This album was created by a member of the TPS Teachers Network, a professional social media network for educators, funded by a grant from the Library of Congress. For more information, visit tpsteachersnetwork.org.

The Labor Movement and Conflict in America: Through the Lens of American Government

Album Description

In order to understand civic action and how the United States government can respond, students must have historical context as well as modern examples. This requires an analysis of what has happened during periods of social and political unrest in American history, and what led to that unrest, and what is happening in the United States today. This album is designed to compare the labor unrest in America in the late 1800s and early 1900s to the issues facing the United States leading up to 2020. It can be updated based on current issues. The historical context is based in both the Ludlow Massacre in Colorado in 1914, but also the broader context of the Labor Movement.

No Technology Access

Use this learning activity modification when students have no access to a device or to the internet.

Low Technology Access

Use this learning activity modification when students have intermittent access to a device or to the internet and also have the ability to use technology with minimal support.

High Technology Access

Use this learning activity modification when students have few or no device or internet access limitations and also have the ability to use technology with minimal support.

This is a collaborative lesson built by   Kelly Jones-Wagy ,   Mark Olmstead   Tim Lorenz 

Wilson Orders Soldiers Into Colorado

Teaching Notes

This resource is used with the teaching activity on the role of the Press/Media

A Global Map of Protests

Teaching Notes

This activity assumes that students have a basic understanding of the 1st Amendment. If they don't, please see the activity under Hip Hughes. 

A look at the 1st Amendment Right to Protest:

Use this resource in conjunction with the map 1800s Labor Strikes and the US Constitution.

  1. Have students look at and analyze both maps using the Library of Congress Primary Source Analysis Tool (you may use this online or the print format).
  2. Have the students compare their observations between the two maps and find what they have in common. 

Inquiry Questions:  Why do you think the protests these times were so widespread? How did the government respond to these protests? Do you think the people had the right to these protests under the 1st Amendment? 

  Notech -

1. Review the 1st Amendment right to peaceful protest under the US Constitution. 

2. Print 2 copies of the analysis tool for each student and a copy of each map. Students can work individually or in small groups to complete their observations. 

3. Have students work in groups to answer the inquiry questions.

  Lowtech - Print the Library of Congress Analysis tool for the students and have them go to both the Black Lives Matter Website and the Labor Strikes in the 1800s website. Both maps are interactive and have students answer the inquiry questions, plus write their own questions. 

  Hightech - Using a Google Classroom or similar, download the Library of Congress Analysis Tool and Share with each group. Then have students work to answer the inquiry questions together. 

*Quick tip: Creating a Group in Google Classroom  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyMJ92CrIC4 

The Seattle Star-In Colorado! Women and Babies Slaughtered

Teaching Notes

This resource is used with the teaching activity on the role of the Press/Media

1800s Labor Strikes

Teaching Notes

This resource is used in connection with the teaching activity on Protests

Peaceful Protesters Tear-Gassed To Clear Way For Trump Church Photo-Op

Teaching Notes

Teaching Activity: What role does the press/media play in the perception of protest movements? 

Resources: Is Colorado in America?, Video-The Lincoln Project, Video-BBC, Peaceful Protestors Tear-Gassed, The Seattle Star, Wilson Order Soldiers into Colorado

Inquiry Questions: Analyze your bias on the Ludlow Massacre, do you have feelings one way or the other about it? Does that bias impact how you look at the media resources? Do the same for the BLM protests. 

Once you've analyzed your own bias, do you believe the media was biased in its coverage of the Ludlow massacre? Did it report only the facts of what happened or did it attempt to make people sympathetic to the protestors or angry at them? What about the coverage of the BLM protests?  

Do you think the media plays a role in the way that people react to political situations or do you think that the media is responding to the public support for an issue? 

  Notech -Print all the articles and posters for the students. They may not be able to watch the campaign ad and new story. 

Have students create a Double Bubble Map (Thinking map) to organize their thinking around the sources for media coverage of the Ludlow Massacre. Ask them to complete one side on the Ludlow Massacre and the other on the BLM Protests. They are looking specifically to identify what they think is an opinion vs. what they think is a fact. 

Have students work either individually or as a small group to answer the inquiry questions related to the role of media in political activism and changes in law.  

  Lowtech - Have students look at all resources, either online or through a printed version. Then using a Double Bubble Map (Thinking Map), ask them to organize their thinking around the sources for media coverage of the Ludlow Massacre. Ask them to complete one side on the Ludlow Massacre and the other on the BLM Protests. They are looking specifically to identify what they think is an opinion vs. what they think is a fact. 

Have students work either individually or as a small group to answer the inquiry questions related to the role of media in political activism and changes in law.  

  Hightech -Have students look at all resources. Then using http://www.spicynodes.org, ask them to organize their thinking around the sources  for media coverage of the Ludlow Massacre. Ask them to organize their thoughts into two categories, the Ludlow Massacre and the BLM Protests. They are looking specifically to identify what they think is an opinion vs. what they think is a fact. 

