1
10
112
-
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89c230a823174a984ab6364ca74911e8
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/c37c6c152071174460ed5fca9e9827ff.pdf
372f9fec37c6ef54a9c1704378d1a6b4
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Emergence of Modern America
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1890-1930
Description
An account of the resource
<p>The idea of a “Modern United States” begins with the advent of the Progressive era. The Progressive movement focused on reforms viewed as necessary after drastic increases in industrialization, immigration, and urbanization, as well as corruption in the business and political realms. Temperance reached its peak with the 18th Amendment and the decade of Prohibition, while woman suffrage became guaranteed nationally with the 19th Amendment. Other movements that gained traction on a new scale during this era were the labor movement, including the rise of unions, and the Harlem Renaissance. Shifting roles for African Americans migrating to northern cities and unprecendented immigration to America's shores heightened racial and ethnic tensions and led to the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan.</p>
<p>With all of the changes on the home front of America, this era also saw the emergence of the United States as a major world power. The Spanish-American War pitted the U.S. against a European power other than Great Britain for the first time. Not long after, the United States found itself embroiled in World War I, despite strong isolationist tendencies. Along with a large death toll, World War I led to the development of the failed League of Nations, ultimately pushing the United States even further into an isolationist standing that would last for decades. The immediate postwar period of the Prohibition-era “Roaring 20s” saw a domination in politics and economics by big business and its supporters, which would all come crashing down in less than a decade.</p>
<p>Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>.</p>
Lesson Plan
A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction.
Context
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">The New York State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage (NYSAOWS) was one of the most active anti-suffrage groups in the state of New York. There were several auxiliaries of the group throughout New York. NYSAOWS would receive requests for information, advice or assistance from women in other states, including Virginia, where a group of Richmond women established the Virginia Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage in 1912. Other anti-suffrage groups around the country would use material published by NYSAOWS to rally women in their states around the ideals of the anti-suffrage movement. </span><span style="font-weight:400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight:400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight:400;"> Formed in April 1895, the New York association consisted of prominent women who opposed women's right to vote. They gave speeches, handed out materials, distributed pamphlets, and also published a journal. NYSAOWS members believed that women participating in politics would be "disruptive of everything pertaining to home life." They considered that women's roles as mothers and caregivers meant they did not have to do "further service" as citizens. The members also believed that a majority of people were on their side and all they had to do was advocate for women to “recognize the vital need for a division of the world's work between men and women.” In 1896, NYSAOWS believed that only 10% of women actually wanted the vote. NYSAOWS also used tactics such as associating women's suffrage with "support for socialist causes.” Although not based in Virginia, materials published by this organization were widely circulated throughout the commonwealth. </span></p>
Standards
VS.1, VS.9. USII.1, USII.9, VUS.1, VUS.8
Suggested Questions
<p><b>Preview Activity</b></p>
<p>Look at It: <span style="font-weight:400;">Look at the title. What does it tell you about the group who wrote the broadside? List three ideas you have about the women who may be the topic(s) of this broadside.</span></p>
<p><b>Post Activities</b></p>
<p>Analyze<span style="font-weight:400;">: Look at the title. What does it tell you about the group who wrote the broadside? Why do you think this title was chosen? How is the title reflected in the arguments expressed in the broadside?</span><span style="font-weight:400;"><br /></span><strong><br /></strong>Up for Debate<strong>:</strong><span style="font-weight:400;"> In small groups, prepare a brief statement in which you take a side and present why your group is in favor of or is opposed to the suffrage movement.</span></p>
<p>Social Media Spin:<span style="font-weight:400;"> Using hashtags and memes, convert the messages of this broadside into short, social media-style messages that may have been used had the technology existed at the time.</span></p>
<p>Artistic Exploration:<span style="font-weight:400;"> Create a placard that an anti-suffragist may have carried, sharing the views from the "Economical Woman."</span></p>
Content Warning
Accounts for problematic historic language and images.
Materials in the Library of Virginia’s collections contain historical terms, phrases, and images that are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical and mental ability; and gender and sexual orientation.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
“An Economical Woman” Issued by The New York State Association Opposed to Women's Suffrage, 1909
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1909
Government and Civics
Reform Movements
Women's History
-
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08452def544d5f53288a426196db07bf
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/8bb91ef5b3feda933ec8bc6c4f72e634.pdf
b99e842101dd091c23cf0767587339a7
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Civil War and Reconstruction
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1850-1877
Description
An account of the resource
<p>The Civil War was undoubtedly one of the most important events in American history. The war challenged not only the issue of slavery, but the also the balance of federal versus state powers and the power of constitutional government. In the end, not only did the war preserve the Union as Abraham Lincoln had spoken of, but it also freed nearly four million African Americans from enslavement. The war also highlighted stark differences in regions of the country. These differences ranged from political to religious to economic. The war saw an increase in battlefield news coverage and photography that visually presented military carnage in a way not seen before. The Civil War's outcome brought the first assassination of an American president.</p>
<p>During the postwar period known as Reconstruction the nation faced the challenges of readmitting formerly Confederate southern states back into the Union as well as integrating African Americans into the political, economic, and social fabric of the country. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were aimed towards providing full equality for African Americans, but faced opposition on many levels. Despite headway, the North and the South both had strong objections to Radical Reconstruction and full social and racial democratization. Many Americans opposed the idea of redistributing wealth and were still in favor of strong local rights and government. In some cases, Reconstruction increased the racial divide, giving rise to groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and spurring violence against African Americans.<br /><br />Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National History Content Standards</a>.</p>
Lesson Plan
A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction.
