LESSON
Compare Perspectives
5|
Explore the different life experiences of historical figures
When we learn about historical events or a time period, it is
important to understand that historical time from a variety of different
perspectives. History is very much about the “untold stories” of people
whose perspectives and experiences may not get top billing in the history
books and that too often go unrecognized. But history is about all of us, so
an important goal of this resource is to include voices, people, and perspectives that can provide kids with a fuller understanding of historical times
and the people who lived in those times. The purpose of this lesson is to
provide students with opportunities to compare and contrast life experiences
of people living in this period so as to better understand their perspectives.
Possible texts
This lesson requires texts that
reflect varying perspectives
on the same events or time
period. The following articles
and primary source text deal
with the experiences of different
women during the American
Revolution.
• “Elizabeth Burgin:
‘Indefatigable’”
• “Just Say No! The Daughters
of Liberty”
• “Following the Army”
• “Abigail Adams’ Letter to
John Adams, June 18, 1775”
• images of different people within a particular time period
• chart paper
• a three-column chart and matching Thinksheets for each student: Person/
Experiences & Perspective/My Thinking
• articles reflecting different experiences of several people
©2015 (Portsmo
rs of Liberty
The Daughte
uth, NH: Heineman
n).
Just Say No!
Resources & Materials
,
ican Revolution
uring the Amer
vote
not allowed to
women were
army. But they
or fight in the
ght
fi
ial
colon
to support the
y
found other ways
first time, man
nce. For the
for independe
. Some wrote
a political voice
s about
women found
letters and poem
them
ing
politics, send
to local
anonymously
One writer
newspapers.
ial men for
criticized colon
to oppose
not doing more
laws. Her poem
unfair British
the
the line, “Let
ended with
arise.”
Liberty nobly
Daughters of
other to
calling on each
Women were
Connect & Engage
and Anne Goudvis,
D
Introduce the idea of different perspectives.
[We post images of different people of the times—children, women, and men,
for example.] Let’s take a look at these different people. Turn and talk about
what you notice about these pictures. Who do you see? What do you think
you know about some of these people? Who is not here?
Revolution and
History, The American
for American
do their part.
Short Nonfiction
stand up and
Constitution, by
Stephanie Harvey
■
use. Toolkit Texts:
liberty” used
“daughters of
British, these
not to buy.
PRIMARY SOUR
To fight the
r to choose what
CE
had: the powe
en fought.
the power they
unfair laws wom
was one of the
a law saying
d
The Stamp Act
passe
June 18,
government
piece of
y, the British 1775
every
mone
on
raise
tax
To
to pay a
citizens had
newspapers
m
—fro
that colonial
used. Everything
r theyBosto
s taxed. Many
n, Sunday, 18
printed pape
June—wa
ng cards
1775
licenses to playi
unfair.
and marriage
p Act tax was
Deare
Stam
st Friend
to
that this
themselves
,
To boycott is
colonists felt
those calling
or buy
mong them,
h goods
refuse to do
Many women—a The day—
boycott Britis
to
as
hing
greed
somet
y”—a perhaps the decisiv
d to use
of libert
e day—
en refuse
depends. My These
is come, on which
“daughters
a protest.
burstingwom
the fate of Amer
heart must find
Stamp Act.
ica
vent at my pen.
to protest the dear friend, Dr. Warren, is
I have just heard
no
more, but
that our
saying, Better to
gloriously fighting
die honorablyed with permissiofell
n.
for his country;
in
the
Reproduc
gallows. Great
fi
eld, than ignom
Company.
Publishing
is our
iniously hang upon
loss. He has disting
ds, © by Carus
, Appleseehis
the
Mark Kilvington
uished
courag
by
e and fortitude,
himself in every
illustration
By Jennifer Barefoot,
by animating the
engagement, by
own example. A
6
soldiers and leadin
particular accou
g them on by his
nt of these dread
will be transmitted
ful, but I hope
to you, no doubt
glorious days,
, in the exactest
manner.
“The race is not
to the swift, nor
the battle to the
Israel is He that
strong; but the
giveth strength
God of
and power unto
all times, ye people
his
people
, pour out your
. Trust in him at
hearts before him;
Charlestown is
laid in ashes. Th
God is a refuge
e battle began upon
for us.”
