In 1782 Jean de Crevecoeur published Letters from an American Farmer in which he defined an American as a "descendent of Europeans" who, if he were "honest, sober and industrious," prospered in a welcoming land of opportunity which gave him choice of occupation and residence.  Students will look at life histories from the interviews of everyday Americans conducted by Works Progress Administration officials between 1936-1940 to see if his definition still held true in this country 150 years later. Students will conclude by working toward a modern definition.

Objectives

•  understand that the meaning of "being an American" has enlarged and become more complicated since 1782.
•  recognize key ideas from a famous document of American history.
•  become familiar with rich on-line collections of primary sources.
•  be able to read an oral history and use such materials in historical analysis.
•  be able to use simple on-line search techniques.
•  be able to combine text and graphics in a single document. (optional)

Time Required

Recommended Grade Level

Curriculum Fit

Resources Used

• American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers Project 1936-1940
• About the Federal Writers' Project
• Introduction: Who were the Federal Writers and What Did They Do?
• Circus people is like other human bein's
• Maude Cromwell, trapeze performer (surrogate image 1)
• Maude Cromwell, trapeze performer (surrogate image 2)
• Letters from an American Farmer
• Using Primary Sources
• American Memory collection finder
• The Story of America by John Garraty or similar U.S. history textbook

Procedure

1. Activity One:  Setting the Stage (September)
• Students write a paragraph answering the question “What is an American?”


Activity Two: Being an American in 1782

• Teacher introduces Crevecoeur's "What is an American" (Curriculum Context: Colonial America or Constitution) with selected text.
• Discussion question: What does Crevecoeur's piece tell us about late 18th century America?


Activity Three: Life Histories as Historical Sources

• Teacher introduces oral histories as primary sources
• Students read “Using Primary Sources”
• Students are introduced to American Memory Life Histories.
• Students read Introduction to Federal Writers Project.


Activity Four: Finding a Life History
    Modeling:

• Whole class reads and discusses trapeze performer example using  "What is an American" worksheet
    Instructions:
• Searching on American Memory
• Class brainstorms occupations, use search terms sheet to list possibilities
    Practice:
• Students search for a life history by occupation.
• Students record their search in a problem log.
• Students copy and paste a "life history" onto a wordprocessing application.
• Students look at life history through lens of Crevecoeur definition using "What is an American worksheet.)
• Students write a short biography of their chosen American.
    Instructions:
• Searching for photos and prints
• Saving images (and editing them, if possible)
• Inserting images in text file (optional)
    Practice:
• Students search American Memory (photos and prints) for a surrogate image to illustrate their life history.
• Students save image.
• Students insert image into text file.


Activity Five: Making page

• Students produce a single page biography, with an image. [sample page]


Activity Six: Sharing life history and drawing conclusions

• Oral presentations by students -- words and pictures
• Each student adds name and image to wall map
• Class charts lives by Crevecoeur’s categories using categories table .
• Class discusses how the meaning of being an American had changed.
• Students write a paragraph on how the definition has changed.
• (Optional) Teacher compiles biographies in "What is an American" book or electronic book.


Activity Seven: Curtain Call (June)

• Students write own definition, for today.
• Students compare new definition to one they wrote in September

Evaluation and Extension

•    Pre-lesson paragraph on "What is an American?"
•    Crevecoeur life history worksheet
•    Biography of informant (page of writing and image)
•    Presentation of informant to class
•    "How the definition of being American has changed"  paragraph
•    June paragraph on "What is an American?"

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Ginger_Attarian@eburke.org; Kathy_Isaacs@eburke.org
4/20/00