Perspectives on Lincoln
Decatur House Questions:
1. What was life like for the Lincoln family at the White House?
2. What are some new primary source investigative techniques that might be used in the classroom?
3. What perspectives on Lincoln's presidency did you find most interesting?
1. What was life like for the Lincoln family at the White House?
2. What are some new primary source investigative techniques that might be used in the classroom?
3. What perspectives on Lincoln's presidency did you find most interesting?
I had never seen the 4 corners technique before. I use plenty of primary photographs/pictures and think this will be a great technique to implement in the future
ReplyDelete#2. I believe I will use the four corners technique for interpreting images, since it will provoke curiosity for students as they will wonder what the picture is all about. It will also be an effective method for getting students in the habit of looking for details they previously would overlook.
ReplyDeleteAlso liked the tableau technique as a way to have students interpret what history was like for those who lived it, and to enhance critical thinking skills.
#1- Life in the Lincoln White House was very much informal relative to today. That is to say that Lincoln invited average Americans to come and visit during certain hours. In fact so many people took him up on this opportunity that he had to cut the visiting hours eventually. However this was not just for average people to have a chance to talk with the president, he also used this as a way to find out about public opinion.
ReplyDeleteLife at the White House for the Lincoln family must have been more stressful than it it is now. Office seekers demanded the PResident's attention, soldiers drilled on the White House lawn and some even camped in the East room. Many residents of Washington at the time were sympathetic to the Confederacy, contributing to the concerns of many that Lincoln's life was in danger. It is for these reasons that Lincoln and his family moved for extended periods to the Soldier's home. Even there however, there were constant reminders of the war. Wounded soldiers recovered there, and the predecessor to the Arlington cemetary was close by.
ReplyDeleteLife for the Lincoln family at the White House was drastically different than how the first families live in our day. During Lincoln’s presidency, the White House was flooded with visitors. People would constantly come to ask favors, share their opinions, and more. There were no guards and people even stole things. In addition, soldiers slept in the East Room and Tad hung out with them (especially after the death of his brother). I believe that one of our speakers also said that the family only used seven of the rooms for themselves.
ReplyDeleteLife in the White House was definitely different for Lincoln than it is for our president or others after Lincoln but I do think it's important that Lincoln was surrounded by the public. It gave him a better insight as to what was going on and what he needed to think about!
ReplyDeleteQuestion 3. The perspective that I found most interesting about Lincoln was the deliberation that went into his issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. Looking at the documents showed me the realitivily long time line it took from the point of introducing it to his cabinet, to actually signing it, to when in went into affect. I had never realized how much went into this proposal and had always viewed it as more of a political strategy to gain European Support. Looking at the document that I was assigned really showed Lincolns struggle with slavery on both an official and a personal level.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 3. (M. SMILOW)The scenes painted by the two presenters, Bill Bushong and Anthony Pitch were incredibly enlightening. Drawings of soldiers encamped both inside and outside of the White House; office-seekers clamoring for Lincoln’s attention and the vivid descriptions of the filth surrounding the president’s home made the era come alive and helped me imagine what it was like for Lincoln as he dealt with war. The fact that Lincoln continued to maintain hours for public visitation shows that he considered what the common man had to say to be important and that he never forgot where he came from. On the other hand it is not hard to understand that after Willy’s death, Lincoln moved the family to the cottage on the grounds of the Soldiers’ Home. The oppressive heat, filthy crowded streets and the non-stop throngs of visitors and soldiers would have only compounded the depression of the Lincoln family and the move was the best that Lincoln could do for his wife and youngest son. This rich portrait of Lincoln presented by the two presenters showed us a man who was both an accessible public official and a caring family man who, given the difficulties of the war situation, continued to consider the welfare of others.
