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| Immigration in the Gilded Age: Using Photographs as Primary
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Aim / Essential Question:
How successful were photographs in demonstrating the conditions of immigrants during the Gilded Age?
Background:
The latter portion of the nineteenth century and the early
twentieth century witnessed the start of photojournalism
- investigators scouring the slums and ghettos of American
cities. Just forty to fifty years following the devastating
and powerful photographs taken by Matthew Brady during
the Civil War, these new chroniclers of the urban scene,
along with the print "muckrakers," recognized
that photographic images could have an effect on perceptions
of social realities and used them to expose the horrific
living conditions of America's immigrant underclass. The
photos provoked debate and discussion, and promoted legislative
action to remedy the neglect of those who had no real
voice in the halls of government.
Rationale:
This lesson gives students an opportunity to analyze historic
photographs to gain a better understanding of the Gilded
Age and of the life struggles of immigrants during that
era. Students will engage in historical analysis and will
decide which photograph or photographs would be most useful
in supporting a thesis.
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
- Analyze photographic evidence
- Explain the conditions faced by immigrants in the Gilded Age
- Write a thesis statement
- Discuss and explain the challenges of using photographs as historical evidence
Materials:
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