Original PromptProject idea: “America Transformed: Progress for Whom?” Span of time: four days, 85min long classes, one blind student
Essential Question
How did industrialization and westward expansion change the United States, and how did Americans respond to those changes?
Students investigate three transformations:
Industrial America — SSUSH11
The American West — SSUSH12
Progressive Reform — SSUSH13
The culminating task is essentially:
Tell the story of one major change in America from 1870–1920, expla...
This learning resource delves into the transformative impacts of industrialization, westward expansion, and the Progressive Era in the United States from 1870 to 1920. It encourages students to analyze specific historical case studies and evaluate primary source evidence, culminating in a constructed historical argument regarding the beneficiaries and victims of these changes. The resource includes a historical timeline, investigation teams with specific collaborative roles, and various sections focusing on critical themes such as the Railroads and Big Business, Immigration and Industrialization, and the efforts of Progressive reformers. It also addresses the resistance faced by African Americans during this era, underscoring their challenge against racial discrimination. Each section prompts inquiry, evidence gathering, and synthesis of historical knowledge, fostering critical thinking and collaboration among students as they explore how these joint social and economic transformations reshaped America.