Manifest Destiny Art Analysis

We are finishing up our unit, The Expanding Nation, where we have been studying post-Revolution American government as well as westward expansion. One recent lesson was the analysis of John Gast's 1872 lithograph, American Progress, which has become a visual representation of Manifest Destiny (the idea that it was God's intent for America to expand).

As a class we discussed the concept of Manifest Destiny as well as symbolism.  Then, in pairs, students were asked to brainstorm and come up with a list of the different elements in the painting and what each represents in terms of westward expansion, also keeping in mind the title of the piece, American Progress.

Next we discussed the symbolism in the painting.  For example, the right side of the painting is lighter to represent the fact that progress and technology had already come to the eastern part of the United States. The figure in the middle seems to be bringing technology and progress to the 'unenlightened' West.

Art analysis is a wonderful way for students to develop critical thinking skills and, in the case of this painting, it allowed us the opportunity to review what we had learned and read about throughout our unit of study.  Additionally, this painting allows for further discussion of primary source documents, much like this lesson.

Oregon Trail Simulation

This week we are finishing up a unit on westward expansion.  As part of one homework assignment, I had the students read an excerpt from the journal of Amelia Stewart Knight, a mother of 7 who gave birth to her eighth child while traveling west on the Oregon Trail. You can read this excerpt by clicking on the link (you may have to click on it twice) here.   Primary source documents such as this one are a really great way to get students interested in the topics we are studying.  Instead of just reading facts about settlers going west in the 1800s, they can read the experiences from a first-hand perspective, which is always more interesting!  

After the readings, we did an Oregon Trail simulation as a warm-up activity in class.  The class was divided into two 'wagon trains', each with a mother, father, wagon hands, and lots of children.  I told the students to bring 'western wear' to get in the spirit of the activity!

Before class, I used string to mark the Oregon Trail on the classroom map of the US.  Each of the two teams had a marker on the map to show where their wagon train was on the trail.  The object of the game was to get further along than the other wagon trail, with the most survivors and supplies, while getting through the 'obstacles' I threw at them along the way.

I printed up 18 slips of paper, each with a real obstacle or success that pioneers faced along the way in the 1800s.  Each team took turns picking slips of paper and then, based on what the paper said, they moved up or back on the trail, lost a family member or supplies, etc.

The twist was that I had taken several excerpts from the primary source journal mentioned above and printed them on the slips of paper.  If the student could tell me whether or not what I had read was in the journal, they could move up on the trail.  This was a great way to see if they had in fact done their homework and comprehended what they read!  Here are a few more pictures of the wagon trains:

YEE HAW!