tlp_09_apember

=Teacher Lesson Page=

Ann Pember, Malden High School
Ann's Primary Source Page

Essential Question:
How did immigration affect American conceptions of "WE THE PEOPLE"?

USI.28B. the causes and impact of the wave of immigration from Northern Europe to America in the 1840s and 1850s
== USI.19. Explain the rights and the responsibilities of citizenship and describe how a democracy provides opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process through elections, political parties, and interest groups. (H, C) ==


 * Guiding Questions:**

** How could a secretive society sweep political power? **

 * How do you stop a secretive, negative political force?**

Title:
Getting to know the Know-Nothings: how to recruit members for a secret society

Introduction:
"The Irish are perhaps the only people in our history with the distinction of having a political party, the Know-Nothings, formed against them," wrote John F. Kennedy in his 1958 book - "A Nation of Immigrants."

In the 1840s and 1850 large waves of immigrants, especially Catholic immigrants, arrived in the United States, sparking widespread anti-immigration political feelings. In response the American Party formed in the 1850s, with the central goal to restrict the rights of immigrants, especially Irish Catholic immigrants in Massachusetts. This political party was very secretive, earning the nickname of the Know-Nothings because when asked what they believed, the members were sworn to secrecy and would respond with "I know nothing." In the revolutionary 1854 election in Massachusetts, the American Party won all 40 seats in the state senate, all but three seats in the state House of Representatives, the state Governor, and many local government offices including the Mayor of Boston. Most of these elected office holders were new to politics, and also involved in many other progressive societies at the time, such as women's rights, abolition, and education and prison reform. Despite their unique success in Massachusetts, the party virtually disappeared by the end of the 1850s, some absorbed by the newly formed Republican party and all overshadowed by the growing national tensions and political divisions before the coming of the Civil War.

Task:
Some students in this class have formed a secret society, that has somehow taken control of politics in the state of Massachusetts. For those of you in this secret society, you need to recruit new members, but somehow remain secretive. For those of you not in this society, you must find a way to stop them from gaining anymore power in this state. Both groups must create posters to spread or stop the control of this secret political party.

You will analyze and read primary documents and pictures from the point of view of members of the Know-Nothing party and their critics. In groups you will then create posters to either recruit new members to the party or to find ways to stop them from gaining any more power.

Lesson Process:
Students will have already been introduced to the topic reform societies and of immigration in the middle of the 19th century. They will have just finished a lesson on the Push-Pull model of immigration, and explained what pushed and pulled large waves of Irish and German immigrants during this time period.

Objectives: students will be able to: - define and describe examples of immigration today using content and academic vocabulary - determine the main idea and key details about the Know Nothing party from a reading in their textbook - mark up historical text to determine points of view on the Know Nothing Party - describe the beliefs of the Know-Nothing Party
 * __DAY 1__**


 * Opener**: What do you think of when you hear the word immigrant? Write down the first few words that come to your mind on the "Immigration Today" definition box in the Frayer Model



Fill in the rest of the "Immigration Today" boxes, leaving the "Immigration 1850s" one blank

- Determine the main idea and key details from a paragraph in your textbook on the Know-Nothing Party **From American Anthem (textbook):**
 * Activity 1** - Getting to know the Know-Nothings



1. Write down your main idea and key details 2. Share your response with a partner 3. Come to an agreement - Revise if necessary, in another color
 * __THINK/WRITE/PAIR/SHARE__**

First, mark up the Know-Nothing Party Platform beliefs below, as published in a Boston newspaper in 1854:
 * Activity 2** - The Know Nothing Platform

//The Know Nothing and American Crusader was a nativist newspaper published in Boston at the height of anti-Catholic sentiment in the 1850s. In this article, the main ideas and issues of the party are outlined.//

Students will be lead in a brief discussion and introduction to what information is usually included in a newspaper. We will analyze the picture above, discussing the words "crusader" and "nativist" which was one of their key terms. We will also describe the picture in the middle of this banner, and why this picture was chosen to be in the Know Nothing newspaper.



With a partner, you will __underline **key vocabulary**__, identify the "**most" significant idea,** "**most" important quote or phrase**, and identify at least 5 points in the reading that you. .
 * agree or disagree with
 * can make a connection to
 * question.
 * affirms your current practice or belief
 * are interested in making part of your practice

To identify the points above, use the coding/comprehension symbols from the handout below:



We will especially focus on numbers 2, 3, 15 and 16. As we discuss these items and your mark ups, you will transfer your notes on to an APPARTS chart, completing the first APPAR before we finish debriefing all of the party platforms.



You will transfer some of your mark ups on to the left hand side of the APPARTS chart, and on your own finish the rest of the the APPARTS chart and summary.

Write down what you have learned so far about the Know-Nothings:
 * Summary - 3 Minute Pause**
 * Summarize key points so far
 * Add your own thoughts
 * Pose clarifying questions


 * Homework:** Key Terms - 3 column vocab template



__**DAY 2**__ Objectives: students will be able to - define and describe examples of immigration from the 18050s using content and academic vocabulary - analyze two historical pictures to determine different points of view of the Know Nothing Party - analyze two historical documents to determine different points of view of the Know Nothing Party - Apply their analysis and synthesis of the Know-Nothing party in a written reflection


 * Do Now:** Return to your Frayer Model on Immigration from yesterday, and fill in the bottom box on "Immigration in the 1850s." Answer the summary question at the bottom.


