AMERICAN NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY ONLINE Teacher’s Guide

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AMERICAN NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY ONLINE TEACHER’S GUIDE

Table of Contents A Teacher’s Guide to Using ANB Online: An Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 How to Read a Biographical Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 An Introductory Lesson: Thomas Jefferson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Using the Image to Learn More about the Subject: Abigail Adams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Using Biography with Primary Sources: Plessy v. Ferguson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Using Cross-references to Do Collective Biography: The Cuban Missile Crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 A Research Lesson: Frederick Douglass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

For additional information about the American National Biography Online, please go to www.anb.org or call 1-800-334-4249 ext. 6484. For printed copies of this Guide, please send an email to [email protected].

This Guide has been prepared and written by Christine L. Compston.

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>>>INTRODUCTION

A Teacher’s Guide to Using ANB Online: An Introduction American National Biography (ANB) Online contains multiple features that make it possible to use biography as an end in itself and as a starting point for doing research that explores the achievements of individuals and the roles they played in shaping the American experience. The lessons, which can be used either as written or as models, demonstrate the value of this resource in teaching both skills and content. The Guide includes two introductory lessons. One teaches students how to read a biographical essay. The other uses the essay on Thomas Jefferson to illustrate and explain how the features of ANB Online can be used to guide students in doing research; it includes three strategies intended to teach them how to use the ANB Online to gather information that will strengthen their understanding of the roles played by individuals as well as the challenges they encountered. The remaining lessons all deal, either directly or indirectly, with primary sources. With the current emphasis on teaching with primary sources, it is essential that students be taught how to interpret, evaluate, and analyze these documents. These critical thinking skills require going beyond the primary sources themselves. Students, for example, need to learn about the author/creator of a source in order to recognize his/her perspective, possible motives, and goals. In addition, they need to understand the historical context so that they can identify key themes as well as subtle nuances contained in an original source. ANB Online provides this background. The lesson on Abigail Adams compares and contrasts a primary source—the portrait by Gilbert Stuart—with the secondary materials about Adams and Stuart. It serves as a reminder that visual materials are valuable sources and, in the process, attempts to define the ways in which an image can both add to our knowledge while also presenting potential problems.

The lesson on Plessy v. Ferguson is designed to help students tackle an important but also difficult document by providing them with background on the case itself, the context for this historic decision, and information about the various participants in the case. The Cuban Missile Crisis serves as the subject of a lesson on cross-references, which uses multiple biographies to learn about decision-making in the Oval Office. Building on skills learned in the earlier lessons, it teaches students how to gather information using the links provided by ANB Online and how to organize and analyze that information. It also provides the opportunity to relate what they have learned to materials posted on the JFK Library website. The final research lesson, focusing on Frederick Douglass, incorporates all the research options used in the other lessons with the goal of convincing students of the need to explore a wide range of options as they construct a narrative of the past. It emphasizes both content and skills and, like the other lessons, demonstrates the importance of working with both primary and secondary sources.

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AMERICAN NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY ONLINE TEACHER’S GUIDE

How to Read a Biographical Essay This introductory lesson has been designed to teach students how to read a biographical essay and glean essential information from it; the lesson focuses on basic skills as a means of helping them master the content of the article. Step 1

Step 4

Assign students the name of an individual for them to research using ANB Online. They should begin by typing the person’s name in the box entitled “Search Now!” that appears on the home page. When they finish typing the name, they should click on the green box to the right labeled “Search.” This will bring up the Search Results List. They should click on the name of the individual they have been asked to research. (Note: It is possible that several names will appear on the Search Results List. If that is the case, students should locate the correct name and click on it.) To print the article, they should click on the printer icon at the top of the screen.

Once they have completed these preliminary steps, they should go back over the essay to gather information. From the first paragraph they should be able to collect basic facts: when the individual lived, information about his family, and one or two important events that shaped his life.

Step 2 Once the students have printed the article, ask them to read the entire essay. Have them note the main subject of each paragraph (two or three words are sufficient) and write these notations in one of the margins. When they have completed this initial reading, ask the following questions: • What information did they find in the first paragraph? • In what order does information appear in the article? • What information did they find in the last paragraph? • Why is it helpful to know how a biographical essay is organized?

Step 3 Encourage students to underline or highlight words, terms, or names that are unfamiliar. Ask them to decide which of the following will enable them to define or identify these items: • Dictionary • Explanation in the essay itself, i.e. context • Links provided online • Encyclopedia In some cases, an unfamiliar name will be underlined, indicating that the student can find out about that person by going back to the article online and clicking on the name. This will link the student to an essay about that individual. As the students work their way through the list of unfamiliar terms, have them define or briefly identify those that seem most important. They can do this in the other margin of the printed copy of the article.

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• Why is it important to know when a person lived? • What do we learn about an individual when we can place him in an historical context? • Why is it helpful to know where a person was born and where he lived? • What do we learn about an individual when we can place him in a geographical setting? • What other significant facts do we learn from the introductory paragraph?

Step 5 The decision to include this person in a major reference work speaks to this individual’s importance. From reading the biographical essay, students should be able to answer the following questions: • What were the major contributions or achievements of this individual? • What opportunities enabled this person to achieve success? • What obstacles/challenges did this person encounter? • Did these challenges interfere with or contribute to his success? • What influence did others play in this individual’s life? • Who were the key players? • How did personal traits shape this individual’s experience? Which were most important? • Were the contributions of this individual of short- or longterm significance?

Step 6 Based on their reading of the article, students should write a paragraph (6-8 sentences) in which they summarize this individual’s importance. One question they might consider is whether the individual was more important during his own lifetime or has become important as his achievements and/or contributions have been recognized by later generations.