ReplyDelete#1 The Lincoln's had a unique life in the White House. I thought it was interesting how Mrs. Lincoln spent so much money on redecorating the White House. I never knew that she was known for her spending sprees. Like other participants have said, Lincoln was faced with meeting with all kinds of people at all times of the day. The tradition of the New Year's Day receptions was definitely a bit taxing on him. Finding out that he delayed signing the Emancipation Proclamation due to a shaky hand was fascinating. The conditions in the city itself were not too pleasant. The city was in squalor as the roads gave way to military traffic. Pigs ran free through the streets as the stench of burning horses came from the vet hospital.
ReplyDelete#1 The Lincoln's experience in the White House was one of constant unrest. The President was constantly approached by individuals looking to give him advice or suggestions. Their family faced the terrible loss of a child while in the White House. There were soldiers located in and outside the house, and the conditions of Washington itself at the time was grotesque. The Lincoln's White House was not a storybook experience.
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ReplyDelete#1. I was surprised by how open the Lincoln presidency was, even during the Civil War. The responsibly to meet and greet thousands of citizens and to hear their concerns and wishes is such a contrast to how the White House is today. Often, many came to the White House, not just to meet Lincoln, but with the purpose of taking souvenirs. Of course, the war overshadowed the presidency, and troops were camped inside and outside the White House.
ReplyDelete2. Tudor House
ReplyDeleteThe precarious position of the capital during the Civil War made Lincoln’s job that much more difficult. Other than the fact that Virginia borders Washington DC, Maryland a, a slave state, does so to the north. Though Maryland never joins the Confederacy, there was a great concern by Lincoln and his generals to make sure Maryland remains part of the Union or Washington be surrounded. The proximity of Virginia and concern for Maryland, there was always a fear of attack on the capital, and it obvious when one identifies all the fortifications surrounding the DC making a formidable defense.
I really enjoyed the Tableau activity for it is structured under a differential learning style. The students are to be grouped cooperatively and examine a primary resource such as a photograph. Whats great about this model is engagement the students must exercise to complete the task. They can re-enact the photo with included dialogue or they can create a narrative of the snap-shot. I cant wait to use this activity in my classroom!
ReplyDeleteOne can only assume that life for the Lincolns in the White House was an incredibly stressful and sad one (especially after Willie died). They were living in a war zone with soldiers camped around and even in their home. Washington at that time was a filthy and disgusting place. Little or no sanitation, animal carcasses floating in the river, etc. It is no wonder the first family spent as much time as they did at the cottage.
ReplyDelete3. What perspectives on Lincoln's presidency did you find most interesting?
ReplyDeleteI think the perspective on the Lincoln presidency that I found most interesting was the many issues that the executive office had to deal with on a daily basis. In the classroom we look at each issue he had to deal with in almost sequential order, never realizing that Abe tackled multiple problems daily. At the Decatur house, we started to get a more textured look at the President’s daily routine. In one day, Lincoln might be figuring out what his emancipation policy was going to shape into, gaining the support of his Cabinet Secretaries, patiently listening to a host of office seekers and well wishers, reigning in his wife’s spending habits, as well as ignoring threats to his security. He must have been a man of great vigor as well as great intellect.
#1 - Life at the Lincoln White House was certainly a very different experience for the family than life at the Obama White House. Before the days of numerous assassination attempts, the Secret Service, and post-September 11 security, average people had a great deal of access to the White House and to the president himself. Citizens were allowed to walk around the south grounds of the White House and to come inside the “Nation’s Parlor,” or the East Room (which fell into disrepair as a result of such public access as well as the stationing of soldiers there in 1861), and were invited to greet the President and First Lady at a New Year’s Day Reception each year. The Lincolns’ private quarters consisted of only about seven rooms, separated from the public areas of the house by only a short distance. Even more different than today, the White House, and even the entire city, was run-down; the White House itself was described by presidential secretary John Nicolay as a “dilapidated old shanty.” This was in part due to the fact that Lincoln was a wartime president; the influx of military into the city (and the White House), the resulting large population increase, and the heavy military traffic combined to make Washington a rather unpleasant place to live.
ReplyDelete3. What perspectives on Lincoln's presidency did you find most interesting?
