve the lives of Gilded Age factory workers?

Investigate — 15 minutes

  • Remind scholars that the purpose of a jigsaw lesson is to become experts at one topic so they are able to teach their peers. Set the expectations that scholars should be prepared to clearly and concisely share about their assigned topic at the end of their group work time.
  • Divide scholars into groups and assign each group one of the following three labor conflicts: the Homestead Strike (pages 46–47 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook), the Pullman Strike (pages 48–50 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook), or the Haymarket Riot (pages 51–52 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook). Each group reads and annotates the documents for its assigned topic. After reading, scholars should write a main idea next to the title of the source.
  • While scholars work, circulate to determine the major trends in scholars’ work.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have each scholar tell you the main idea of the document he or she is reading. What is the main idea of this document? How do you know? How does this document help answer the Central Question?
    • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on the main idea of the document.

Teach — 10 minutes

  • Remind scholars that they are responsible for learning from their classmates during this time and should take notes in their Lesson 10 Note-Taking Template in the Unit 4 Workbook during each presentation.
  • Have scholars from each group present about their topic to the class in 3 minutes or less.
  • As scholars share, chart the major takeaways from each group and display this chart in your classroom for reference throughout the unit.

Discuss — 5 minutes

  • After each group presents, scholars discuss the following questions as a whole class. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the documents. Ensure that the discussion leads scholars to answer the Central Question.
    • How did the industrialists respond to strikes? Why?
    • How did strikes affect public opinion of labor unions?
    • Make a connection to the Essential Question. Ask: How did violent strikes affect the opportunities of Gilded Age laborers over time?

Exit Ticket — 5 minutes

  • Scholars independently complete the Lesson 10 Exit Ticket in the Unit 4 Workbook.

Homework

  • Scholars read “Agrarian Discontent” on page 54 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook, as well as the section “Agrarian Activism in the United States” in the article “The Populists” on the Khan Academy website in preparation for the next lesson.

Lesson 11: Agrarian Discontent (Source Analysis)

Central Question: How did industrialism affect the lives of rural Americans?

Historical Background

Life on farms during the Gilded Age was difficult. While industrialism made farming more efficient, it also led to overproduction, driving down the prices of farm goods. Furthermore, to afford the new technologies necessary to be competitive with commercial farms, many farmers fell into debt, while railroads consistently took advantage of farmers trying to ship their products to factories. To make matters worse, harsh natural conditions coupled with social and political isolation made daily life on farms grueling. As a result, farmers, like their laborer counterparts in the cities, began to organize and search for an end to the hardships of farm life.

For more background, read “Populism and Agrarian Discontent” on the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History website (free login required).

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 4 Key Term:

  • Financial panic

Scholars understand the hardships of life on American farms during the Gilded Age and can explain how industrialism and the rise of big business worsened these farm conditions.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars complete the Unit 4 Lesson 11 Do Now in the Unit 4 Workbook.

Context — 10 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

  • Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
  • Pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in continuing their study of how Americans organized to fight for better opportunities.

Watch (3 minutes)

  • Watch the video “Homesteading” on the Prairie Public YouTube channel.
    • Begin the clip at 49:58 and pause the clip at 52:57 to allow for discussion.
  • Tell scholars to think about the following question as they watch the video:
    • Why was life in the rural United States difficult?

Discuss (5 minutes)

  • Pairs of scholars discuss the question posed at the beginning of the video as well as the questions below. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from their homework and the video.
    • To what extent did the railroads help rural Americans?
    • Make a connection to the Essential Question. Ask: How did industrialism improve the lives of farmers? How did it make life harder?

Investigate — 20 minutes

  • Scholars read and annotate Documents A through C on pages 55–56 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook. After reading each source, scholars should write a main idea next to the title of the source.
  • While scholars work, circulate to determine the major trends in scholars’ work.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have each scholar tell you the main idea of the document he or she is reading. What is the main idea of this document? How do you know? How does this document help answer the Central Question?
    • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on the main idea of the document.

Discuss — 5 minutes

  • Scholars discuss the following questions as a whole class. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the documents. Ensure that the discussion leads scholars to answer the Central Question.
    • How did farmers characterize life in the rural United States?
    • To what extent did industrialism improve the lives of American farmers?
    • Make a connection to previous content. Ask: Compare the grievances of American farmers with urban Americans. To what extent are their complaints similar?

Exit Ticket — 10 minutes

  • Write a paragraph of no more than 200 words:
    • How did industrialism affect the lives of rural Americans? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from two sources.

Homework

  • Scholars read “Populism” on page 58 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook in preparation for the next lesson.

Lesson 12: Populism (Source Analysis)

Central Question: Why did the Populist Party appeal to millions of Americans during the Gilded Age?

