Why Documents Matter: Teaching “Mr. Lincoln’s War” TAH Project Directors Meeting 7 January 2009 New York, NY

Civil War Wives Carol Berkin Baruch College & The Graduate Center City University of New York, New York, NY

The Bridge Between the Historian and the American History Classroom Rosanne Lichatin West Morris Central H.S., Chester, NJ

The Value of Primary Sources When students “ do history ” they: Discover evidence Ask relevant questions Recognize the importance of individuals in history Develop historical empathy Acknowledge various points of view Recognize bias

When students “ do history ” they:

Discover evidence

Ask relevant questions

Recognize the importance of individuals in history

Develop historical empathy

Acknowledge various points of view

Recognize bias

A.D.A.P.T. A – Author Who created the document? D – Date When was the document created? A – Audience What was the intended audience for this document? P – Purpose Why was the document created? T – Tone What emotions are evident in the document?

A – Author

Who created the document?

D – Date

When was the document created?

A – Audience

What was the intended audience for this document?

P – Purpose

Why was the document created?

T – Tone

What emotions are evident in the document?

Working with Documents Teachers Frame the Lesson Teachers Create an Essential Question Teachers Select the Documents Students Work with Documents Students Create the Narrative

Teachers Frame the Lesson

Teachers Create an Essential Question

Teachers Select the Documents

Students Work with Documents

Students Create the Narrative

The Lesson Models Letters from Civil War Soldiers & their families Print documents & images Essential Question, Background, Questions for Students Contact Information: [email_address]

Models

Letters from Civil War Soldiers & their families

Print documents & images

Essential Question, Background, Questions for Students

Contact Information: [email_address]

The “Drummer Boy”

A letter from Georgiana Tillotson to her father, George, serving in the 89th New York Infantry of the Union army . Elizabeth Tillotson with Georgiana (standing) and Lucy in 1862.

General Orders No. 1, issued January 2, 1863, conveyed the Emancipation Proclamation to the Union Army . Courtesy Gettysburg National Military Park. Second page of letter from Union officer John P. Jones to his wife in Illinois on October 3, 1862 . The Gilder Lehrman Collection.

A broadside recruiting African American soldiers for the Union Army. The Gilder Lehrman Collection .

“ To compel students to live within the past, to stand in the shoes of those who came before us, to flesh out and give human meaning to abstractions about democracy, freedom, liberty, and opportunity, to understand the past from the perspective of the men and women who experienced it can be a disturbing experience – but ultimately a rewarding experience.” Leon Litwack

Partnering with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History Kelly Woestman Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS

What Did We Just See? Today’s Model

GLI Approach Historian Education Specialist Primary Sources Content-Specific Teaching Strategies Hands-On Collaboration

Historian

Education Specialist

Primary Sources

Content-Specific Teaching Strategies

Hands-On Collaboration

http://www.gilderlehrman.org

Free GLI Resources History Now http://www.historynow.org Primary Sources Summer Seminars for Teachers Competitive application TAH Grant partnership component

History Now

http://www.historynow.org

Primary Sources

Summer Seminars for Teachers

Competitive application

TAH Grant partnership component

Benefits of GLI TAH Partnerships Flexibility; Flexibility; Flexibility Instead of canned presentations, their staff will tailor your seminar experiences (generally1-3 days) to your needs and teachers selected interests Broad and Narrow Offerings Access to the best historians in the field

Flexibility; Flexibility; Flexibility

Instead of canned presentations, their staff will tailor your seminar experiences (generally1-3 days) to your needs and teachers selected interests

Broad and Narrow Offerings

Access to the best historians in the field

GLI Partnership Benefits Plethora of primary source resources Constantly producing new materials Set of History in a Box for each year

Plethora of primary source resources

Constantly producing new materials

Set of History in a Box for each year

GLI Partnership Benefits (cont’d) Priority placement in Summer Seminars in one of three choices teachers select Work with your project leadership staff to design options that meet your needs Historian visit (1/2 day) 1-3 day intense seminars

Priority placement in Summer Seminars in one of three choices teachers select

Work with your project leadership staff to design options that meet your needs

Historian visit (1/2 day)

1-3 day intense seminars

Bottom Line: It’s up to you what you want to select from the infinite resources of the Gilder Lehrman Institute

Benefits to Your TAH Project Teachers will go away feeling valued as professional colleagues GLI staff takes your requests and your feedback VERY seriously Accessibility of GLI staff in the office on the road

Teachers will go away feeling valued as professional colleagues

GLI staff takes your requests and your feedback VERY seriously

Accessibility of GLI staff

in the office

on the road

Benefits (cont’d) GLI staff has a diversity of expertise to share if you WANT suggestions of how to structure your grant partnership activities

GLI staff has a diversity of expertise to share

if you WANT suggestions of how to structure your grant partnership activities

Lessons Learned: Our 4 GLI Partnerships Clarify up front your project’s logistical and financial responsibilities: site location and rental lodging food transportation

Clarify up front

your project’s logistical and financial responsibilities:

site location and rental

lodging

food

transportation

Lessons Learned (cont’d) Be specific about whether a particular historian is your key objective Or if the TOPIC is your key objective Be Flexible Schedules are hard to coordinate Proximity to airports, etc.

Be specific about whether a particular historian is your key objective

Or if the TOPIC is your key objective

Be Flexible

Schedules are hard to coordinate

Proximity to airports, etc.

Lessons Learned (cont’d) PLAN AHEAD We request historians a year or more ahead of time Especially important if you want some of the most “in demand” historians Feel free to consult with GLI staff at any time throughout your partnership.

PLAN AHEAD

We request historians a year or more ahead of time

Especially important if you want some of the most “in demand” historians

Feel free to consult with GLI staff at any time throughout your partnership.

Why the Gilder Lehrman Institute? Established in 1994 FREE resources and study opportunities for teachers BEFORE TAH GRANTS began Most importantly, GLI will be around AFTER TAH funding ends. Web site will remain free Online journal will continue to exist

Established in 1994

FREE resources and study opportunities for teachers

BEFORE TAH GRANTS began

Most importantly, GLI will be around AFTER TAH funding ends.

Web site will remain free

Online journal will continue to exist

Why GLI? (cont’d) Its expanding national and international footprint means that they provide unique opportunities and access that no other historical organization provides in quite the same way. Its continuing involvement in the larger historical community is making an impact on engaging teachers as professional colleagues.

Its expanding national and international footprint means that they provide unique opportunities and access that no other historical organization provides in quite the same way.

Its continuing involvement in the larger historical community is making an impact on engaging teachers as professional colleagues.

Why GLI ? (cont’d) GLI and its scholars and education coordinators will still be accessible when teachers have questions as they continue to explore the wider world of American history with their students

GLI and its scholars and education coordinators will still be accessible when teachers have questions as they continue to explore the wider world of American history with their students