Lesson 2: Propaganda from the Late 19th / Early 20th Century
By: Tina Gersdorf, M.Ed.
2010 Fellowship
Tennessee State Library and Archives
(2 – 3 days)
Abstract
Students
will be introduced to propaganda from the Temperance, Suffrage, and Abolition
Movements. They will not be told what
the movements are until after they experience and analyze the propaganda.
Assessment
Analysis
of the various documents, completion of “Movements from the 1800s and 1900s”
Procedure
Day
1
1.
Begin
by asking the students how they would get their messages (as discussed
yesterday) out into the public?
a.
Many
suggestions will be current-day.
Encourage this for now.
b.
Follow
up by adding that there is no Internet, TV, etc. Then how would they get their message
out?
2.
Project
or hand out the “Road to Ruin” sheet music cover and lyrics to verse one.
a.
This
will provide as the model for the analysis worksheet and does not fall into the
tree topics for the lesson.
b.
Allow
for time for students’ initial reactions.
3.
Hand
out a copy of the “Analyze Materials from a Social Movement” worksheet. (perhaps have
students share this for the model lesson).
a.
Students
will not need to fill in their worksheet for this modeling activity, but the
teacher should clearly describe what step is being fulfilled.
4.
Go
through the analysis worksheet with the students, modeling how one might think
and react.
a.
Talk
aloud through the process.
b.
Allow
students to give their input, but remain the main director of the analysis.
c.
Discuss
the two answers at the end of the analysis worksheet with student comments.
5.
Put
students into groups of 3 or 4.
a.
Give
each group a copy of the following:
i. “Temperance RALLY!”
poster
ii. Father Drinks No More (sheet music cover and lyrics to
verse 1)
iii. Uncle Sam’s Speaker for His Little Boys and Girls (cover & pp. 143-4)
iv. Three copies of the
analysis worksheet
b.
Allow
students sufficient time to analyze all three documents as a group.
6.
When
students have finished, return as a group and discuss their findings
a.
What
did they think of the materials?
b.
What
questions do they have?
c.
What
is the cause being addressed? (no drinking; drinking is bad)
i. Teacher should tell
students this is prohibition (or the temperance movement)
d.
What
is the possible change being attempted?
Day
2 (possibly through day 3)
1.
Review
the methods used (that they analyzed yesterday) to spread the message of
outlawing alcohol.
a.
Music
b.
Poems
/ education
c.
Meetings
/ rallies
2.
Put
students into pairs
3.
Hand
out the following materials
a.
Photograph
of Billboard for Suffrage
b.
National
Suffrage Convention pamphlet
c.
“To
the American Women:…” (Political Cartoon)
d.
Three
copies of the analysis worksheet
4.
Allow
for sufficient time for students to analyze all three artifacts.
5.
Re-group
as a class and discuss their findings (just as done with prohibition yesterday)
a.
Be
sure that students understand this movement as “the Suffrage Movement”
b.
Make
sure that students understand the process of analysis as they go along.
6.
Hand
out the following to each individual student:
a.
“Get
off the Track!” (cover & typed
lyrics, 1st verse)
b.
The Emancipator (page 1)
c.
Two
copies of the analysis worksheet
7.
Allow
sufficient time for students to complete the analysis individually (There are
only two sources this time since students are working independently.)
8.
Once
again, discuss the students’ findings as a class.
9.
Ask
them what other methods of delivery they think these movements may have used
(as the ones they have experienced are certainly not the only ones).
10.
Hand
out the “Movements” worksheet to be completed either in or out of class.
Helpful
websites for background information for teacher:
·
Temperance http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=T012
·
Woman
Suffrage http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=W081
·
Abolition http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=S044
·
The
Emancipator http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=M011