Bunker’s Hill, Saturd
our intrenchmen
ay morning about
ts upon
and it is now three
three o’clock, and
o’clock Sabbath
has not ceased
afternoon.
yet,
It is expected they
will come out over
battle must ensue
the Neck tonigh
. Almighty God,
t, and a dreadful
cover the heads
a shield to our
of our countrymen
dear friends! How
,
and be
many have fallen,
roar of the canno
we know not. Th
n is so distressing
e constant
that we cannot
be supported and
eat, drink, or sleep.
sustained in the
May we
dreadful conflict.
thought unsafe
I shall tarry here
by my friends,
and then I have
till it is
brother’s, who
secured myself
has kindly offered
retreat at your
me a part of his
myself to write
house. I canno
any further respon
t
compo
se. I will add more
se
as I hear furthe
r.
Tuesday afternoo
n
I have been so
much agitated,
that I have not
Sabbath day. When
been able to write
I say that ten thousa
since
uncertain as the
nd reports are
wind, I believe
passin
g,
vague
I speak the truth.
and
I am not able to
give
Even though all these people lived at the same time, let’s consider how they
might have experienced life in these times. Who has some background
knowledge or some ideas about this? [We record kids’ background knowledge
and thoughts on a chart, guiding them to understand that each person pictured
experiences life in a different way.]
Library of Congress
for American History, The
116
Elizabeth Burgin
Texts: Short Nonfiction
May be reproduce
American Revolution and
d for classroom
Constitution, by Stephanie
use. Toolkit Texts:
Short Nonfiction
Harvey and Anne Goudvis,
for American
©2015 (Portsmouth, NH:
History, The American
Heinemann).
Revolution and
Constitution, by
Stephanie Harvey
and Anne Goudvis,
May be reproduce
d for classroom
©2015 (Portsmo
uth, NH: Heineman
n).
Abigail Adams’
Letter to John Ada
ms
e”
By Marcia Amidon Lusted.
May be reproduced for
classroom use. Toolkit
“Indefatigabl
he air had the tang of salt,
underlying the stench
sickness. As Elizabeth
of unwashed bodies and
T
small boat and onto the
Burgin stepped out of her
biting wind, trying to keep
ship, she shivered in the
waves rocked the deck
her balance as the choppy
a basket of food . . . but
underfoot. She carried only
that couldn’t be seen: hope.
she also carried something
was raging between the
The Revolutionary War
patriots. British prison
British and the American
York harbor. On board
New
in
ships were anchored
prisoners of war. The
were hundreds of American
filthy, there was very little
ships were crowded and
men died from diseases like
food or water, and many
fever.
yellow
and
smallpox
We’re going to read a variety of different articles today and compare and
contrast the lives of different people who lived in this time period. We’ll
consider what might be similar about peoples’ lives and what might be
very different. Let’s read part of one account together and then you’ll read
another account with a different perspective with a small group.
in New York, was
Elizabeth Burgin, who lived
women allowed onto these
one of the few American
Men were not permitted
ships to help the prisoners.
the prisoners often. She
on board. Elizabeth visited
provided the only contact
brought them food and
world. She could deliver
they had with the outside
and tell them the news
messages to their families
of the war.
forces occupying
From 1776 to 1783, the British
or decommissioned
New York City used abandoned
just offshore to hold
warships (above) anchored
private citizens they had
those soldiers, sailors, and
on land or at sea.
captured in battle or arrested
119
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Model
Record text evidence reflecting a person’s experiences and perspective
in a historical time.
[To prepare kids to compare and contrast different perspectives later in
the lesson, we model how to think about a historical figure’s experiences.]
I’m going to read this article that is written from the perspective of [person
or people]. The authentic information here shows us what these people’s
lives were like.
■
I’ll begin by identifying who this is about and then read this account aloud.
I’ll read to find out what important experiences he or she had and how these
shaped the person’s perspective, or point of view. Using evidence from the
text and perhaps the historical record, I’ll also jot down my thinking about
their experiences and point of view. I can organize my thinking on this chart:
Person
Experiences &
Perspective
My Thinking
Guide
Guide pairs to jot down text evidence for important aspects of a
person’s experience.