Context
<p>Illustrated periodicals like <em>Harper's Weekly</em> were popular with Americans in the middle of the 19th century. After southern states formed the Confederate States of America, residents there could not easily receive newspapers and magazines printed in the northern states. The <em>Southern Illustrated News</em> was founded in 1862 in Richmond and remained in print, with some interruptions, until 1865. Illustrated periodicals often included political cartoons, which were popular and provided a visual way to express opinions and concerns. They are often satirical, using humor, exaggeration, irony, and ridicule to persuade a reader to think about current events from a particular point of view.</p>
<p>This political cartoon lampoons Lincoln’s revolving door of United States Army generals who had faced—and been defeated by—Confederate forces in Virginia. After General Winfield Scott retired at the beginning of the Civil War, several generals had been placed at the head of the Army of the Potomac or in charge of armies attempting to secure the Shenandoah Valley. In the cartoon, the “toys” have been stripped of their army general uniforms and located on a shelf with other former generals. Lincoln is shown holding the latest general puppet, Joseph “Fighting Joe” Hooker, who commanded the Army of the Potomac from January to June 1863.</p>
<p>The generals depicted are:</p>
<p>Winfield Scott, who was Commanding General of the United States Army until resigning in November 1861.</p>
<p>Brigadier General Irvin McDowell, who commanded the Army of Northeastern Virginia when it was defeated at the First Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) in 1861.</p>
<p>Major General John C. Fremont, who commanded the Mountain Department and was unable to defeat Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign in 1862. </p>
<p>Major General Nathaniel Banks, who was also unable to defeat Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign in 1862. </p>
<p>Major General John Pope, who commanded the Army of Virginia at the time of its defeat at the Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) in 1862.</p>
<p>Major General George B. McClellan, who commanded the Army of the Potomac during the failed Peninsula Campaign to capture Richmond in 1862.</p>
<p>Major General Ambrose Burnside, who succeeded McClellan as commander of the Army of the Potomac but was relieved of command after his costly defeat at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862.</p>
<p>Major General Joseph Hooker, who took command of the Army of the Potomac in 1863, but was defeated at the Battle of Chancellorsville two months after this cartoon appeared and resigned his post.</p>
<p><em>Citation: “Master Abraham Lincoln Gets a New Toy,” Southern Illustrated News, 28 May 1863, Richmond, Va.: Ayres & Wade, 1862-1865. Special Collections, Library of Virginia.</em></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
Suggested Questions
<p><strong>Preview Activity</strong></p>
<p>Take a Look: Look at the political cartoon, what do you notice about the image? What does it tell you about the subject of the image?</p>
<p><strong>Post Activities</strong></p>
<p>Analyze: Explain the imagery and title of the cartoon as a tool of criticism. How might this depiction have influenced readers of the paper?</p>
<p>Social Media Spin: Create a social media post in which you create a meme or political cartoon based on the same events for a modern audience.</p>
<p>Another perspective: Write a response to the political cartoon in which Lincoln’s struggle to retain generals is seen in a sympathetic light. Be sure to present your information in a way which would persuade others to support Lincoln. </p>
Standards
Social Studies: VS.1, VS.7, USI.1, USI.9,
Art: 4.18, 4.19, 5.18, 5.19
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
“Master Abraham Lincoln Gets a New Toy,”
Political Cartoon, 1863
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1863
Government and Civics
Military History
Popular Culture
-
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/c5cbbb9c28551094ba0e8be58d5c3595.jpg
efc39f5dd955b96a2152e68076cabe4d
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/addd7b1d16424ecb92aa01412b6db711.pdf
40a531bf93f36b79498d6e429227897d
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Civil War and Reconstruction
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1850-1877
Description
An account of the resource
<p>The Civil War was undoubtedly one of the most important events in American history. The war challenged not only the issue of slavery, but the also the balance of federal versus state powers and the power of constitutional government. In the end, not only did the war preserve the Union as Abraham Lincoln had spoken of, but it also freed nearly four million African Americans from enslavement. The war also highlighted stark differences in regions of the country. These differences ranged from political to religious to economic. The war saw an increase in battlefield news coverage and photography that visually presented military carnage in a way not seen before. The Civil War's outcome brought the first assassination of an American president.</p>
<p>During the postwar period known as Reconstruction the nation faced the challenges of readmitting formerly Confederate southern states back into the Union as well as integrating African Americans into the political, economic, and social fabric of the country. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were aimed towards providing full equality for African Americans, but faced opposition on many levels. Despite headway, the North and the South both had strong objections to Radical Reconstruction and full social and racial democratization. Many Americans opposed the idea of redistributing wealth and were still in favor of strong local rights and government. In some cases, Reconstruction increased the racial divide, giving rise to groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and spurring violence against African Americans.<br /><br />Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National History Content Standards</a>.</p>
Lesson Plan
A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction.
