The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Procedure:

Day 1

1. Divide the class into groups.
   
   
2. Pass out a primary source packet of all of the documents to each group.
   
   
3. Pick one primary source to model the following step with your students.
   1. Using the Analyzing Primary Sources Worksheet, have student groups describe or list the people, objects or activities present in the primary source.
      
      
4. Assign one of the remaining primary sources to each group.
   
   
5. Have each group share their findings with the class. As each group shares their findings, the other students refer to the document that was analyzed and record this information on their analyzing primary sources worksheet.
   
   

• After all of the groups have shared their analysis, have the student groups answer the questions about the primary sources.
  
  
• Have each group share what they have learned and ask one unanswered question they have after studying these primary sources.
  

1. Give each student a "Communication from East to West", Summarizing Non-Fiction Text Worksheet.
   
   
2. Students will use their Primary Source Analysis Worksheet to summarize what they have learned about the telegraph.
   
   
3. Students look for:
   1. Who or What
   2. Did what
   3. When
   4. Where
   5. Why (What was the purpose of the technology?)
      
      
4. Students also look for additional evidence of what they learned through
   1. Vocabulary and illustrations
   2. Photographs
   3. Drawings
   4. Quotes
   5. Documents
      
      
5. Students design a product envelope for the telegraph. (See Product Envelope Directions)
   
   
6. Using their primary source evidence, have students write a summary paragraph about the telegraph as an invention in the 19th century. Publish the summary on the card that goes inside the product envelope.
   
   
7. Place specific vocabulary, illustrations, photos, drawings, quotes or pieces of documents on the back of the card that goes inside the product envelope.

Ask: How does looking at primary sources related to the telegraph help you understand how this technology affected communication across the United States and the world during the 19th century?

• Have students locate Baltimore and Washington DC on a United States map.
  
  
• Have students research another type of communication method from the 19th century.
  
  
• Read more about Samuel Morse
  
  
• Write a note to a friend in Morse Code