THE IMPACT OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING
ON AMERICAN FAMILIES
Mark Freedman
Summer 2004
To download this lesson in PDF format, click here.
Essential Questions
- How
did life change for the average American family after the introduction of
electric lighting?
- Was
electric lighting a positive or detrimental force for the cohesion of
American families?
Assessment
R.A.F.T. Exercise
Setting the Purpose
- Have
students think-pair-share things they typically do in the evening,
especially after sundown, and record their responses on the board
- After
a substantial list has been established, ask the students which of these
activities would not be possible without electric lights. As the students name these
activities, draw a line through them.
- Noting
the altered list on the board, ask students how significantly the advent
of electric lighting changed life for the average American family and have
them discuss whether these changes would support or undermine the unity of
the family. Have students
write down the essential questions and inform them that these will be the
focus for this series of lessons.
Classroom Discussion/Activities
National Sources
- Discuss
EdisonÕs development of the improved electric light and introduce the
documents of 1) EdisonÕs patent of the new light
bulb and 2) the cartoon drawn by EdisonÕs lab
aide of the smiling light bulb (ÒI shed the light of my shining
countenanceÉ.Ó)
- Discuss
with students what the lab aideÕs doodle implies about EdisonÕs plans for
his invention (electrification/lighting of the country on a large scale)
Local Primary Sources and Secondary Sources
- Show
the satellite picture of the United States at
night and Early American Museum pictures
of 19th century lamps, noting the contrast in power of electric
light and oil lamps.
- Emphasize
the drawbacks of oil lamps while presenting the pictures: inefficient, weak light source,
smelly, dirty, and often dangerous (esp. camphor lamps). Discuss also how these drawbacks
might have influenced peopleÕs decisions on whether or not to stay up.
- Introduce
the age of electric light with night pictures
of Parthenon in Memphis lit up with electric lights.
Activity
Divide the class into small heterogeneous groups of 3-4
people after having set up several stations around the class where there are
copies of the local primary documents and secondary documents. Instruct all class members to take with
them a paper divided into three columns.
1) how life changed, 2) positive impacts on the family, 3) negative
impacts on the family. Tell them
to spend 10-15 minutes at each station (this will be over a couple of days)
reading/discussing the documents and recording their findings in the
appropriate columns of their papers.
At the end of this activity students should have several items under
each heading. These columns will now
serve as the raw material for their R.A.F.T. activity. At the end of this activity, have
students verbalize their understanding of the relationship between the national
sources and the local sources.
Materials
- Copy
of EdisonÕs patent for the electric lamp and lab aideÕs doodle of smiling
light bulb
- Early
American Museum photographs of the history of lighting
- ÒSaturday
Night WidowÕs ClubÓ Chicago
Daily Tribune. March 22, 1903
- ÒAn
Excellent RecordÓ Chicago
Daily Tribune. October 31, 1880
- Krazit,
Tom. ÒHistory
Professor Sheds Light on Darkness in American Cities.Ó University of Conneticut webpage November 17, 2003
- Cover
of Orpheum Theatre program
- ÒDiscusses
Benefits from Electricity on FarmsÓ
Chicago Daily Tribune. July 23, 1931
- ÒEnjoy
the EveningÓ Chicago Daily
Tribune. December 26, 1897
- ÒFamily
Evening Can be Ruined by HomeworkÓ
Chicago Daily Tribune. June 15, 1948
- Ekirch,
A. Roger. At DayÕs Close.
New York: W.W. Norton
& Company, 2005. pages
329-335