Context
<p>As women participated in the movement to abolish slavery during the first half of the 19th century, some of them also began to advocate for women's rights. In July 1848, a group of women and men held a convention in Seneca Falls, New York. They signed a "Declaration of Sentiments," drafted by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, which called for women's equality and the right to vote, also known as suffrage. As the woman suffrage movement gained more support throughout the country, it also raised a great deal of public scrutiny. Many people, including women, questioned how women would be able to meet the demands of their domestic duties at home while participating in public activities, such as attending political rallies or making speeches. Since the colonial era, women in America had been considered a dependent class, under the responsibility of their fathers, husbands, or brothers. The growing women's rights movement challenged the prevailing social norms.<br /><br />Political cartoons have often been used to express opinions and concerns. They are often satirical, using humor, exaggeration, irony, and ridicule to persuade a reader to think about current events from a particular point of view. In this Currier and Ives cartoon published in 1869, "Age of Brass: Or the Triumphs of Woman's Rights," the cartoonist depicted a scene of what might happen if women were given the right to vote. It shows a group of extravagantly dressed women lined up at the ballot box to vote for "The Celebrated Man Tamer: Susan Sharp-Tongue" and for "Miss Hangman" as sheriff. At the end of the line is a woman holding up her fist to a man carrying a baby, highlighting the potential effects of gender role reversal as women took on different roles in society. The women are wearing very elaborate and somewhat masculine-looking clothing and some are smoking cigars, none of which was considered respectable, feminine behavior at that time. </p>
<p><em>Citation: “The Age of Brass: Or the Triumphs of Woman's Rights.” lithograph. [New York]: Currier & Ives, 1869. Visual Studies Collection, Library of Virginia.</em></p>
Suggested Questions
<p><strong>Preview Activity</strong></p>
<p>Take a Look: Look at the policitcal cartoon. What do you notice about it? What do you think is the purpose? Pay attention to the appearances of the characters and the writing included in the image.</p>
<p><strong>Post Activities</strong></p>
<p>Current Connections: How would this lithograph be different if it were produced today for a women's-rights-related issue? How would the imagery and message change to suit modern times?</p>
<p>Think About It: Identify and list specific imagery in this lithograph that seeks to place women on a more equal playing field with men. To what extent are the images successful?</p>
Standards
Social Studies: VS.1, VS.9, VUS.7, VUS.8
Art: 4.18, 4.19, 5.18, 5.49
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
“The Age of Brass: Or the Triumphs of Woman's Rights,” Lithograph, 1869
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1869
Government and Civics
Popular Culture
Reform Movements
Women's History
-
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/a6bbe2301dac81f715b82ad8d04c3544.jpg
0f12db0afde62e5664ea87dc90928c91
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/e90ec9bdd736589bc879590e75cb1dbd.pdf
ce475aa1026c365ab3bebd67f6a1dfec
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Expansion and Reform
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1800-1860
Description
An account of the resource
Between 1800 and 1860, the United States underwent a period of increased territorial growth, immigration, economic growth, and industrialization. At the same time as the nation was increasing in population and size, regional differences were becoming more and more pronounced, and politically confrontational. The idea of Manifest Destiny led to expansion first across the Appalachians, then across the Mississippi, and finally to the Pacific Ocean. Vast swaths of land were aquired via the Louisiana Purchase from France and through the United States’s victory in the Mexican-American War. This expansion, however, did have some negative results, most notably the removal of many Indian nations in the Southeast and old Northwest. <br /><br />Economic development, while increasing wealth and prosperity, also brought regional differences more sharply into focus. Northeastern industrial development, increased urbanization, and technological advancements separated it even further from the agrarian South. There was also a transportation revolution involving railroads, canals, and trans-regional roads, many times centered in the North. The issue of slavery caused increasing strife and political debate as new western territories sought to join the Union. Despite expansion, free African Americans and women were still largely disfranchised. Reforms movements related to temperence, women's rights, education, mental health, and imprisonment occurred in bursts, setting the stage for post-Civil War major reforms.<br /><br />Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>.
Lesson Plan
A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction.
Context
<p>Nat Turner was born enslaved in Southampton County, Virginia, in 1800. He became a preacher and self-proclaimed prophet who believed that he had been called to lead a rebellion against slavery. On August 21, 1831, Turner began a slave revolt that left approximately fifty-five white people in Southampton County dead. He was joined by about sixty African American men and boys who were defeated by white militia members and a contingent of state and federal troops. A few slaves escaped and went into hiding, including Nat Turner. Public attention focused on Turner, who was blamed for inciting enslaved laborers to rebel through his "imagined spirit of prophecy" and his extraordinary powers of persuasion. Turner's ability to elude capture for more than two months only enhanced his mythic stature.<br /><br />Nat Turner's revolt prompted a debate in Virginia's General Assembly about whether slavery should continue in the state. Instead, the legislature passed additional laws to tighten control over the actions of enslaved and free Black men and women. They were forbidden from gathering together for religious, educational, or other reasons, and Black church congregations had to be supervised by white ministers. Free Blacks also lost their right to a trial by jury and were treated in the same manner as slaves in the court system.<br /><br />Before Turner had been captured, convicted, and executed in November 1831, Samuel Warner published <em>Authentic and Impartial Narrative of the Tragical Scene: Which was Witnessed in Southampton County (Virginia) on Monday the 22d of August Last</em>. . . , which included this engraving of the "wanton barbarity" of Turner and his followers that Warner described in considerable detail. <br /><br /><em>Citation: "Horrid Massacre in Virginia, Nat Turner's Rebellion," frontispiece image in Authentic and Impartial Narrative of the Tragical Scene, By Samuel Warner (New York: Warner West, 1831), Library of Virginia.</em></p>
Suggested Questions
<p><strong>Preview Activity</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Look at it: Look at the document. List three images that you find moving or powerful and explain your reaction to those images.</span></p>
<p><strong>Post Activities</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Analyze: Take a close look at the images on the first page of this narrative by Samuel Warner. How do you think Warner felt about Turner's actions? How does he portray the revolt?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">Social media Spin: Create a social media post in which you describe Nat Turner’s revolt from a neutral perspective. Be sure to include information which is relevant to understanding the context of the revolt. </span></p>
Standards
Social Studies: VS.1, VS.7, USI.1, USI.9
Art: 4.18, 4.19, 5.18, 5.19,
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
<p><span style="font-weight:400;">A Narrative on Nat Turner’s Revolt, Samuel Warner, 1831</span></p>
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1831
African American History
Government and Civics
-
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66b0d8ef077de874800a1e6a350cd2fc
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/505167e0f139957661a2d5d4b8324279.pdf
dea7904a8550b7d725dd78dd3b6b7538
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Emergence of Modern America
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1890-1930
Description
An account of the resource
<p>The idea of a “Modern United States” begins with the advent of the Progressive era. The Progressive movement focused on reforms viewed as necessary after drastic increases in industrialization, immigration, and urbanization, as well as corruption in the business and political realms. Temperance reached its peak with the 18th Amendment and the decade of Prohibition, while woman suffrage became guaranteed nationally with the 19th Amendment. Other movements that gained traction on a new scale during this era were the labor movement, including the rise of unions, and the Harlem Renaissance. Shifting roles for African Americans migrating to northern cities and unprecendented immigration to America's shores heightened racial and ethnic tensions and led to the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan.</p>
<p>With all of the changes on the home front of America, this era also saw the emergence of the United States as a major world power. The Spanish-American War pitted the U.S. against a European power other than Great Britain for the first time. Not long after, the United States found itself embroiled in World War I, despite strong isolationist tendencies. Along with a large death toll, World War I led to the development of the failed League of Nations, ultimately pushing the United States even further into an isolationist standing that would last for decades. The immediate postwar period of the Prohibition-era “Roaring 20s” saw a domination in politics and economics by big business and its supporters, which would all come crashing down in less than a decade.</p>
<p>Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>.</p>
Lesson Plan
A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction.