ReplyDeleteThe details on how Lincoln even made it on the ticket, let alone winning the election and the events that followed has always fascinated me. Listening to Anthony Pitch bring a more intricate human element to Lincoln once he assumed office had me captivated. His knowledge and emotion for the topic makes him a master storyteller. He added so much depth - dimension and pathos to the entire era that the listeners could not help feel the pain of Lincolns assignation and those who it directly effected. One could almost see and smell Lincolns Washington. I have to admit – I went out and bought the book!
I am always interested in using new co-operative teaching techniques in my classroom. The “Tableau” activity is one that I think will work well in a 7th grade classroom and a good way to analyze photographs. I do use primary source paintings and photographs as often as possible and I think this will provide a new way to analyze visual information. I can already envision doing this activity with the scene from the engraving of the Boston Massacre – I think it would lend itself very well to a tableau and provide a way for students to be engaged in the learning process
ReplyDelete#3 What I found most interesting was learning about Lincoln's personal life and how it affected his presidency. His life as President was certainly different than that of a President today. Although everything the President does is still highly scrutinized by the public, Lincoln had to deal with the public's opinions on a much more personal level. He seemed to be a good friend and neighbor to many of the people and I got the impression that he had a hard time saying no to many of them and he dealt with many issues as a normal, ordinary, down to earth man. At the Decatur house a sad picture of Lincoln's presidency was painted by Bill Bushong and Anthony Pitch. Although Lincoln is an iconic figure in history, his personal struggles while president are quite touching and somewhat heart wrenching.
ReplyDelete2. What are some new primary source investigative techniques that might be used in the classroom?
ReplyDeleteAt the Decatur House, I think the most helpful part of the day was learning a few primary source investigative techniques. As we sat in this home, I kept on saying to myself, Oh I can use that, and wow that is really good. I think my favorite technique was the one in which the students take on the role of the people in the picture. Although I think this may be a little challenging at first, I think as time goes by the students will get a knack for it. I do think it will be important to prep the students with a fair bit of background knowledge prior to trying this activity.
Another great activity that I saw at the Decatur house was breaking the photo or document up in to sections. Having the students view the document in sections at first rather than seeing it whole is a great technique. This method allows students to think more critically about each section and notice much more detail.
Finally I though when we brok up into groups and worked was very helpful. I liked what one group came up with which was 4 different headline from four totally different view points. This is a great lesson idea for looking at primary sources. I’m looking forward to trying these activities come September.
#2
ReplyDeleteI think the 4 corners activity will be something that I can immediately implement in my classroom. Initially I was worried that I would not be able to use any ideas since I do not teach U.S. History but I was definitely intrigued about the 4 corners activity. It can easily be adapted to any topic and really involves higher level thinking. My group used a version of the 4 corners activity to break down a document. We use many primary source documents in Global History and this is a great for the students to evaluate and draw conclusions about the documents.
Life in the White House must have been chaos for the Lincolns. I'm sure that everyday at the White House has to be busy but during the Civil War things must have been overwhelming. Between soldiers, politicians, Frederick Douglass, and everyone else looking for Lincoln to help them out, it is amazing that Lincoln and his family ever found time to sleep. I guess that is why the Lincoln family spent so much time at the President’s cottage. Not only was privacy lacking at the White House but the constant fear that Washington could be invaded at any time also must have made living in the city very stressful for the President and the citizens of Washington.
ReplyDeleteDECATUR HOUSE QUESTION:
ReplyDeleteSome primary source investigative activities that we explored included the "four corners" technique for interpreting photographs and artwork, which can be easily adapted to any grade level or topic in history for students. By scrutinizing items carefully, students can catch information which could easily be overlooked. The "tableau technique" is something that I had never heard of but also helps to develop critical-thinking skills by having students examine details, draw conclusions, imagine they are going back in time and are the people in the artwork, and actthe role of one of the people in the historical scene. The entire visit here was a very positive experience: Presentations by Misters Bushong and Pitch provided me with a different perspective on what Washington, D.C. was like for Lincoln and his family during the Civil War. I gained a lot of insight into how local geography, political pressures, and family struggles influenced him while he was president. In addition, Courtney Speaker's workshop on using Lincoln's White House in the classroom provided us with many activity resources and Rachel Smilow's tour of Decatur House provided us with a glimpse of what life was like for the residents living there during the Civil War.