Have students work either individually or as a small group to answer the inquiry questions related to the role of media in political activism and changes in law. 

'The First Amendment Explained'-Hip Hop Hughes-Video

Teaching Notes

For students who need a basic understanding of the 1st Amendment Right to Peaceful Protest. 

Sources needed: Hip Hughes Video, US Constitution, Declaration of IndependenceEdwards v. South Carolina, Cox v. New Hampshire, Ludlow Square

1. Have students analyze this quote from the Declaration of Independence: "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

Inquiry Questions: What does Jefferson mean by "consent of the governed"? In what ways can the people "alter" their government? Can you think of examples in the United States in which the government has been altered?  

2. Using the US Constitution: Have students look at the 1st Amendment (it may be more helpful to use a text version rather than the photo). Have students look specifically at the quote "Congress shall make no law....or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." 

Inquiry Questions: In what ways is this related to the quote from the Declaration of Independence? Are there any limitations to this? Should there be? What is the importance of the word "peaceably"? 

Next have students look at the two Oyez cases on protest.

Inquiry questions: What are the limits placed on the people? What are the limits placed on the government? Do you find these to be reasonable? Why or why not? 

Extension Using Ludlow Square: Does the presence of weapons by protestors automatically mean that the protest is no longer peaceful?  

  Notech -Print the US Constitution, The Declaration of Independence and the Oyez case summaries for each student and give a brief summary of the 1st Amendment right to peaceful protest. 

Have students interview a family member or family friend over the age of 30. Ask them to recall an event in which they remember a group of protestors clashing with the government. Do they think the government was in the right or were the protestors? Why? What were the circumstances surrounding the situation? Were they peaceful? 

Have students then look at the requirements of Edwards and Cox, do they agree with their family member or friend? Explain their rationale based on evidence.  

   Lowtech -Have students watch the Hip Hughes video. Print all of the documents for the students. Have students spend some time researching protests in the last 10-15 years. Can they find examples in which people used their 1st Amendment right to protest? Do the protestors ever go to far? Why or why not? Have students explain their rationale using evidence from the Constitution and the court cases. 

  Hightech -Have students watch the Hip Hughes video. Put the inquiry questions together on a document along with the quotes from the US Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence and share them with the class as a single document that the whole class can see. Using Hypothesis (https://web.hypothes.is/), have the students answer the inquiry questions using the text of the documents and ask them to look for examples in the last 10-15 years in which they see examples of people using their 1st Amendment right to protest. Also, see if students can find examples in which they feel that the protestors may have gone too far. Ask students to explain why they feel that way using court cases and the Constitution to support their opinion. 

Reference note

'Continuing the Constitution for Dummies Series with the Bill of Rights and Amendment One. Explained simply so you can understand the Constitution of the United States.

Check out the rest of the Constitution for Dummies Series http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi3U-nPPrbS5d-juhFwo3hTBso0gq2sUZ

Follow me on Twitter @HipHughes www.twitter.com/hiphughes
"An informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will." TJ
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US Constitution

Teaching Notes

This resource is used in connection with the teaching activity on Historical and Modern Protests

This resource used in teaching activity on the right to political protest.

Cox v. New Hampshire (1941)-Limits on Freedom of Assembly

Teaching Notes

This resource used in teaching activity on the right to political protest.

Edwards v. South Carolina (1962)-Freedom of Assembly

Teaching Notes

This resource used in teaching activity on the right to political protest.

Declaration of Independence

Teaching Notes

This resource used in teaching activity on the right to political protest.

Is Colorado In America

Teaching Notes

This resource is used with the teaching activity on the role of the Press/Media

Ludlow Square

Teaching Notes

Used in teaching activity on 1st Amendment with Hip Hop Hughes

 Teacher Note: Please see video from historian Thomas Andrews explaining the background of this photograph. https://youtu.be/h_fLxOfF14s?t=1055.

Ludlow Massacre Still Matters

Teaching Notes

New Yorker article that will provide background information for both students and teachers on the Ludlow Massacre itself, plus the impacts of the Labor Movement into today. It can be used in conjunction with any of the teaching activities provided, depending on the students' needs. 

Video-The Lincoln Project on BLM Protests

Teaching Notes

This resource is used with the teaching activity on the role of the Press/Media

Reference note

'? Trump is no longer hiding that he’s a brazen authoritarian, so desiring of control and power that he’s willing to turn our once peaceful cities into #warzones.

#AmericaOrTrump'

Video-'Britain’s imperial legacy under spotlight after Black Lives Matter protests - BBC News'

Teaching Notes

This resource is used with the teaching activity on the role of the Press/Media

Reference note

'Recent protests by the Black Lives Matter movement and controversy over some public statues have shone a spotlight on Britain's imperial past - and its continuing legacy.

In Bristol, the statue of the seventeenth century slave trader Edward Colston was pulled down recently by protesters.

Huw Edwards presents BBC News at Ten reporting from Clive Myrie, who has been to Bristol to consider how Britain’s colonial legacy continues to be reflected today.

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