Lesson 1 - A Snapshot of the Connecticut River Valley

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Lesson 1: A Snapshot of the Connecticut River Valley - 1880

Lesson Central Question:	In This Lesson:
What changes have occurred in the Connecticut River Valley during the past decade?	Lesson Length Key Ideas I.L.O.s Preparation Materials Activities

Lesson Length

1 class period (85 minutes)

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Key Content Ideas Taught in this Lesson and Teacher Background

Technology was key in changing the face of the Connecticut River Valley.

Teacher Background Essay: A Glimpse at Deerfield in the Connecticut River Valley

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Intended Learning Outcomes

Understandings
Students will understand:

There are many resources one can use to learn about a community and its history.
Immigration and migration shaped the demographics and culture of the Deerfield and the Connecticut River Valley.
Industry and technology reshaped life in Deerfield and the Connecticut River Valley.

Skills
Students will be able to:

Analyze a variety of images and documents.
Make inferences from their readings and articulate causality.

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In Preparation for Teaching

Read Teacher Background Essay: A Glimpse at Deerfield in the Connecticut River Valley

Further Background Reading:

Schlereth, Thomas. Victorian America. New York: HarperCollins, 1991.

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Materials

Primary and Secondary Sources:
Unless otherwise noted, these can be found on the American Centuries website using accession numbers given in parentheses.

1830 map: "Plan of Deerfield in the County of Franklin from Actual Survey" (L98.006)
1871 map: "Deerfield" (L00.017)
"Confluence of the Connecticut and Deerfield Rivers" (L00.060)
"Sugarloaf Mountain" (L00.059)
"Turners Falls, Mass" (1999.13.502)
"Greenfield, Mass Bird's-Eye View" (1999.13.504)
"Shelburne Falls, Mass Bird's-Eye View" (1888.38.04)
"Russell Cutlery Co. Bird's-Eye View" (1987.07)
"Lamson & Goodnow & Co. Bird's-Eye View" (1888.38.05)
"New Home Sewing Machine Company" (1997.10)
1830, 1860 census info from "United States Historical Census Data Browser"
"Financial Report of the Town of Deerfield 1860 - 1861" (L02.131)
"Annual Report of the Treasurer...Town of Deerfield" 1880 (L02.132)

Allen Sisters' photographs of re-creations of the past:

"Barbara Allen Dressed as a Puritan" (1996.14.1937)
"Pilgrim's Progress" (1996.14.0244)
"The Letter of the Law" (1996.14.0295.01-.02)
"Thanksgiving Pies" (1996.14.0712)

Post cards:

Street scenes (1997.08.01.0117, 1997.08.01.0030)
Railroads (1997.08.01.0032, 1996.37.01.118)
Trolley (1997.08.01.0024, 1999.03.0075)
Mohawk Trail (1999.03.0038.14, 1999.03.0038.03)
Hoosac Tunnel (1993.16.06, 1997.08.01.0001)

Newspapers:

front pages of the Greenfield Gazette and Courier, 1830 (L02.137) and 1880 (L02.138).

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Activities

Materials in Context

1. Invite the students to divide into groups.Give each group a learning packet containing resources that illustrate change.

Group One: Maps of Deerfield.

Group Two: Visual Art, Bird’s Eye Views, Planned Communities, Factories, Etchings and lithographs by Orra White Hitchcock.

Group Three: Population Figures, Town Reports.

Group Four: Re-creating the Past, the Effect of Progress.

Group Five: Statistics.
Link with online census records at United States Historical Census Data Browser, and gather information on demographics (including ethnicity). Look for what is included and what is omitted during different periods.

Group Six: Newspapers.
Examine and compare front pages of the 1830 (L02.137) and 1880 (L02.138) Greenfield Gazette and Courier.

2. Invite students to examine and analyze the items carefully. Most of the images can be found on the American Centuries website. Use the accession number in parenthesis to locate them.

3. Prepare a narrative report and/or graph that demonstrate an understanding of the changes that occurred during the period.

Group One: Maps of Deerfield:

1830 map: "Plan of Deerfield in the County of Franklin from Actual Survey" (L98.006)

1871 map: "Deerfield" (L00.017)

Group Two: Visual Art:

"Confluence of the Connecticut and Deerfield Rivers" (L00.060)

"Sugarloaf Mountain" (L00.059)

"Turners Falls, Mass" (1999.13.502)

"Greenfield, Mass Bird's-Eye View" (1999.13.504)

"Shelburne Falls, Mass Bird's-Eye View" (1888.38.04)

"Russell Cutlery Co. Bird's-Eye View" (1987.07)

"Lamson & Goodnow & Co. Bird's-Eye View" (1888.38.05)