Context
<p>A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses. They serve as beacons for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals, reefs, and rocks, and allow for access to safe entries into harbors. Lighthouses have been used for thousands of years and the oldest one still standing dates to the 1st century C.E. Known as the Tower of Hercules, it is located at La Coruna harbor, in northern Spain, and has a cornerstone indicating that it was built using an ancient Phoenician design and was built to honor the Roman God, Mars.</p>
<p>Lighthouses, like the Cape Charles Lighthouse, have a long history of being used to guide mariners along the coastal waterways up and down the east coast of the United States. Three lighthouses have provided sailors safe entrance to the southernmost harbor on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The first lighthouse at Cape Charles was a 55-foot masonry tower that was in use by 1828. Shortly after going into operation, the lighthouse was deemed too low in height and had poor visibility from the Chesapeake Bay. As the location is important to mariners and has shallow areas which could easily set a boat aground, it was decided a new lighthouse would be needed. Erosion also took a toll on the 1828 structure, and it became unsafe for regular use. In 1864, the second lighthouse was built. Located about a mile southwest from the original lighthouse, it was built 600 feet from the shoreline and tidal areas to help prevent erosion damage to the structure. The 150-foot-tall tower also had better visibility and was painted white with a brown lantern room to make it stand out from its surroundings. In 1892, a 25-foot red band was painted 60 feet from the base and around the middle of the tower to make it more visible during the day as shipping traffic increased. By the late 1890s, the lighthouse was under threat from tidal erosion. Jetties of sand and other materials were built into the bay, but the jetties failed and the lighthouse ended up 300 feet from the water with the shoreline eroding at a rate of 37 feet per year. After having served as an observation tower during World War I the second Cape Charles Lighthouse finally toppled into the ocean on July 2, 1927.</p>
<p>In 1895, the current Cape Charles lighthouse wss built on a marsh three-quarters of a mile inland. The design was dramatically different. The tower consists of a central iron tube surrounded by eight massive legs. A central spiral staircase of 216 steps leads to the generator room. Above the generator room is the watch room. The tower is painted white while the upper rooms are painted black. During World War II, three cement observation towers were constructed near the lighthouse to look for any German U-boats that might approach the Virginia coastline.</p>
<p>A brush fire on July 13, 2000, burned down the 1895 head keeper's dwelling, a wood outbuilding, and a storage shed. The two assistant keepers' dwellings were torn down about 1960, prior to automation of the lighthouse, but the head keeper's house, along with an oil house and generator building, were taken over by The Nature Conservancy in 1995. Although the Cape Charles lighthouse is visible from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, its remote location on a marshy barrier island makes it inaccessible except by shallow draft boat. It sits on land that is part of a nature preserve and is not open to the public. No longer maintained by the Coast Guard, the lighthouse is in poor condition. The number of operational lighthouses in the United States has declined as a result of maintenance expenses and with the advent of cheaper, more sophisticated and effective electronic navigational systems.</p>
<p><em>Citation: Cape Charles Light, 1890. Eastern Shore Public Library (Accomack, VA.). Eastern Shore Virginia Room. </em></p>
<p>Image is available through the Library of Viriginia online catalog.</p>
Standards
<p>Social Studies: VS.1, VS.8, VS.10, USII.3, VUS.8, CE.1, COVT.1</p>
<p>Earth Science: ES.1, ES.10</p>
<p>Physics: PH.1, PH. 4</p>
Suggested Questions
<p><strong>Preview Activity</strong></p>
<p>Look at It: Look at the photograph, why might a lighthouse be necessary? What function do they serve?</p>
<p><strong>Post Activities</strong></p>
<p>STEM STAT: The Cape Charles lighthouse was rebuilt twice due to erosion issues. What factors might have been considered when it was built? How would have modern technology made the risk assessment easier and more accurate. Provide an example.</p>
<p>Current Connection: The abundance of natural resources found in the Eastern Shore region is still a factor in economic and public policy decisions today. Identify three competing interests from the perspectives of an environmentalist who wants to protect natural resources and from those in industries seeking to use the natural resources. </p>
<p>STEM STAT: The current Cape Charles Lighthouse is not easily accessed and lies within a nature preserve. How does the limited accessibility help preserve the environment? Why is important to protect watershed areas such as the low-lying marsh areas found along the Eastern Shore?</p>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
<p>Cape Charles Lighthouse, Smith Island and Chesapeake Bay, circa 1890</p>
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1890
Economics
Government and Civics
Military History
-
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9df9c03ed186290507b79c816c76972f
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/8e4218fafb461dd8d5caacc2fc8c0bca.pdf
8892a1d28af2bda70caf6dce78f54628
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Postwar United States
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1945 - 1970s
Description
An account of the resource
The era following World War II brought about vast changes, not only in foreign policy, but in economics and a changing civic landscape. The liberalism of the New Deal era grew into movements towards increasing civil liberties and economic opportunities, particularly for underrepresented communities and women. Protests became more common as groups demanded equal rights and voting equality. These movements were juxtaposed with Jim Crow laws and the reemergence of the Ku Klux Klan. <br /><br />The Cold War pitted the United States and its allies in NATO against the Soviet Union and other communist nations, particularly China, Korea, and Vietnam. During this period campaigns were fought not only on the battleground, but in the political arena and social consciousness as well. The fall of the Nazi regime opened the door to the Iron Curtain and Soviet dominance of Eastern Europe. Through the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan the U.S. sought to halt the spread of communism further west. The defeat of Japan enabled previously occupied counties the chance to choose new leaders, many of whom sided with communism over capitalism. The United States would spend much of this period adhering to the “Domino Theory” foreign policy to contain the spread of communism. <br /><br />Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>
Lesson Plan
A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction.
