United States History often exemplifies the famous quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” Political and social movements since the reform era of the 1830s have required immense effort from ordinary people to actively participate in that bending. This inquiry focuses on the labor movement during the Progressive era and allows students to see the community-building and solidarity inherent in this movement. Students will flex their argumentation skills by utilizing evidence from multiple sources that draw from a variety of labor groups and issues.
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About the inquiry
Compelling Question
What does collective action look like?
Standards
D3.3.6-8. Identify evidence that draws information from multiple sources to support claims, noting evidentiary limitations.
Instructional Snapshot
Class begins with a brief YouTube video, “Top 10 Labor Strikes In U.S. History”, that highlights the experiences and actions of labor unions both within and beyond the Progressive era. While watching, students work in groups of three to complete a viewing guide, each assigned a role: listing unions’ goals, actions taken, or the successes and challenges (e.g., some labor strikes resulted in better conditions while others resulted in arrests and violence). Students then explore a variety of primary sources that highlight union strategies and use a source organizer graphic organizer to consider the strategies, goals, and effectiveness of the actions featured. This task opens up students’ conversations about whether one action was more or less valuable than another and how the actions built on one another. Students conclude by writing a claim in response to the compelling question, using historical examples from their sources as evidence.
Formative Tasks
COLLABORATE: Watch “Top 10 Labor Strikes In U.S. History”. Collect information about the goals, actions, and successes/challenges the labor unions faced.
DELIBERATE: Identify strategies used by labor unions to organize and rally workers. Rank the strategies based on effectiveness.
PRODUCE: Create a claim that incorporates at least two perspectives to answer the compelling question.
Sources
Source A: “Top 10 Labor Strikes In U.S. History”, Youtube
Source Set: Labor Unions and Collective Action, Library of Congress
Summative Performance Task
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Taking Informed Action
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