Introduction
This WebQuest will take a look at how factories, companies, and the role of labor has evolved over the years. Here, students will find resources and information to help them with their research on a "robber baron" or a "captain of industry" of his/her choosing.
This WebQuest is to serve as a launching platform for an argumentative informational brochure either in favor of lassiez-faire capitalism, or in favor of a regulated market economy.
Learning about labor markets, working conditions, unions, and the drive of rising profit margins is a complex undertaking. Our goal with this assignment is to provide two avenues of progress. One driven by profit, the other, motivated by regulation. It is up to you to decide which avenue best suites your interests, and to then convince others that your way is the way to success!
Task
Students are to choose an industrialist from the late 1800s-early 1900s. This can include anyone from John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnagie to J.P. Morgan and Henry Ford.
Using a template from Microsoft Office, students will create a six-page brochure talking about, and advocating a position on their selected industrialist.
The front cover of the brochure should have a picture of the person you're researching. Be creative! If you're arguing against their business practices, for example, feel free to use an image that negatively depicts that person or their business. On the inside 3 pages, there should be information about your industrialist; where they lived, when they were born, information about their business practices. Also, there should be AT LEAST ONE primary source, either a newspaper article or political cartoon, that accurately represents your view of the person you're researching. On the remaining two pages, one should have your name and the sources which you consulted for information. The other page is where you will make your own political cartoon or newspaper article, written or drawn as if you're in the same time as your subject. This portion is left up to your own creativity. You can urge people to invest in the company, or tell your readers to ask their congressman to take action against big business.
Process
This activity will take place over three days, and a weekend, before we begin our lesson on the industrial revolution in the late 1800s. The first day (Thursday) should be spent doing research, for which we will have time in the library. The second day (Friday) will be spent in the computer lab becoming familiar with how Microsoft Office works. This will also be a time to decide on a brochure layout. Over the weekend, you can bring your ideas together on paper, to make sure you know what information you want to put where. Also, this will be a good time to come up with a political cartoon or a newspaper article. The final day (Monday) will be spent bringing all the information together. We will spend time in the computer lab so that you can print out a copy of your brochure for every one of your classmates.
Listed below are some resources you may want to take a look at during your research:
Library of Congress: Here is a good place to find some primary sources on the industrial revolution.
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/indust…
History Channel Website: This is a good resource for understanding the mechanics behind the industrial revolution, and why it came about in the United States.
http://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution
Biography.com: Here, you can get some ideas on who you might want to research.
Evaluation
Evaluation of your brochures will be guided by the following rubric:
Accuracy of information: Possible of 20 points.
All points will be awarded so long as the information on your research subject are accurate. Each incident of incorrect information will result in a loss of 5 points.
Positionality: Possible of 10 points.
All points will be awarded if the researcher takes a clear position on the issue. If a position isn't clearly defined, there will be a loss of 10 points. If the researcher doesn't take a position on the subject at all, no points would be awarded.
Layout: Possible of 10 points.
All points will be awarded if all of the requirements (listed in the task page) are met in the according location. Researchers will incur a loss of 2 points if information isn't displayed in the right place, and will lose 5 points if any sections are missing.
Creativity: Possible of 5 points.
All points will be awarded if the brochure is colorful and engaging, and presents a good argument in line with your position.
Use of Sources: Possible of 5 points.
All points will be awarded if sources are consulted, utilized, and cited correctly in the Chicago style of citation.
Conclusion
The Industrial Revolution in America was a polarizing time in US History. Through your research, you have been able to immerse yourself into the issues of the time, and have been able to form your own opinions. This project has also helped your ability to research, analyze sources, and to cite them correctly. The creativity of your brochures, along with your newly found information, has also helped your to argue a position, and support it with facts, an essential tool in the study and understanding of history.
Teacher Page
This WebQuest is designed to help students learn research techniques, arumentative skills, and the design of basic brochures through the use of Microsoft Office. This WebQuest aligns well with Standard One: History of the United States and New York.