Context
<p>Black men gained the right to vote when the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1870. Later in the 19th century, white men in Virginia passed laws requiring literacy tests or payment of poll taxes that made it more difficult for Black men to vote. A new state constitution in 1902 strengthened those restrictions and disfranchised more than 90 percent of Black men. So as not to violate the Fifteenth Amendment that prohibited discriminating against eligible voters "on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude," the 1902 constitution's provisions made no reference to race and resulted in the disfranchisement of almost 50 percent of white male voters as well. <br /><br />When women gained the right to vote after the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920, Black women in Virginia faced the same restrictions and far fewer Black women than white women were able to register to vote. In the 1950s, during the civil rights movement, Black Virginians held numerous voter registration drives around the state and some filed lawsuits against local registrars to challenge the constitutionality of poll taxes. It was not until 1966 that the United States Supreme Court ruled that the use of poll taxes in any election was unconstitutional. </p>
<p>This photograph was taken during the 1950s at a time when voting rights were not guaranteed and African Americans were challenging segregation in schools, transportation, and other areas of public life. The sign on the blackboard was probably posted for a lesson on citizenship and the importance of voting in elections. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Citation: </strong><em>African American teenagers and teacher in a classroom; A sign reading "Citizenship through voting" is on the blackboard, Portsmouth Public Library (Portsmouth, Va.). Esther Murdaugh Wilson Memorial Room. <br /></em>Image is available in the Library of Virginia's online catalog <a href="https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990011348980205756" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.</p>
Standards
<p>USI.1, USI.5, VS.1, VS.4, GOVT. 1, GOVT. 3 </p>
Suggested Questions
<p><strong>Preview Activity</strong></p>
<p>Think About it: What is citizenship? How does voting demonstrate citizenship?</p>
<p><strong>Post Activity</strong></p>
<p>Form an Opinion: Write a letter to a 1950’s Senator and/or Representative for the state of Virginia from the perspective of one of these students. Explain why the right to vote is important to you and how you are not guaranteed that right (what limitations existed from the 1902 Constitution)?</p>
<p>Current Connections: What connections can you make to current changes to voting laws in some states? How does the past impact the present on this issue?</p>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
<p>Citizenship Through Voting, Portsmouth, VA, circa 1950’s</p>
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1950s
African American History
Government and Civics
Reform Movements
-
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4920b11292d70a1aeba7ba8fe64886d1
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/622a10bdd091e425238ca7b68648ee26.pdf
124a21660d16d1b484180ac67a4052cd
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Emergence of Modern America
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1890-1930
Description
An account of the resource
<p>The idea of a “Modern United States” begins with the advent of the Progressive era. The Progressive movement focused on reforms viewed as necessary after drastic increases in industrialization, immigration, and urbanization, as well as corruption in the business and political realms. Temperance reached its peak with the 18th Amendment and the decade of Prohibition, while woman suffrage became guaranteed nationally with the 19th Amendment. Other movements that gained traction on a new scale during this era were the labor movement, including the rise of unions, and the Harlem Renaissance. Shifting roles for African Americans migrating to northern cities and unprecendented immigration to America's shores heightened racial and ethnic tensions and led to the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan.</p>
<p>With all of the changes on the home front of America, this era also saw the emergence of the United States as a major world power. The Spanish-American War pitted the U.S. against a European power other than Great Britain for the first time. Not long after, the United States found itself embroiled in World War I, despite strong isolationist tendencies. Along with a large death toll, World War I led to the development of the failed League of Nations, ultimately pushing the United States even further into an isolationist standing that would last for decades. The immediate postwar period of the Prohibition-era “Roaring 20s” saw a domination in politics and economics by big business and its supporters, which would all come crashing down in less than a decade.</p>
<p>Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>.</p>
Lesson Plan
A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction.