Historical Background

Throughout the 1880s, local political action groups known as Farmers Alliances sprang up among Middle Westerners and Southerners who were discontented because of crop failures and falling prices. Although they won some significant regional victories, the alliances generally proved politically ineffective on a national scale. Thus, in 1892, their leaders organized the Populist Party, or the People’s Party, and the Farmers Alliances melted away. The Populist Party attempted to broaden its appeal to working-class urban Americans. It demanded an increase in the circulating currency (to be achieved by the unlimited coinage of silver), a graduated income tax, government ownership of the railroads, a tariff for revenue only, the direct election of U.S. senators, and other measures designed to strengthen political democracy and give farmers economic parity with business and industry. In 1896, the Populists joined forces with the Democrats. The subsequent defeat of Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan signaled the collapse of one of the most challenging protest movements in the United States since the Civil War.
For more background, read “The Populist Movement” on the Encyclopedia Britannica website.

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 4 Key Terms:

  • Populism/Populist Party

Scholars understand the key goals of the Populist Party and its attacks on big business and can explain why populism appealed to millions of Americans— farmers and wage laborers alike— during the Gilded Age.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous lesson based on the grade and feedback you gave them.

Context — 10 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

  • Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
  • Pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in continuing their study of how Americans organized to fight for better opportunities.

Watch (4 minutes)

  • Watch the video “Presidential Election of 1896” on the History Channel website.
  • Tell scholars to think about the following question as they watch the video:
    • How did William Jennings Bryan challenge the industrialists?

Discuss (4 minutes)

  • Pairs of scholars discuss the question posed at the beginning of the video as well as the questions below. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from their homework and the video.
    • How did Bryan represent the interests of both the urban working class and rural Americans?
    • Make a connection to previous content. Ask: How did the election of 1896 compare to previous presidential elections?

Investigate — 20 minutes

  • Scholars read and annotate Documents A through C on pages 59–61 of the Unit 4 Sourcebook. After reading each source, scholars should write a main idea next to the title of the source.
  • While scholars work, circulate to determine the major trends in scholars’ work.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have each scholar tell you the main idea of the document he or she is reading. What is the main idea of this document? How do you know? How does this document help answer the Central Question?
    • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on the main idea of the document.

Discuss — 5 minutes

  • Scholars discuss the following questions as a whole class. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the documents. Ensure that the discussion leads scholars to answer the Central Question.
    • How did the Populist reformers characterize the industrialists and big business?
    • How did the Populist reformers appeal to the interests of both farmers and laborers? Why was this important?
    • Make a connection to the Essential Question. Ask: How did the Populist Party attempt to improve opportunities for Americans?

Exit Ticket — 10 minutes

  • Write a paragraph of no more than 200 words:
    • Why was the Populist Party appealing to millions of Americans during the Gilded Age? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from two sources.

Homework

  • Scholars read the articles “American Empire” on the New World Encyclopedia website, “Seeking Empire,” and “Early Stirrings,” both on Independence Hall’s USHistory.org website in preparation for Unit 5.

Optional Current Events Connection

  • Scholars read the following articles on Newsela*:
    • “Trump Issues Order Restricting Travelers from Seven Countries”
    • “Military Operation Sends 5,200 U.S. Troops to Stop Migrants at Border”
    • “U.S. Immigration Debates Are Not Unique to the 21st Century”
  • Scholars write an essay of no more than 400 words based on all three of the articles above in response to the following prompt:
    • How do the immigration policies of the present day compare to those of the Gilded Age?

*To access all articles on the Newsela website, you must create a free account.

Extra Credit

Prompts: Scholars may choose one of the following prompts about Big Ideas in American history.

  • How did industrialism reshape American society between 1865 and 1900?
  • To “gild” means to create an outer layer of gold. While golden objects are made of gold through and through, gilded objects have only the appearance of gold and beneath the gold is an unrefined, less beautiful metal. Based on this definition of “gild,” why is the Gilded Age an appropriate name for the era between 1865 and 1900?
  • How successful were Americans’ attempts to challenge the power of big business?

Project Menu: Scholars may then choose to respond to the prompt chosen above with one of the formats outlined below.

  • Thematic Essay: Scholars write a thematic essay that answers one of the extra credit prompts, drawing on evidence both from the unit and from their own independent research.
  • Podcast: Scholars create an original podcast that answers one of the prompts above. The podcast should be 5–8 minutes long. Podcasts must draw on evidence both from the unit and from scholars’ own independent research.
  • “Docudrama”: Scholars create a “docudrama” that answers one of the prompts above. A docudrama is a dramatized video that tells the story of historic events. The docudrama should be 5–8 minutes long. Docudramas must draw on evidence both from the unit and from scholars’ own independent research.
  • Interview: Scholars record (video or podcast) an interview with a “historian” or a historical figure in order to answer one of the prompts above. The historian or historical figure must be the scholar. A parent, a classmate, or a teacher should be the interviewer. Interviews should be 5–8 minutes long. Interviews must draw on evidence both from the unit and from scholars’ own independent research.
  • Propose your own project: Scholars may propose to do their own project. These projects must still answer one of the extra credit prompts, and any project proposal must draw on evidence both from the unit and from scholars’ own independent research.

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