tlp_09_jgriffin

=Teacher Lesson Page=

Jay Griffin, Medford High School
Jay's Primary Source page

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

Standard(s):
National: USI.32 - Describe important religious trends that shaped antebellum America
 * 1) The Increase in the number of Protestant denominations
 * 2) The Second Great Awakening
 * 3) The influence of these trends on the reaction of Protestants to the growth of Catholic immigration.

Guiding Question:
How did Protestants react to the arrival of Irish Catholics in Boston during the mid-1800's? What are the similarities and differences in native Bostonians and immigrants? What were the long term positive and negative effects of Catholic immigration in Boston?

Title:
Unit Title: Religious Conflicts in Antebellum Boston Lesson Title: The Ursuline Convent Riot 1834

Introduction:
Nativists were active players on the political scene, opposing immigration and all immigrants. Nativists viewed all immigrants as foreigners and, thus, as unwelcome. Boston's Protestant majority worried that large numbers of Irish Catholic immigrants would be loyal to the pope, and therefore undermine American democracy. Catholicism was viewed like a cancer. Samuel F. B. Morse, the inventor of the telegraph, summed up the feelings of most native Protestants in 1835 when he said "we find itself spreading itself into every nook and corner of the land; churches, chapels, colleges, nunneries, and convents are springing up as if by magic everywhere" (Jones et. al, 2003).

Your assignment is to discover the details of a religious conflict that occurred in Charlestown, Massachusetts on August 11, 1834. This event, which became known as the Ursuline Convent Riot, helps to reveal the attitudes and values of the Boston's Protestants as well as the newly arrived Irish Catholic immigrants. By examining news articles, literature, images and political cartoons of the era, you will be able to determine what chain of events caused the convent riot to erupt and what consequences resulted from the event.

Task:
In order to understand the background and factors which led to the Ursuline Convent Riot in 1834, you will examine a variety of primary and secondary source documents, literature, images, and political cartoons. You will examine and discuss information gained about the riot, as well as the religious and political climate in which the Convent Riot occurred. This examination will include the religious differences between Boston's Protestant community and the tensions created by the rising tide of Irish Catholic immigrants. Additionally, you will determine the immediate and long-term effects of the Ursuline Convent Riot. You will demonstrate your comprehension of the Ursuline Convent Riot by writing a letter to the "Letter to the Editor" to a Boston Newspaper. In your letter, you will express your position about what should happen to the people involved in the riot. You will write this letter from the perspective of either a member of the Protestant or Irish Catholic community. You will examine primary and secondary source documents, images and political cartoons, in an effort to uncover the causes of the Ursuline Convent Riot. You will conclude with a reflection upon the connections between this religious conflict and others, the current state of religious and immigrant tensions in the United States, and how the notion of "We the people" has changed throughout the nation's history.

Lesson Process:

 * __Introduction:__** Students will read "The Ursuline Convent Riot Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1834" by Nancy Lusignan Schultz from //Lifting the Veil. Remember the Burning of the Ursuline Convent,// pp. 6-15.

__**Activity 1:**__ Visit the web site @http://www.fireandroses.com/fire_roses.html and read - A Reading and Discussion Guide. This guide can also be found at http://www.massbook.org/reading_guides/fire_roses_guide.pdf. You will break into teams of four (usually six teams of four students per class) and each group will discuss and answer two of the Discussion Questions prepared by Nancy Lusigan Schultz. All twelve of the discussion questions should be answered by teams in each class. Be prepared to share their findings with the rest of the class. We will create a list of students' responses.