Context
<p>Silk has been produced and sold as a consumer good for thousands of years. The origin of silk production was in China and the earliest known examples date to 3000 B.C.E. For centuries, the trade routes known as the Silk Road stretched beween Europe and East Asia. The Chinese kept their manufacturing process a closely guarded secret, but eventually silkworm cocoons and seeds for mulberry trees (the food source for silkworms) were smuggled to other parts of Asia and to Europe, where manufacturers in areas of France and Italy became the leading producers of silk in Europe. Later, large groups of skilled Flemish and French weavers fled to England as a result of religious persecution, and an industrial complex for silk weaving developed in the 1620s at Spitalfields near London.</p>
<p>Producing silk is complex and requires specialized skills. The silkworm moth (Bombyx mori) has been domesticated for centuries. The result is a creature which is bred and raised on farms with wings too weak to fly and legs unable to crawl more than a foot or so. Silkworms are totally reliant on humans and are very labor-intensive, as they require specific dietary and habitat conditions to thrive. Silkworm larvae begin eating as soon as they emerge. They molt or shed their skin four times and become larger each time they molt. The larvae will grow up to 10,000 times their weight as they eat mulberry leaves almost continually soon after they hatch. Once the silkworms stop eating, their human caretakers build specially constructed frames which provide support and protection for the valuable cocoons. The cocoons are produced when the worm’s silk glands are fully developed, and they begin to secrete a sticky substance called sericin along with the silk threads. The silk threads harden in the air as the larva moves its head in a figure eight pattern. After the larva creates a support for a cocoon, it spins a cocoon from a single, continuous thread of silk which can be over a mile long. The process of spinning a cocoon can take two days to complete. The worm then enters its pupa stage, which, if allowed to continue, will result in an adult moth in about three weeks. Most of the insects, however, are killed with heat in the pupae stage, as they damage the cocoon when they emerge as adults and the heat does not damage the silk. </p>
<p>Given the popularity of silk in England and the development of silk production in Europe, King James I and others encouraged silk production in Virginia in the 17<sup>th</sup> century. The specialized labor force required, the limited diet of the silkworm (the larvae did not like the native mulberry trees), and the development of tobacco as a more successful cash crop ensured sericulture's failure in the colony. However, small scale silk manufacturing had a resurgence in the 19<sup>th</sup> century and early in the 20<sup>th</sup> century in Virginia. The cocoonry building seen in the photograph is an example of the silk industry in Prince William County. The building likely dates back to an earlier time period and was probably no longer used to raise silkworms when the photograph was taken. However, it is one of the few remaining structures attributed to the silk industry in Virginia. Today, most silk is produced in China, Japan, or Korea, with small quantities harvested in Russia and other countries. </p>
<p>Citation: <em> Cocoonry, Mountain View, 1900, Virginia W.P.A Historical Inventory Project, Library of Virginia. </em></p>
<p> </p>
Standards
<p>History: VS.1, VS.2 VS.3, VS.4, USI.1, USI.2, USI.3, USI.4, WHII.4, VUS.1, VUS.2, VUS.3</p>
<p>Science: 3.5, 4.5, BIO.7, BIO.8, ES.6, ES.8</p>
Suggested Questions
<p><strong>Preview Activity </strong></p>
<p>Look at It: Look at the photograph, what might the building have been used for? Why do you think this? </p>
<p><strong>Post Activities</strong></p>
<p>STEM STAT: English colonists at Jamestown attempted to raise silkworms but found the silkworms to be demanding as they required Asian mulberries and special living conditions to thrive. They also did not handle the heat and humidity of the Tidewater region well. How did the attempts at raising silkworms change the environment? Why might the environment and technological advancements in building design allowed for more success with silkworms in northern Virginia in the 19<sup>th</sup> century?</p>
<p>Think About It: Consider the challenges in raising silkworms and producing silk. Why do you think the English persisted in their quest to raise silkworms despite the odds? </p>
<p>Another Perspective: Silk was an expensive and popular material in England. Although there was a means to produce silk products in England and Europe, why would the English want to attempt to produce it in the New World? Consider the challenges of raising silkworms and the climate in England. </p>
<p> </p>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
<p>Cocoonry Building, Photograph, Prince William County, circa 1900</p>
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1900
Economics
Government and Civics
Popular Culture
-
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6420dd21e307d8a4a38a990f3ced2a6e
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/64dd17be4b21d07ebd4bd458e761fe04.jpg
1178e0ace16195aa5f61fd2945118c3e
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/d45c4578f1a021c9c4fb3d42f98ccd06.pdf
47fbb50d7769a80fbcebd8cd6db078c5
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cf316532e05145681540d4df999b5f05
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Expansion and Reform
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1800-1860
Description
An account of the resource
Between 1800 and 1860, the United States underwent a period of increased territorial growth, immigration, economic growth, and industrialization. At the same time as the nation was increasing in population and size, regional differences were becoming more and more pronounced, and politically confrontational. The idea of Manifest Destiny led to expansion first across the Appalachians, then across the Mississippi, and finally to the Pacific Ocean. Vast swaths of land were aquired via the Louisiana Purchase from France and through the United States’s victory in the Mexican-American War. This expansion, however, did have some negative results, most notably the removal of many Indian nations in the Southeast and old Northwest. <br /><br />Economic development, while increasing wealth and prosperity, also brought regional differences more sharply into focus. Northeastern industrial development, increased urbanization, and technological advancements separated it even further from the agrarian South. There was also a transportation revolution involving railroads, canals, and trans-regional roads, many times centered in the North. The issue of slavery caused increasing strife and political debate as new western territories sought to join the Union. Despite expansion, free African Americans and women were still largely disfranchised. Reforms movements related to temperence, women's rights, education, mental health, and imprisonment occurred in bursts, setting the stage for post-Civil War major reforms.<br /><br />Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>.
Lesson Plan
A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction.