[We hand out a three-column Thinksheet—Person/Experiences & Perspective/
My Thinking—to each student.] Now I’ll keep reading and ask you to work with
someone sitting near you to ferret out more of these peoples’ experiences as
well as their perspectives on the times. You and your partner can discuss this
and also record your thinking. Remember, the thinking column includes your
interpretations and inferences as well as your questions from your reading.
■
Collaborate/Practice Independently
Ask kids to work in small groups to study other historical people.
Now choose another article about a different person living in this same time
period. Get together with three or four friends who are interested in the
same article and record your thinking on your Thinksheets. As you read,
think about how your historical characters’ experiences affected their points
of view, their perspectives on the times. Be sure to tie their experiences and
perspectives to the text and also include your thinking.
■
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Share the Learning
Invite students to talk about and compare individuals and their
perspectives.
[Once students have surfaced a variety of perspectives, we reconvene the group
to compare and contrast the different lives of the people they read about.] Now
let’s talk about the historical people in your articles. We consider how their
experiences influenced their view of the world, and how people differ based
on these life experiences. [Kids love to work big, and large posters can be very
helpful for sharing out the experiences/evidence information that kids have
gathered.]
■
Questions to guide sharing:
• What experiences did your person have?
• How did this person’s experiences shape his or her perspective?
• How are his or her experiences like or different from other people we read
about?
• Do you think this person’s life experiences and perspective might have
been, to some extent, “unrecognized” in general historical accounts of
these times?
• Discuss why his or her perspective and life experiences are important to
an understanding of people of this time period.
• Why do you think it might be important to consider a lot of different
experiences and perspectives when studying history?
, NH: Heinemann
©2015 (Portsmouth
and Anne Goudvis,
y
rm
Foll
o
).
ng the A
wi
FFollow Up
Jenna Grilli
bout 13 years ago,
decided
made a decision: “I
learn about
that the best way to
s was
life in previous centurie
” So
to experience it firsthand.
ng. “I was
reenacti
up
took
she
d in what
always very intereste
in other
life was like for people
of my
lots
historic eras. I spent
sources
time reading primary
in the 18th
about women’s lives
“In my studies,
century,” she says.
British
more
I found that many
army than did
women followed the
We asked Grilli
American women.”
her role as a
to tell us more about
camp follower.
Revolutionary War
sy of
ur te
History, The American
o
os c
Phot
Revolution and Constitution
, by Stephanie Harvey
A
rilli
L. G
na
Jen
tze
Nonfiction for American
ni
ch
-S
May be reproduced
for classroom use.
Toolkit Texts: Short
r
Jenna Grilli knows
her way around a
(top) . . .
1700s battlefield
in the
and is comfortable
(above)!
21st century, too
r?
as a camp followe
What was life like
The people who followed
It was very difficult.
to live almost the same
the army were expected
or
for fighting in battles
life as a soldier except
They were
as cutting down trees.
such
duty,
doing fatigue
distances. Their shoes
on foot for quite long
expected to travel
family members that
walk barefoot. The
meant they had to
often wore out, which
to endure this life.
had to be very tough
followed the army
do?
a camp follower
might
s, nurse, seamjobs
of
What sorts
worked as a laundres
A woman might have
army organization
It was rather varied.
would be part of an
e only official job that
the hospital. During
stress, or sutler. Th
to do a rotation in
Women were expected
half rations.
would be as a nurse.
y they received only
full rations—normall
women were not
received
that
they
thing
that time,
service. One
by the army for this
themselves.
They also were paid
e soldiers cooked for
to cook for the men—th
expected to do was
By Andrew Matthews,
53
Cobblestone, © by
Carus Publishing
Company. Reproduced
with permission.
Provide additional groups of articles organized to highlight different viewpoints and perspectives on the same time period and engage students in
comparing and contrasting different views.
■ Ask students each to assume the role of a historical character they have read
about. Put two or three different characters together and prompt them to
discuss an event or condition of their time from the perspective of their character: What do you think about . . . ?
■ Encourage students to conduct independent research on a lesser-known
historical figure and craft a biography and portrait. Please see the student
projects, “Unrecognized Revolutionaries”, on pages L-31–L-32.
■
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