The Changing Nation Webquest
Explore history.
The Changing Nation unit.
After the Civil War and Reconstruction eras, the United States went through incredible change. Much of this change was set in place even before the Civil War.
Through this unit, you will come to understand how the country changed. Research your topics through media and print to discover the facts about our Changing Nation.
This unit is divided into separate "Activities." Each activity will help you to understand an important concept about the unit. Research resources are provided for many of the activities. Use these to help you save time.
Each activity will be graded separately in this unit.
The Changing Nation: Unit Overview
These are the required elements to this unit.
SS5H3 - The student will describe how life changed in America at the turn of the century.
SS5H3.a - Describe the role of the cattle trails in the late 19th century; include the Black Cowboys of Texas, the Great Western Cattle Trail, and the Chisholm Trail.
SS5H3.b - Describe the impact on American life of the Wright brothers (flight), George Washington Carver (science), Alexander Graham Bell (communication), and Thomas Edison (electricity).
SS5H3.c - Explain how William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt expanded America’s role in the world; include the Spanish-American War and the building of the Panama Canal.
SS5H3.d - Describe the reasons people emigrated to the United States, from where they emigrated, and where they settled.
SS5H3.e - Describe the impact of westward expansion on Native Americans; include the Battle of Little Bighorn and the relocation of Native Americans to reservations.
SS5G1 - The student will locate important places in the United States.
SS5G1.a - Locate important physical features; include the Grand Canyon, Salton Sea, Great Salt Lake, and the Mojave Desert.
SS5G1.b - Locate important man-made places; include the Chisholm Trail; Pittsburgh, PA; and Kitty Hawk, NC.
Mini-lessons will be covered in class each day by Mr. Brazile.You need to know the answers to these questions.
1. Why did people immigrate to the United States?
2. Where did people settle after they immigrated to the United States?
3. What was the impact of westward expansion on Native Americans?
4. What happened at the Battle of Little Bighorn?
5. What was the Trail of Tears?
6. Who were the Black Cowboys of Texas?
7. What was the Great Western Cattle Trail?
8. What was the Chisholm Trail?
9. How did life change at the end of the 19th and early 20th century?
10. What inventions changed life during the late 19th/early 20th century?
11. Who was George Washington Carver?
12. Who were the Wright brothers?
13. Who was Alexander Graham Bell?
14. Who was Thomas Edison?
15. Who was William McKinley?
16. What happened in the Spanish-American War? What resulted?
17. Who was Theodore Roosevelt?
18. What is the Panama Canal?
19. How did McKinley and Roosevelt expand America’s role in the world?
20. Why did people immigrate to the United States?
21. Where did people settle after they immigrated to the United States?
22. What was the impact of westward expansion on Native Americans?
23. What happened at the Battle of Little Bighorn?
24. What was the Trail of Tears?
25. Who were the Black Cowboys of Texas?
26. What was the Great Western Cattle Trail?
27. What was the Chisholm Trail?
28. How did life change at the end of the 19th and early 20th century?
29. What inventions changed life during the late 19th/early 20th century?
The Changing Nation: Activities
Watch the Video (takes a minute to load - be patient), then complete the Vocabulary graphic organizer.
Events
- Dawes Act
- Battle of Little Bighorn
- Cattle Trails of the late 19th century
- Transcontinental Railroad
- Spanish/American War
- Trail of Tears
- Panama Canal
- Ellis Island/Angel Island
- The Black Cowboys of Texas
- Relocation of Native Americans to Reservations
Westward Expansion
- Read the Gold Rush book and complete the graphic organizer (must view book on non-Apple device - uses Flash).
- Read the Life in the West book and complete the graphic organizer (must view book on non-Apple device - uses Flash).
- Make a poster to advertise the Homestead Act. Pretend you're there when it's going on (I'm not telling you when because you have to research that).
- Check out this website, watch this Chisholm Trail video, and watch this Great Cattle Drives video, then complete this cattle trails graphic organizer.
- Read the Transcontinental Railroad book and complete the graphic organizer (must view book on non-Apple device - uses Flash).
- Read the Westward Expansion book and complete the graphic organizer (must view book on non-Apple device - uses Flash).
Watch the following videos, check out the website, and complete the graphic organizer.
- George Washington Carver
Thomas Edison
- Alexander Graham Bell
- Samuel Morse
- Theodore Roosevelt
- The Wright Brothers
Complete the Cause/Effect sheet.
Complete the following graphs and maps:
How Did Immigration Affect The United States (Both Positively And Negatively)?
Students will write a paper including information found through research to support their arguments for why immigration had a positive effect on the United States, as well as how it had a negative effect.
Skill: Quotes from texts as citations, immigration paper about positive and negative effects of settlement patterns.
Standards:
SS5H3 5RI1 5RI2 5RI3
5RI10 5W1 5W2 5W3
5W4 5W6 5W7 5W8
5W9 5W10 5SL4 5SL5
At home, you may choose to make as many of the following as you would like, to take the place of your lowest grades in Social Studies:
- Make a diorama of a sod house using natural materials. Use research to see what sod houses were made out of and make a replica using the same materials. Include a short article explaining how sod houses were made and why such materials were used.
- Make a diorama of the making of the transcontinental railroad. Include an article explaining why the transcontinental railroad was important, who built it, and the reasons why it was such a difficult undertaking.
- Make a diorama of the Great Western Cattle Trail or the Chisholm Trail. Include an article explaining why cattle drives took place, what life was like on a cattle drive, and what hardships were faced.
- Make a diorama of the Wright brother’s first flight. Include an article explaining why this was an important event, how did it impact the world, give specifics of what happened that day, and include an accurate model of their first plane.
- Make a diorama of the building of the Panama Canal. Include an article explaining when it was completed, how long it took to build, who built it, what obstacles were faced, what hardships did the laborers encounter, where is it located (include a map), and include how it works.