Context
<p>Before the end of slavery, free Black Virginians found their liberty in constant jeopardy because they were not considered citizens. After Gabriel's attempted slave rebellion in 1800, the<span> General Assembly passed an act in 1801 requiring county commissioners of the revenue to provide a complete list each year of all free Black men and women in their districts. The list was to contain the name, gender, residence, and trade of each person. The act was intended to regulate the behavior of free Blacks and a copy of the list was supposed to be posted on the door of the county courthouses so that white Virginians would know who had free status in their counties. If a registered free Black person moved to another county, then magistrates there could issue a warrant for them unless they were employed. Otherwise, the person would be jailed as a vagrant. The law was not always uniformly enforced, however. <br /><br /></span><span>The county clerk provided free Black men and women with certificates that they were required to carry on their person at all times. White Virginians could challenge their status at any time and if a free person was not </span>able to prove they were free, they could be sold into slavery. <br /><br />One acceptable way for a free Black person to prove their status was to provide an affidavit from a white man swearing to that fact. In this legal document signed in 1839 and recorded in 1840, Frederick County resident Jerry Armstrong is described by Jacob Cooper as being the son of a free Black woman and therefore a free man. </p>
<p>Citation<em>: Armstrong, Jerry (M, 24): Frederick County (Va.), Free Negro Register, 1840, in Virginia Untold: The African American Narrative Digital Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va.</em></p>
Standards
<p>USI.5, CE.7, VUS.5, GOVT.3</p>
Suggested Questions
<p><strong>Preview Activity</strong></p>
<p>Think About It: How do you prove that you are a citizen of the United States? Could you prove it right now if you were asked to? Could the government require you to do so? What would be the pros and cons of such a requirement?<strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Post Activities</strong></p>
<p>Another Perspective: Jacob Cooper and Jerry Armstrong might have a good relationship since Jacob is vouching for Jerry’s status. What could happen if Jacob and Jerry should have an argument or other disagreement?</p>
<p>Analyze: Develop a hypothesis about the intent behind the registration of free individuals of color and how it was used.</p>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
<p>Jerry Armstrong, Registration of Free Status, 1840</p>
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1840
African American History
Government and Civics
-
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c964513aed330d7eb6cfa4c81e83eed7
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/02a0e1f4416af2a62deadda00e39e711.pdf
f317eb6ed2c1ab9a0f2e6610c841a5e7
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Emergence of Modern America
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1890-1930
Description
An account of the resource
<p>The idea of a “Modern United States” begins with the advent of the Progressive era. The Progressive movement focused on reforms viewed as necessary after drastic increases in industrialization, immigration, and urbanization, as well as corruption in the business and political realms. Temperance reached its peak with the 18th Amendment and the decade of Prohibition, while woman suffrage became guaranteed nationally with the 19th Amendment. Other movements that gained traction on a new scale during this era were the labor movement, including the rise of unions, and the Harlem Renaissance. Shifting roles for African Americans migrating to northern cities and unprecendented immigration to America's shores heightened racial and ethnic tensions and led to the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan.</p>
<p>With all of the changes on the home front of America, this era also saw the emergence of the United States as a major world power. The Spanish-American War pitted the U.S. against a European power other than Great Britain for the first time. Not long after, the United States found itself embroiled in World War I, despite strong isolationist tendencies. Along with a large death toll, World War I led to the development of the failed League of Nations, ultimately pushing the United States even further into an isolationist standing that would last for decades. The immediate postwar period of the Prohibition-era “Roaring 20s” saw a domination in politics and economics by big business and its supporters, which would all come crashing down in less than a decade.</p>
<p>Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>.</p>
Lesson Plan
A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction.
Context
<p>John Mitchell Jr., was the determined and pioneering force behind the success of the <em>Richmond Planet</em> newspaper. Mitchell was born into slavery at Laburnum near Richmond on July 11, 1863. He was the son of John Mitchell and Rebecca Mitchell, who were enslaved by James Lyons, a lawyer and legislator. After his family was emancipated at the end of the Civil War, they remained at Laburnum. Mitchell’s mother taught him how to read and he was able to enroll in school, first at a private school and then at one of Richmond’s public schools, Navy Hill School, early in the 1870s. From 1876 to 1881 he studied at the Richmond Colored Normal School, a high school that specialized in training African American teachers. Mitchell graduated in 1881 as the valedictorian of his class.</p>
<p>Mitchell began his teaching career in Fredericksburg, but returned to Richmond to teach at the Valley School in 1883. A year later the newly appointed school board fired him and 10 other African American teachers. In 1883, Mitchell began writing for the <em>New York Globe</em> and journalism became his focus. In December 1884, at age twenty-one, he became editor of the weekly <em>Richmond Planet</em>. The early years of the publication were a financial struggle, as he edited and published the paper out of his room in a boarding house. The paper soon achieved greater readership and success. Mitchell purchased an electric printing press in 1888 and moved the paper’s headquarters to the Swan Tavern on Broad Street (where the Library of Virginia stands today). The <em>Richmond Planet</em> gained national prominence as an advocate of racial justice and civil rights. The <em>Richmond Planet</em> was a forerunner for other publications and was recognized for Mitchell’s groundbreaking antilynching efforts, which included extensive coverage of lynching cases, lists of lynching victims, and graphic images of lynchings. He also interceded on the behalf of unjustly convicted African Americans by arranging legal counsel, appealing to government officials, and raising funds.</p>
<p>Mitchell used his stature as a "crusading newspaper editor" to propel himself into a political career. In the spring of 1892 he was elected to Richmond's Board of Aldermen from Jackson Ward, and he was re-elected in 1894. He ran for governor in 1921, when African American Republicans named their own ticket in opposition to white Republicans who had excluded them from the party convention. Mitchell’s campaign was controversial and ultimately unsuccessful as he lost the race. Other Black newspapers in Virginia opposed his campaign as they felt it would divide the Black vote. <br /><br />Mitchell’s troubles continued when the Mechanics Savings Bank that he had established in 1901 fell into crisis in 1922. Mitchell was accused of misusing the bank’s funds. The case was eventually heard by the state Supreme Court, which ruled in his favor and charges were dropped. The community rallied around Mitchell and tried to save the bank while also contributing to his defense fund. Despite their efforts, the bank closed in 1922 and was placed in receivership in 1923. Mitchell was left with no savings and his assets, including the <em>Richmond Planet</em> headquarters, were sold to pay his debts.</p>
