Before the advent of recorded music, entertainment took place primarily around the family piano. “Sheet music” showed people who could read musical notations how to play and sing along. Sheet music entertained the masses and became a vehicle for social and political commentary, and cultural reflection and exchange. Sheet music of the mid to late 19th century often captured the romantic ideal of the West as a land of opportunity and destiny for anyone willing to dedicate their lives to the land. Through images of pristine prairies, simple living, and innumerable possibilities, printed songs sold back East promised those tired of the dirty, noisy big cities a place of peace and refuge.
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About the inquiry
Compelling Question
How did music encourage people to move west?
Standards
D2.His.9.9-12. Analyze the relationship between historical sources and the secondary interpretations made from them.
Instructional Snapshot
Begin by introducing students to the idea that music can be used for commentary and to spread ideas. The teacher may draw parallels to how music today accomplishes this goal to prepare students to analyze the song from the Gilded Age. Using the Analyzing Sheet Music strategy for the Library of Congress, students listen to, read, and analyze the lyrics of “I will go west!” An audio version of the song can be found here. Students then deliberate in pairs to choose one of the images in the Cultural Artifact Collection that they think would be most appropriate for the cover of the sheet music to the song. To extend their thinking, students then select an image they think is least appropriate for the cover. After analyzing the sources, students construct a claim to answer the compelling question “How did music encourage people to go West?” using the song and the artifacts as evidence. To help provide meaningful feedback, the teacher may want to preview the sample arguments based on the featured sources.
Formative Tasks
COLLABORATE: Read and analyze the lyrics of the song “I will go west!” using the Library of Congress “Analyzing Sheet Music” strategy.
DELIBERATE: Select images from the Cultural Artifact Collection that would be most and least appropriate for the cover of the sheet music for “I will go west!”
PRODUCE: Write a claim that answers the compelling question using the song’s lyrics and artifacts as evidence to support the claim.
Sources
Source A: Sheet Music and lyrics for “I will go west!”, Library of Congress
Sources B-G: Cultural Artifacts Collection, Library of Congress
Summative Performance Task
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Taking Informed Action
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