Women, Children, Labor and the Progressive
Era Unit
Nancy Deaton
AHTC 2006 Summer Fellowship
Illinois State Archives, Springfield
High School US History
Abstract
Students will explore the Progressive Era by examining how efforts to reform child and female labor related to many other Progressive reforms. Students will see how most of the Progressive reforms were interrelated and demonstrated overlapping desires for improvement in society. During the unit students will examine photos, letters, governmental reports, and charts to gain a broad understanding of the era. They will also do a short research project focusing on a specific Progressive reform. By the end of the unit students will be able to succinctly describe the goals of Progressives and analyze the Progressive Era reforms.
Essential Questions
Assessment
Formal Assessments
á Progressive Era Research Report
á Progressive Era Quiz
á
Progressive Era Legal Timeline
Informal Assessments
á Photo analysis worksheets
á Discussion organizers
á Concept of definition maps
á Factory InspectorŐs Report Worksheet
á Class discussions
Day 1 – Identifying problems of the Progressive Era
Analysis of Local
Primary Sources
Day 2—Introduction to Vocabulary and Progressive Reforms
Day 3—Analyzing the Factory InspectorŐs Report
Day 4—Goals of the Progressive Era
Day 5—Why Might People Oppose Progressive Reforms? (3 brief activities)
Day 6—Progressive Era Laws in Illinois and the Nation
National Primary
Source Ties
Annotated List of Materials and Resources
Additional Resources Included (Not part of
unit, but related to Progressive Era)
Attachments
á Concept of Definition Map—Graphic organizer used to help students learn a fuller definition of a complex vocabulary word.
á NARA Photo Analysis Worksheet—fill in worksheet for students to use when analyzing photos by the National Archives and Records Administration
á Sweatshop Women Descriptors Organizer—To hand out on Day 1
á Analyzing the Factory InspectorŐs Report Worksheet—To hand out on Day 3
á Progressive Era Legal Timeline Directions—To hand out on Day 6
á Progressive Era Research Report—To hand out on Day 7
State Learning
Standards
16.B.4
(US) Identify political ideas that have
dominated United States historical eras (e.g., Federalist, Jacksonian,
Progressivist, New Deal, New Conservative).
14.D.4
Analyze roles and influences of
individuals, groups and media in shaping current debates on state and national
policies.
14.D.5
Interpret a variety of public policies and
issues from the perspectives of different individuals and groups.
14.F.5
Interpret how changing geographical,
economic, technological and social forces affect United States political ideas
and traditions (e.g., freedom, equality and justice, individual rights).
16.C.5b
(US) Analyze the relationship between an
issue in United States economic history and the related aspects of political,
social and environmental history.
16.C.4c (US) Describe how American economic institutions were shaped by industrialists, union leaders and groups including Southern migrants, Dust Bowl refugees, agricultural workers from Mexico and female workers since 1914.