#2 Courtney Speaker presented us with some creative and interesting technigues to stimulate the minds of our students and to further develop critical thinking. The "four corners" approach could be quite effective to reinforce geography skills. During our journey to DC, we learned and experienced how geography plays an important role in history. Using this technique, students can invison the the regions of the Civil War, where and why battles occurred, or follow the path of a runaway slave. I would also like to thank Mr. Bushong and Mr. Pitch for their insightful thoughts on President Lincoln and of the time period. Rachel Smilow was kind to give us a tour of the Decatur House.
ReplyDelete2. The Tableau would be an interesting technique to use because it would draw on some of the same skills taught to students for the “Controversy in the Classroom” technique that we have been studying. Students assigned an identity would be required to apply facts about the issue or event to represent the person accurately in the tableau. Combining the tableau technique within a“ Jigsaw” would allow differentiation within the lesson and provide the scaffolding necessary for all students to adequately prepare their “position”. Once the experts returned to the base group, the base groups would present their tableau. Carrie discussed the addition of speech bubbles to a document as another vehicle for student participation. This idea would work well as a final independent assessment for each student.
ReplyDeleteIf I can I would like to address a couple of items with this comment. What struck me the most about the Lincoln White House was the insight it gave me into the man himself. The White House seems to have been falling apart, soldiers everywhere, job and favor seekers there at all hours of the day and night. A noisy city literally overflowing with people and garbage. He had a view of the Confederate States from his window. A war that seemed to always be going badly for the US. The Cottage was suppose to offer relief from all of this but there he was surrounded by soldiers again. Union soldiers sent to protect him, wounded soldiers from other wars and of course dead Union soldiers being buried there in ever growing numbers. Probably out of guilt and sorrow he would go to the graveyard and read them poetry. Finally, he has had enough and lays into a poor Union officer who had come to ask help to find the body of his wife who had drowned that very day. Perhaps he was tired. Perhaps he had just had enough of death and could not bear one more life lost.
ReplyDeleteFor me, when I heard that story, Lincoln became a real person - in a way I think Washington never will nor could be. I saw a man who, in some ways, had probably had enough of both life and death, but still went on anyway. It was a bittersweet moment.
I had read and taught his 2nd Inaugural address many times, but after getting to know the man better through the week, the speech hit me with a force I was not prepared to take. In those words, I heard a man who had come to terms with the pain and sorrow of his own life and the life of the nation. Recognized his own shortcomings and those of the nation - whether North or South - and dared to declare to himself and the nation that 'all have sinned'. Those words were prophetic - not in a predicting the future sense but in that he was speaking the truth that needed to be heard but probably would not be accepted. Imagine a politician today claiming that the US was wrong or that the US played a role which led to a tragedy? He or she would be labelled 'unpatriotic' and torn apart by everyone. Not unlike what happened to Lincoln. He was assassinated by a Southern sympathizer and the Northerners, after he was gone, threw his ‘malice towards none’ out the window and began a policy of arrogant self-righteousness and punished and blamed the South for everything. Ignoring their own guilt and choosing to believe that they were blameless and all others were evil. The price of that arrogance is still being paid today.
#2
ReplyDeleteFinding new ways to challenge students to investigate and develop their own opinions is not easy. The Four corners approach is an excellent way to accomplish such a task. It forces students to develop their thoughts in stages and as a cooperative learning method will enhance the learning experience for all involved. I plan to incorporate this method in my lessons this year.
Question #3
ReplyDeleteI was particularly interested in Lincoln's understanding of the perceptions of the public. The speaker noted that Lincoln's hand was shaky due to excessive hand shaking and actually postponed the signing of the docment so his penmanship would not be mis-construed. This comment really made me think about Lincoln's state of mind and his ability to relate to the incredible tension of the time period.
Nancy Raftery