Prepared by Nancy Lusignan Schultz
 * DISCUSSION QUESTIONS** :(Reprinted from http://www.fireandroses.com/fire_roses.html)
 * 1) In what ways did Mary Anne Moffatt’s personality contribute to tensions about the convent?
 * 2) What do you think became of Moffatt?
 * 3) Why did Bishop Fenwick, who had been such a supporter of Moffatt’s before the fire, turn against her? Why did the church authorities ultimately view Mother St. George with such alarm that their perceptions of her began to approximate those of the working class rioters?
 * 4) Although the wealthy men of Boston who sent their daughters to the convent school afterward decried the violence, why do you think they never supported the rebuilding of the school?
 * 5) Discuss the ways that, in retrospect, the fates seemed to conspire against the Ursulines. This might include the community’s battles with the scourge of tuberculosis, the mounting tensions against Catholics because of the new cemetery, the hot weather, including the lightning strike against the church and the collapse of the new church in New Haven. What does this tell us about the way histories are constructed to frame coherent narratives?
 * 6) Convent schools run by Roman Catholic nuns stood unmolested in New Orleans and Washington DC during the same period the Ursuline convent was attacked. Was there something unique about New England culture in the 1830s which particularly lent itself to this kind of violence?
 * 7) The behavior of the girls who were not awarded coronation medals in 1833, and during the selectmen’s visit in 1834, provides a contrast to the decorous demeanor that the school’s prospectus promises to instill. What are we to make of these lapses of decorum on the part of the students?
 * 8) What could the selectmen and other officials have done to diffuse the tensions mounting in Charlestown around the Ursuline convent?
 * 9) What do you think of the theory that the Rev. Lyman Beecher, who preached three anti-Catholic sermons on the day before the riot, and Benjamin Hallett, who helped ghost-write Rebecca Reed’s narrative, Six Months in a Convent, were part of a conspiracy against the convent by the “better classes” who prodded the workmen into carrying out their plan?
 * 10) Why do you think John R. Buzzell became a folk hero who was lionized by the Boston Globe after the event?
 * 11) Ultimately, this story might really be about the difference in perceptions between Roman Catholics and Protestants. What to Catholics is “private” (confession, cloisters) to Protestants is “secret.” Discuss the reasons that American democracy was/is unable to accommodate these differences in perspective.
 * 12) Why do you suppose there were no Irish defenders of the convent on the night it was attacked?


 * __Activity 2__:** Primary source document analysis - Ursuline Community Mount Benedict Charlestown from the Boston Public Library Rare Books (see below).
 * Who was serviced by the convent school? What were the students religious and social backgrounds?
 * What was the purpose of an Ursuline Education?
 * What was the curriculum offered to convent students?
 * What other educational opportunities existed in 1834 for female students?

You will break into groups of four and discuss and answer the questions provided. Additionally, you will complete the Written Document Analysis Sheet for this activity. Be prepared to share your groups findings with the rest of the class. We will create a list of students' responses.



This letter was written by a Protestant student at the Convent School. From the Somerville Public Library Collection.
 * __Activity 3:__** Primary Source Document Analysis - A Letter from a Pupil Lucy Thaxter White - from the //Evening Transcript//, Saturday, February 4, 1843.

Break into groups of four and complete the Written Document Analysis Sheet. Be prepared to discuss your groups findings with rest of the class. We will create a list of students' responses.



__**Activity 4**__: Political Cartoon Analysis Worksheet. Go to the web site @http://www.americanantiquarian.org/Exhibitions/Johnston/intro.htm and read about David Claypoole Johnston and his work as an artist. Now go to the web page @http://www.americanantiquarian.org/Inventories/Johnston/boxlist.htm This web page contains a list of boxes that contain artwork by David Claypoole Johnston. Access the following images: In groups of four, select one cartoon by Claypoole by group and complete the Political Cartoon Analysis Wokrsheet. You will share their findings with the rest of the class and discuss the artwork as a class.
 * Box 8 Folder 57
 * Box 5 Folder 1.19.

Conclusion
Political cartoons and newspaper accounts reflect ideas and attitudes of a specific time. They can influence public opinion and may reveal stereotypes and prejudices. In some cases, violence has resulted.

