Lesson 2 (may take several days)

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Place: Using their webs from the previous lesson, students will examine various primary sources to discern how the state of Illinois did in fact address the four questions raised earlier:

1. How should prisons be built and what should they look like?

2. Who should have to go to prison; what are some crimes worthy of prison?

3. If prisons should change people (reform them), how should they do this?

4. If prisons should punish people, how should they do this?

In exploring each of these questions, students will examine photographs and records from this time period, including photographs of the Illinois State Penitentiary and legislative commission reports.

Students will examine photographs of the Illinois State Penitentiary, drawing conclusions about the nature of the institution based on its architecture. These can be projected for all to see at once, or copied and distributed to individuals or groups of students. In a guided discussion, students should address the following questions:

What is the Illinois State Penitentiary made out of?

Why does it look like a castle?

How would you feel if you were walking into this place?

What message were the architects trying to send to the public about this place?

Are buildings made to look like this today? Why or why not?

Essay # 2

In a summary paragraph, students should describe the impressions they receive from the architecture of the Illinois State Penitentiary and predict if this institution was designed to reform or rehabilitate the men sent there.