P05_Progressive Era- A Time for Change
The activity will cover a period of time from ~1877 (End of Reconstruction) to 1920 (advent of the ‘Roaring Twenties). Of course, there may be a few exceptions that reache to an earlier or later date.
The period marks another watershed period for the nation. The successes and failures of the Recontruction policy of the Federal government established the foundation for the succeeding era: The Gilded Age. The age is marked by an economic expansion partially energized by a developing Business-Government partnership. For more than a quarter-century that partnership witnessed the rise of national corporations with an economic dominance we’ve come to associate with trusts/ monopolies. This growing power over the economic engine of the nation creates an atmosphere where laws, or any semblance of ethical conduct, is set aside for increased profits. The Business-Government partnership is not conducive to a self-regulating economic system.
The accumulation of wealth into the hands of a small, economically elite, fraction of the population contributes to a ‘Have and Have Not’ social picture. Philanthropy becomes an increasingly benevolent product of this disparity, but it’s unable to level the playing field for the ‘Have Nots’. Civil unrest, peaceful and deadly, pushes the nation’s leadership to reconsider the Gilded Age partnership with ‘Business’. Those leaders, from the larger than life characters (Teddy Roosevelt) to unionizing coal miners who lost their lives in shoot-outs, were integral in asking for reforms and executing ‘Calls to Action’ that created “The Progressive Era.”
This era in our nation’s history is labeled ‘The Gilded Age *** Progressive Era’ in our United States History Research Primer.
Phase I
1. Please open the P05_The Progressive Era mindmap prepared for you by Mr.V.
2. The mindmap contains branches that provide guidance for the completion of the research project. One branch identifies the general topic areas to focus our research investigations. The list of topic areas appears below.
01 Labor
02 Environment
03 Law: US Constitution & Federal Statutes
04 Foreign Affairs
05 National Finance
06 Prohibition
3. Organize your groups.
A. Choose a group leader. That group leader will be given a score reflecting their ability to successfully guide the group to a successful completion of the project. Group leader positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.
B. Choose a speaker. That speaker will be given a score reflecting their speaking performance during the presentation. Speaker positions are on a project-by-project basis with everyone serving in that role at least once.
C. Setup a communication system so that group members can communicate outside of classroom.
D. Choose how your group will collect, organize, and keep track of data collection by group members. If you decide to use a mindmap, you must share the map with Mr.V (full access). If you decide to use Google, you must create a ‘Team Drive’ and share that with Mr.V (full access). This segment of the project is not normally evaluated since it is a practical application of skills previously taught and practiced. However, under certain conditions, it may impact the group’s grade when a member’s contributions must be assessed for other reasons: Attendance/ tardiness issues, erroneous content presented as facts, etc.
Phase II
1. Begin collecting sources that may be of use in the researching of your assigned topic area. The sources, as before, are to come from the US History Research Primer and any additional source you verify with Mr.V. The History Research Primer: Sources and Guidance is also recommended for use.
2. Avoid the temptation to begin constructing the presentation. You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. The construction of the presentation file is primarily an administrative task that can, and should, be done out-of-class. You will have no more than 5 class periods to perform this phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.
Phase III
1. Begin the analysis of your accumulated source documents.
2. The gathering of data has to come to an end or you run the risk of never finishing. The analysis phase requires that you read, listen to (audio source), or view (video source) the content you’ve amassed. Keep the relevant materials and discard what proves to be unhelpful materials.
As you do this, your computer monitor should be split into two windows that allow you to analyze your source and take notes on that source. The notes you create should be available for members of your group to see and comment on in Mindmeister/ Google Drive. It’s important that ‘your’ notes bear ‘your’ name (Mr.V needs to be able to trace the notes to its creator).
You are expected to conduct this phase of your research in-class to permit you the opportunity to ask Mr.V questions when you encounter a difficulty. You will have no more than 5 class periods to complete this phase. Any additional time will have to be out-of-class.
Phase IV
1. Mr.V will have distributed to all group leaders, by now, a rubric outlining how the project will be evaluated. Use that rubric, and the P05_Progressive Era project mindmap to guide your analysis of the sources.
2. Construct and submit the presentation file in accord with the guidance provided by Mr.V.
3. On the first class day after submitting your presentation file, Mr.V will allow you one final opportunity to edit the file after viewing it on the large screen. If the edits are substantial, submit a new file before 7PM that evening.
Consider the following as you prepare the presentation:
Be sure to…
-Control the balance between ‘text’ and imagery.
-Did you provide the content your research was intended to reveal? Was it delivered in a manner that the audience can understand?
-Consider the audience: How close will they be to your presentation (projection)? How long will the slide be visible for them to look at and assimilate it’s data?
-Time limit for the presentation.
–Sources properly credited/ cited.
P05_The Progressive Era Presentations
Below are the links to the presentations created by all the research groups within our US History course. Take advantage of the hard work your peers put into the research that supports their presentation.
01. Labor (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)
02. Environment (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)
03. Law: US Constitution & Federal Statutes (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)
04. Foreign Affairs (Period 2, Period 9, Period 10)
US Citizenship 