American
Literature, The Press and The Gilded Age: Using
internet sources to read and evaluate this time period
using materials from various significant figures
including: Jacob Riis, Upton Sinclair, Edward Bellamy,
Booker T. Washington, WEB DuBois, Helen Hunt Jackson,
Frederick Jackson Turner, Thomas Nast and Lewis Hine.
Submitted by: Rick Walters from the Jamestown Public
Schools and Jamestown Community College.
FREWSBURG,
MAPLE GROVE: COMPLETE ALL QUESTIONS
JAMESTOWN,
CASSADAGA, WESTFIELD: COMPLETE 8 QUESTIONS --SIX OF
YOUR CHOICE AND #8 + #12.
American Literature, The Press and United States History
From 1865
through 1910, many writers, reformers and muckrakers
attempted to describe the social, economic and political
brutality of the "Gilded Age" and tweak the conscience
of the expanding middle class. Use internet and print
sources to complete this project.
1. How The
Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis. Read chapters 13, 16, 20
and paragraphs 25-30 of chapter 25. Briefly summarize
the general intention of the author in writing this
book. Select and explain a quotation from each chapter
that vividly depicts the problem. What is the solution
suggested in the final chapter? Discuss its potential
for success.
http://www.bartleby.com/208/
2. The Jungle
by Upton Sinclair. Read chapters 7, 9, and 13. Briefly
summarize the general intention of the author in writing
this book and explain the actual impact of this work.
Select and explain a quotation from each chapter that
vividly depicts the problem.
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/SINCLAIR/front.html
3. Up From
Slavery by Booker T. Washington. Read Chapter 11.
Briefly summarize the general intention of the author in
writing this book. Select and explain two quotations
from the chapter which demonstrate the author's
philosophy related to the gradual development of equal
rights. IN A FINAL PARAGRAPH DISCUSS HOW HIS
PERSPECTIVE MIGHT EXPLAIN THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT
OBAMA.
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/WASHINGTON/cover.html
4. The Souls of
Black Folks by W.E.B. DuBois. Read chapter 3. Briefly
summarize the general intention of the author in writing
this book. Select and explain two quotations from this
chapter explaining the author's disagreement with Booker
T. Washington's strategy to achieve equality for
African-Americans. Looking back from the present,
discuss the accuracy of this criticism. IN A FINAL
PARAGRAPH, DISCUSS HOW HIS PERSPECTIVE MIGHT EXPLAIN THE
ELECTION OF PRESIDENT OBAMA.
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/DUBOIS/cover.html
5. Looking
Backward From 2000 to 1887 by Edward Bellamy. Read
chapters 5 and 6. Briefly summarize the general
intention of the author in writing this book. Select and
explain a quotation from each chapter that vividly
depicts the problems he perceived. Discuss the accuracy
and error of his projections for our lives in the year
2009--be sure to discuss current US Government policies
related to the socialism Bellamy described--be
specific.
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/BELLAMY/toc.html
6. Read the
introductory lecture and excerpt from Helen Hunt
Jackson's
A Century of Dishonor. Explain the author's rationale
for writing this book.
Select and explain three quotations, from the excerpt,
which clearly
demonstrate the problems of reservation life and the
unwillingness of the federal government to properly
assist Native Americans. IN A FINAL PARAGRAPH, DISCUSS
JACKSON'S POSSIBLE PERSPECTIVE REGARDING THE CONFLICT IN
NEW YORK STATE RELATED TO TAXATION OF RESERVATION
BUSINESSES.
http://www.answers.com/topic/excerpt-from-a-century-of-dishonor-1881-by-helen-hunt-jackson
7. The Frontier
in American History by Frederick Jackson Turner. Go to
the last chapter, scroll about two thirds through the
chapter to the paragraph: "In this society of pioneers
men learned to drop their old animosities….". Select and
explain two quotations projecting the author's general
thesis regarding the frontier.
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/TURNER/home.html
8.
Read Charles Dickens' opening line from A Tale of Two
Cities, "It was the best of times, it was the
worst of times, it was the age of wisdom,
it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch
of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,
it was the season of Light, it was the season
of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it
was the winter of despair...." FOR EACH UNDERLINED
PHRASE, PROVIDE a SPECIFIC HISTORICAL EXAMPLE as it
applied to the United States from 1860 - 1900. As you
select a topic/event from this time period, explain how
it applies to a specific part of the quotation. Feel
free to agree or disagree with the observations and
provide your personal perspective.
9. Select and
Print two cartoons from the collection of Thomas Nast
reflecting
significant problems/issues of the Gilded Age. Explain
each cartoon
regarding the problem/issue portrayed and the possible
perspective of the
cartoonist. Each site has different choices. The first
URL is from Harpers
Weekly. IF THE CARTOON WILL NOT PRINT, PROVIDE THE
DATE AND TITLE AS PART OF YOUR DESCRIPTION.
http://www.thomasnast.com/TheCartoons/NastCartoons.htm
OTHER SOURCES:
http://www.csubak.edu/~gsantos/cat15.html
http://cartoons.osu.edu/nast/portfolio.htm
http://www.nevadaobserver.com/TNO%20Reference%20Page%20File/Photo%20Page%202.htm
10. View the
Lewis Hine photography collection. Select and print two
diverse photographs of your choice and explain how each
reflects the "Gilded Age"
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/
11. Visit this
PBS program on America in 1900, read the article and
discuss this
equally disturbing view of the Gilded Age.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/1900/peopleevents/pande28.html
12. Your final
task will be to locate SIX CURRENT EVENT
ARTICLES/CARTOONS you believe to be related to similar
issues or events which took place or are related to
ISSUES OF THE GILDED AGE AND PROGRESSIVE ERA. FOUR OF
THE ARTICLES MUST BE FROM OR RELATED TO THE UNITED
STATES. No more than two articles about the same topic.
As an example, your articles for this assignment could
focus on: Monopolies, Social Darwinism, Corporate
Abuse/Benevolence, Child Labor, Pure Food and Drug
issues, Alcoholism, KKK/Hate Groups, Urban Housing,
Public Education, Native American Rights/Reservations,
Railroads, Separation of Church and State, Nativism/Immigration,
Populism, Problems of Farmers, Organized Crime, Unions,
Feminism, Progressivism, Muckrakers, Settlement Houses,
NAACP, Government and the Environment. A MAXIMUM OF TWO
ARTICLES MAY BE ABOUT "GILDED AGE" TYPE PROBLEMS
CURRENTLY TAKING PLACE IN CHINA OR IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
ONE ARTICLE MUST BE ABOUT A
PROBLEM IN CHINA THAT REFLECTS THE ISSUE DESCRIBED BY
SINCLAIR IN CHAPTER 7/PARAGRAPH 7 REGARDING MILK.
FOR EACH ARTICLE:
*PROVIDE A PRINTED COPY OF THE ARTICLE
*Cite The Publication Source (example: The New York
Times)
*Title and Author of this Article (URL if appropriate)
*Date of the Article
*Brief Summary of the Article
*Specific Correlation of this Article to the Gilded Age
*In regards to the specific issue/topic/event, "Are we
better off today, than during the period we are
studying--why or why not.