 * Activity 3** - Jigsaw of different points of views of the Know Nothing Party

- The group you are currently sitting in is your "Home" group. - Each member in your home group will be assigned a number, 1-4. - Once you have been given a number, move to a new table with the other students with the same number as you. This is now your "expert" group. - Each "expert" group will be assigned a document about the Know-Nothings. - Individually, analyze your document and fill out the notes with it. - Once everyone has done the work on their own, share this information within your group. Come to an agreement about what your document is about and what it means. Revise your notes in a different color. Be prepared to explain this document to your "home group." - As a group determine if your document is for or against the Know Nothing party.

Expert Group 1 (Alternative for smaller classes: Expert Group 1 will be turned in to a whole class activity, used to model and introduce an image for the Know Nothings. As a class, you will complete an I see/It means on the Know Nothing party Flag. You will pair this with a partner to review and revise your notes, and then we will share as a class what you see in the flag and what it all means, completing the summary on your own in 12-15 words.)

Expert Group 2

Expert Group 3

Expert Group 4

- After you have shared and agreed on your information, return to your "Home" group

- Each number will take a turn to sharing their information, with the rest of the group recording that information on the following chart. You will write the information from your partners in a different color, so that you will have three boxes in this color total.



Debrief/summary: Think/Write: What conclusions can we draw about the Know Nothing party? What are your thoughts on the Know-nothings? List two reasons to support them, and two reasons not to support them Pair/Share Share with a partner, then we will share your conclusions as a class

Using only your notes, answer the following promote about the Know-Nothings. This will count as a quiz grade and should be at least 8 sentences.
 * Activity 4** - Open Response



__**DAYS 3-4**__ Objectives: students will be able to - Create a poster/speech to recruit members for the Know-Nothing Party or to stop this party from spreading - Synthesize their notes and analysis of the Know Nothing party for use as evidence in their poster or speech

Pair with another student to discuss your answers, then we will share and review these as a class, creating a general list on the board.
 * Do Now**: How do you recruit someone to join a secret society? How do you try to stop a secret society?

You will pair with the other student from your "Home" group who had a document from the same point of view on the Know Nothings as your own (1 and 3 together, 2 and 4 together)
 * Activity 5** - Recruit/Stop some Know-Nothings



For 1 and 3 you will either - Create a poster to recruit more Know Nothing members or create and record a speech to recruit more Know Nothing members

(For smaller classes, when document 1 was done as a whole class activity, students who were assigned to document 3 can pair up with other 3s in the class to complete a poster or speech, using document 1 as evidence.)

For 2 and 4 you will either - Create a poster to stop people from joining the Know Nothing party or create and record a speech to stop people from joining the Known Nothing party


 * Posters** must include the following:

__Title:__ create a catchy title that will convince people to read your poster __Visuals:__ create visuals that will convince or stop people from joining the Know-Nothing party __Text:__ use some inventive text to convince people that joining the Know Nothing party is the right or wrong thing to do for America. Use your notes. __Definitions:__ both sides must provide the basic information on the Know Nothing party: who, what, where, when, why and how

You may create these by hand or use a computer. Be creative! Be unique! You want your poster to stand out above the rest

Poster Rubric

**Speeches** must include the following: - a __topic sentence__ that grabs the listener’s attention, - a __logical, convincing argument__ why the Know Nothings are good or bad for America - use evidence from your notes - a __conclusion__ which summarizes your overall ideas. - Use powerful, emotional language and strong words.

- Your speech should be at least two paragraphs in length, or about one-two minutes spoken aloud.

Your speech will be recorded in the computer loft. You will be required to share your speech with the class, but you will not share your recording of the speech with the class. Be creative! Be dramatic! You want your speech to stand out above the rest.

Speech Rubric

You will work on your posters for the rest of today and have all of class tomorrow to finish them.

Assess your classwork today:
 * Summary**

Work on posters, bring in any materials you will need to complete them in class
 * Homework**

__**DAY 5**__

Students will present their posters/share their speeches
 * Activity 6** - Presentations

Conclusion
In writing, reflect on the following questions: What did the Know-Nothings want to reform? How did the Know-Nothing party try to reform the concept of "we the people?" Even though they only held power for a short time, what impact do they have on United States history?

Assessment
Creating and presenting a poster to recruit or stop the Know-Nothing party

Overall Lesson Rubric



Resources
http://www.yale.edu/glc/archive/1030.htm Article on the creation of the Know Nothings from 1844

http://wigwags.wordpress.com/tag/know-nothings/ List of Know Nothing documents and cartoon, like Know Nothing soap

http://www1.assumption.edu/users/mcclymer/Daily_Journal_1.html Daily Evening Journal, Boston August 30, 1854 - When in the course of human events....

[] Know Nothing and Crusader Newspaper article

[] Second article, Boston

- The Know-Nothing Party Platform (1856) http://amhist.ist.unomaha.edu/ module_files/Know%20Nothing% 20Party%20Platform.rtf - The American Party Flag picture http://archive. liveauctioneers.com/archive4/ cowans*auctions/17607/0231_1_ lg.jpg - Minutes of Subordinate Council No. 5 (the East Boston chapter) of the American Party of Massachusetts ? 11 July 1855 http://www.masshist.org/ objects/query3.cfm?queryID=326 - Constitution of the American Party of Massachusetts adopted 7 August 1855 http://www.masshist.org/ objects/query3.cfm?queryID=327 - Letter from Abraham Lincoln to Joshua Fry Speed, 24 August 1855 http://www.masshist.org/ objects/transcription.cfm? transcriptDir=masshist& transcript=lincoln18550824. xml&queryID=492 http://www.hsp.org/default. aspx?id=446 Know Nothing and American Crusader newspaper - Boston

Uncle Sam's Youngest Son, Citizen Know Nothing

Transcription of the Know Nothing Oath: []

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