He retained the newspaper and continued to serve as editor until his death on December 3, 1929.<br /><br /><p>Citation: <em>John Mitchell Jr., Obituary Announcement, 7 December 1929, Richmond Planet, Richmond, Virginia: Newspapers, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia. <br /></em><br />Read the full obituary <a href="https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=RP19291207.1.1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.<br /><br />Learn more about John Mitchell Jr., in the <em>Dictionary of Virginia Biography </em><a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/mitchell-john-jr-1863-1929/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.<br /><br />Click <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/items/show/269">here</a> for more information about the <em>Richmond Planet.</em><em><br /></em></p>
Standards
VS.7, VS.8, USII.9, CE.7, VUS.13, GOVT.5
Suggested Questions
<p><strong>Preview Activity</strong></p>
<p>Look at It: Look at the image from the front page of the <em>Richmond Planet</em>. What does the headline tell you about the subject of the article?</p>
<p><strong>Post Activities</strong></p>
<p>Be the Journalist: What would you write about John Mitchell Jr? Write a paragraph in which you highlight his most significant achievements. Be sure to include why you chose those specific achievements.</p>
<p>Current Connections: What do you think John Mitchell Jr’s legacy is in the fields of education, civics, and journalism? Why do you think his story is relevant today?</p>
<p>Artistic Expression: Design an image depicting the life and death of John Mitchell Jr. </p>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
<p>John Mitchell Jr. Obituary Announcement, Richmond, 1929</p>
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1929
African American History
Government and Civics
Popular Culture
Reform Movements
-
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1e9f2b10bcd0d416aab9751dff656f3d
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/7ae5e5cb86609efed4478e5a14373ad0.pdf
a21199031837602ec2fad9cd5fc3cc01
https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/dbva/files/original/867ec5b20723a0696ffff1dc44ae0bf4.pdf
d2a5836d25a465947166f785afcf11d5
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Revolution and the New Nation
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1754-1820s
Description
An account of the resource
The American Revolution is considered one of the most crucial times of United States history to study, as it lays the groundwork for all political history following it. Not only did it end the colonial relationship with England, but it brought about political change that shaped our lives and served as an example for other nations. It also called into question social and political relationships, raising questions regarding freedom and inalienable rights. Some of America’s most important documents and greatest political minds come from this era. The war itself also was revolutionary, with successful guerilla-style fighting and the defeat by colonials of well-trained British military forces. <br /><br />Following the war, the creation of the U.S. Constitution and the process of ratification shifted not only the style of government, but also the way in which governments functioned with an increased public investment. This process also called into question the balance of power between federal and state governments, an issue that continued to be present in American politics long after the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were completed. Despite strong unity among many in during the American Revolution, political, economic, regional, social, ideological, and religious tensions did not fade, and in some cases---especially with respect to slavery---increased as the United States sought to define itself.<br /><br />Learn more in the <a title="This external link will open in a new window." href="http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/history-standards/us-history-content-standards/united-states-era-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National U.S. History Content Standards</a>.
Lesson Plan
A resource that gives a detailed description of a course of instruction.
Context
<p>John Murray, fourth earl of Dunmore, was the last royal governor of Virginia. Assuming office in September 1771, he won support during what became known as Lord Dunmore’s War in 1774. Ostensibly to protect white settlers in the Ohio Valley region, claimed by Virginia, militia forces defeated a Shawnee and Wingo force at the Battle of Point Pleasant (in present-day West Virginia) in October 1774. Dunmore negotiated a treaty prohibiting the tribes from settling or hunting south of the Ohio River, thus clearing the path for expanded white colonial settlement.</p>
<p>The impulsive Dunmore’s popularity began to wane in 1775, as he alienated key politicians. As tensions between the <span>colony and Great Britain increased, Dunmore, citing rumors of an impending rebellion by enslaved persons, removed gunpowder from the public magazine in Williamsburg in April. Facing withering criticism from the colonie's political leaders, he sent his family back to Britain, fled Williamsburg early in June, and tried to gather Loyalist supporters in Hampton Roads. </span></p>
<p>On November 7, 1775, Dunmore proclaimed martial law and offered freedom to enslaved people and indentured servants who agreed to fight for the king. His offer of freedom to slaves to fight against white Virginians and his recruitment of a regiment of Black soldiers alienated the remaining influential planters and political leaders who until then had stayed loyal to the Crown. Thomas Jefferson included "prompting our negroes to rise in arms against us" among the grievances against the king in his draft of the constitution adopted by Virginia in June 1776. <br /><br />Dunmore’s proclamation sparked a flood of enslaved persons to escape (as many as 2,000 reached the governor) and raised widespread fear of a slave rebellion. Dunmore took the offensive at the Battle of Great Bridge in December 1775, but was so soundly defeated that he ordered his ships to fire on Norfolk and his troops to burn warehouses on the wharves. In 1787 Dunmore became governor of the Bahamas, during which time he fell from royal favor. He died at his home in England in 1809.</p>
<p><em>Citation: By his Excellency the Right Honorable John Earl of Dunmore . . . A Proclamation, 1775, Broadside 1775 .V852 FF, Special Collections, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.</em></p>
<p><i><br /><br /></i><a href="https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/dunmore-john-murray-fourth-earl-of-ca-1730-1809/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more about Lord Dunmore in the <em>Dictionary of Virginia Biography</em></a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
Standards
<p>VS.6, USI.6, CE.2, CE.7, VUS.5, GOVT.2, GOVT.3</p>
<p> </p>
Suggested Questions
<p><strong>Preview Activity</strong></p>
<p>Think About It: During the American Revolution who do you think enslaved Virginians might have sided with: the British or the American colonists? What advantages/disadvantages could each side offer them?</p>
<p><strong>Post Activity</strong></p>
<p>Analyze: Draw a conclusion about the intent behind the language Thomas Jefferson's grievance in Virginia’s 1776 Constitution and its relationship to Dunmore’s Proclamation.</p>
<p>Form An Opinion: Thomas Jefferson included this grievance in his original draft of the Declaration of Independence, but it was struck out of the final, approved copy. Develop a hypothesis explaining the reasoning of removing this charge from the final Declaration.</p>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
<p>Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation, 1775</p>
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1775
African American History
American Indian History
Government and Civics
Military History