Beginning Question

What preconceptions do you have about US History?

My Objective for this Lesson

You understand the difference between memorizing events and dates and studying history.

Preconceptions

What’s the most common story or idea you have heard about American history?

Look at this picture

What do you see?

List 5-10 things you see (people, things, symbols, etc.)

Think

Some questions:

• Who is the villain?
• Who is the hero?
• What message did the painter have?
• Who is the painter talking to?
• What is the idea of “progress” here?
• What time period is this picture depicting?
• When do you think it was painted?

Now the deep questions:

• “Progress” for whom?
• Who isn’t in the picture?
• Whose story isn’t being told by the picture?
• What was the environmental cost of this “progress”?
• Who benefited from this “progress”? and
• Who… didn’t?

Next Lesson: Who… Didn’t?

Next Lesson