As a final project, you will prepare a visual display, either a poster or PowerPoint presentation which highlights the causes of the Convent Riot of 1834. You will contrast these facts with the problems faced by today's immigrant populations.
 * Assessment Activity**

> Examine the actions taken by the Protestant community in the mid-1800s, and why the Protestants felt justified in their efforts to preserve their way of life. > Examine the effects of racial prejudice toward the growing Irish Catholic Community of Boston during the mid-1800's.
 * Alternative Assessment Activity**
 * 1) Divide each class into two groups of approximately twelve students each.
 * __**Group One**.__
 * __**Group Two.**__
 * 1) After this discussion, individually you will each create a "Letter to the Editor" to a Boston Newspaper using the perspective of a person who belonged to your groups community (Protestant for group one, Irish Catholic for group two). In this letter, explain what the judicial outcomes you believe should occur for the people involved in the riot. Support your answer using information from the lesson and your group's discussion.
 * 2) After you have passed in your "Letter to the Editor", your teacher will ask you to read an article from the //Somerville Journal// on August 17, 1934. This article discusses the riot and the judicial outcomes of the event on the 100th Anniversary. As a group we will discuss how your letters compared to the actual judicial outcomes?

You will explore three topics:
 * Follow Up Activities**
 * 1) The inter-relationship between immigration, labor and economics from 1830 to the present. What are the immigration concerns today in 2010?
 * 2) Are there any religious immigrant groups today that are subjected to stereotyping and religious prejudice? What event or events have fanned the flames of this new wave of anti-immigrant feeling? Can you apply an lessons learned from the Convent Fire of 1834 to today's situation?
 * 3) What was the final-judicial outcome of the Convent Riot of 1834? What factors led to the decision of the courts? Could this type of religious persecution take place today with similar results?

Assessment
A. RUBRIC:
 * **Students will be able to… ** || **Inadequate ** || **Adequate ** || **Good ** || **Strong ** || **Weighting ** ||
 * Understand the basic beliefs and practices of Protestants and Catholics || Students are not able to describe the basic beliefs and practices of Protestants and Catholics. Errors exist in student reports of the concepts. || Students can provide brief descriptions of the basic beliefs and practices of Protestants and Catholics, but do not provide details that demonstrate in depth understanding. While no errors exist, students do not present details that demonstrate thorough understanding of the concepts. || Students can provide descriptions of the beliefs and practices of Protestants and Catholics. Students are able to demonstrate understanding of the concepts. || Students can provide detailed descriptions of the beliefs and practices of Protestants and Catholics. Students are able to demonstrate thorough understanding of the concepts. ||  ||
 * Understand the facts of the 1834 Ursuline Convent Riot in Boston || Students are not able to describe the facts of the 1834 Ursuline Convent Riot in Boston. Errors exist in student reports of the event. || Students can provide brief descriptions of the facts of the 1834 Ursuline Convent Riot in Boston, but do not provide details that demonstrate in depth understanding. While no errors exist, students do not present details that demonstrate thorough understanding of the event. || Students can provide descriptions of the facts of the 1834 Ursuline Convent Riot in Boston. Students are able to discuss the meaning and impact of the event. || Students can provide the the facts of the 1834 Ursuline Convent Riot in Boston. Students are able to discuss the meaning and impact of the event. ||  ||
 * Understand the causes and effects of conflict between the Boston Protestants and Boston Irish Catholics || Students are not able to describe the motivations and impact of conflict between the Boston Protestants and Boston Irish Catholics. Errors exist in student reports. || Students can provide brief descriptions of the motivations and impact of conflict between the Boston Protestants and Boston Irish Catholics, but do not provide details that demonstrate in depth understanding. While no errors exist, students do not present details that demonstrate thorough understanding of the concepts. || Students can provide descriptions of the motivations and impact of conflict between the Boston Protestants and Boston Irish Catholics. Students are able to compare and contrast the different effects. || Students can provide detailed descriptions of the motivations and impact of conflict between the Boston Protestants and Boston Irish Catholics. Students are able to compare and contrast the different causes and effects. ||  ||
 * Use historical maps, photographs, drawings or cartoons to interpret history || Students are not able to describe the subject matter and/or elements seen in the visual historical artifact. Errors exist in student reports of the artifact. || Students demonstrate interpretive skills by making a description of the subject matter and/or elements seen in the visual historical artifact but do not provide details that demonstrate in depth understanding. Students need guidance to determine the meaning of the work. || Students demonstrate interpretive skills by making a description of the subject matter and/or elements seen in the visual historical artifact. Students can determine the meaning of the work with minimal guidance. They support their interpretation with minimal evidence from the work. || Students demonstrate interpretive skills by making a complete and detailed description of the subject matter and/or elements seen in the visual historical artifact. Students can fully determine the meaning of the work and support their interpretation with evidence from the work. ||  ||
 * Use historical documents and records to interpret history || Students are not able to answer the document based questions. Errors exist in student reports of the artifact. || Students demonstrate interpretive skills by generally answering document based questions about the topic, author, occasion, audience and purpose of the written work, but do not provide details that demonstrate in depth understanding. Students need guidance to determine the meaning of the work. || Students demonstrate interpretive skills by answering document based questions about the topic, author, occasion, audience and purpose of the written work. Students can determine the meaning of the work with minimal guidance. They support their interpretation with minimal evidence from the work. || Students demonstrate interpretive skills by completely answering document based questions about the topic, author, occasion, audience and purpose of the written work. Students can fully determine the meaning of the work and support their interpretation with evidence from the work. ||  ||
 * Use historical documents and records to verbally present a historical viewpoint. || Information had several inaccuracies OR was usually not clear. || Most information presented was clear and accurate, but was not usually thorough. || Most information presented was clear, accurate and thorough. || All information presented was clear, accurate and thorough. ||  ||

Links

 * 1) [|Salem State Sextant Article] by Nancy Lusignan Schultz
 * 2) Schultz, N. (2000). Fire and roses: the story of the Charlestown Massachusetts buring, August 11, 1834. New York: The Free Press.
 * 3) Schultz, N., Reed, R., & Monk, M. (1999). Veil of fear; nineteenth century convent narratives . Purdue.
 * 4) [|Somerville Museum - Lifting the Veil, Remembering the Burning of the Ursuline Convent] by Nancy Lusignan Schultz from the Somerville Museum
 * 5) [|Mass Moments - Charlestown Convent Lies in Ruins]
 * 6) [|An inventory of Ursuline Convent papers at ACHRCUA]
 * 7) A Boat Against the Current at @http://boatagainstthecurrent.blogspot.com/2009/08/this-day-in-irish-american-history.html
 * 8) Fire and Roses - Reading and Discussion guide -@http://www.fireandroses.com/fire_roses.html a (This guide can also be found at http://www.massbook.org/reading_guides/fire_roses_guide.pdf).
 * 9) American Antiquarian Society, Short history of David Claypool Johnston - @http://www.americanantiquarian.org/Exhibitions/Johnston/intro.htm and Inventory boxes of his work - @http://www.americanantiquarian.org/Inventories/Johnston/boxlist.htm
 * 10) Letter from Protestant Girl written by Lucy Thaxter White from the Somerville Library
 * 11) Ursuline Community Mount Benedict, Charlestown, Boston Public Library Rare Books
 * 12) Report of the Committee relating to the Destruction of the Ursuline convent, August 11, 1834, Boston Public Library Rare Books
 * 13) //Somerville Journal// Friday, August 17, 1934
 * 14) See additional primary source documents and enlargements of the documents on this page in Jay's Primary Source Wiki Page



Handouts
> >
 * 1) Written Document Analysis Worksheet
 * 1) Political Cartoon Worksheet

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