>>>AN INTRODUCTORY LESSON

An Introductory Lesson: Thomas Jefferson ANB Online includes a number of features that enable readers (teachers and/or students) to use the biographical essays more efficiently and effectively and to build their research from these essays by taking advantage of cross-references, related articles, and web links that are provided with many of the entries. This introduction is designed to help teachers identify features that can be successfully incorporated into classroom lessons and research assignments. It uses the essay on Thomas Jefferson as the starting point. Jefferson is central to the curriculum—playing a key role in United States history and government courses and frequently making a cameo appearance in courses on American literature,

art, and science. Because of his importance to American history and culture, the essay on Jefferson is extensive, as are the online resources. The Jefferson essay offers a good starting point for exploring ways in which the ANB can be used in the classroom.

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AMERICAN NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY ONLINE TEACHER’S GUIDE

Resources for Doing Research The easiest way to access the essay on Thomas Jefferson is to do a quick search using the “Search Now!” box that appears on the home page. Simply enter his name in the box, then click on the green search button to the right of the box. Choose “Thomas Jefferson” on the list that appears. Occupations and Realms of Renown

On the first page, you will notice a navigation column on the left hand side of the page. Below the Biography name, there is a section identified as “Occupations and Realms of Renown.” The categories provided identify the subject by the work he did (occupation) or for any other reason that he is considered notable (realm of renown). These descriptions, in addition to serving as a tool for expanding one’s research, give the reader clues about what to look for when reading the essay. They can also be used in doing Custom Searches as we’ll see later on in this lesson. Article Sections

Online Resources and Bibliography

The second section, entitled “Article Sections” allows users to navigate through the subsections within the biographical essay. If you are interested in reading about just one aspect of Jefferson’s career, you can click through to the appropriate section. This, of course, is an efficient way to research a particular aspect of an individual’s life and/or career.

At the end of the biographical essay, you will find links to Online Resources in addition to a traditional bibliography. You’ll also notice the instructions for citation of the article.

Cross-References

The section labeled “Cross-References in the ANB” lists all the individuals mentioned in the article on Thomas Jefferson for whom the ANB Online provides separate biographical essays. Cross-references provide a useful way to identify those with whom an individual worked—in modern terms, his “network”—and to gain an appreciation for the way in which people interacted, why and how these connections were important, and the extent to which relationships shaped the lives of individuals. The Oxford Companion to United States History

Finally, the section inviting you to “Read more from The Oxford Companion to United States History” cites all the articles in the Oxford Companion that relate to Jefferson and his work. These articles provide historical context, explanations of terms and concepts, and descriptions of significant events and achievements. As a result, they help the reader to develop a better understanding of the individual and his contributions.

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Getting Started These resources enable you and/or your students to select a topic relating to Jefferson and explore that topic online. If, for example, you want students to begin their study of Thomas Jefferson by reading about the Declaration of Independence, you can ask them to: • Go to “Article Sections” and click on Declaration of Independence; • Click on the names in that section for which the ANB contains cross references, and go to the sections of those articles that are likely to deal with the Declaration of Independence (Note: In the upper right hand corner of the essays for Adams and Franklin, readers will find a link that allows them to return to the original article); • Go to the listing for the Oxford Companion and click on Declaration of Independence. This article includes cross-references to related articles in the Oxford Companion, which may also be useful to students;

>>>AN INTRODUCTORY LESSON • Return to the article on Jefferson. To research other “Signers of the Declaration of Independence,” click on “custom search” in the top navigation. When this page comes up, scroll down to the box labeled “Realms of Renown.” You may either request a “complete list” and scroll down that list until you find “Signers of the Declaration of Independence” (in the Government and Policy Section) or you may simply type in the phrase “Signers of the Declaration of Independence.” (Please note that you must use the plural form in order to get the correct result.) Click on the search button at the top of the page. This will give you a list of all the men who signed the Declaration of Independence; • Complete the online research by returning to the Thomas Jefferson article and go to the list of online resources at the end of the article. You can jump there quickly by using the listing in “Article Sections.” Click on the website from the National Archives that includes an image of the original document, a complete transcription, and several articles relating to the Declaration of Independence. A lesson following this approach meets two important objectives. It teaches students how to use the ANB as a resource and, in the process, develops important research skills. The headings and cross-references not only guide students through the steps of the project, but also help them to recognize the importance of taking their research in a variety of directions in order to find and assemble all the pieces of the puzzle. In addition, the lesson provides students with content. Using the online resources, they can identify the key players, analyze their individual contributions, learn about the process by which these men accomplished their work, study the document itself, and evaluate the significance of what they achieved.

Further Exploration The increased emphasis now placed on teaching with primary sources, as suggested above, means that students must learn critical thinking skills. In addition to gathering information from primary sources, students must learn how to interpret, analyze, and evaluate these sources. The biographical essays, of course, provide information about authors of primary documents that may give important clues about motivation, perspective, and accuracy. ANB Online is a valuable tool in this process. Articles in the Oxford Companion explain the historical context and, as a result, help students identify the crucial elements of a primary source and understand its significance. The “Online

Resources” listed at the end of many of the biographies provide links to primary sources. Using the Jefferson essay, a teacher can easily construct an online lesson that will provide students with biographical information, historical context, and a wealth of primary sources. For example: Among the most persistent questions raised about Jefferson are those relating to slavery. The biographical material provided by ANB—the essay on Jefferson and the article about Sally Hemings—introduce the subject in the context of individual lives. The Oxford Companion takes a broader view, establishing the historical context with articles on “Antislavery,” “Colonization Movement, African,” “David Walker’s Appeal,” “Equality,” “Missouri Compromise,” “Race, Concept of,” and “Racism.” The biographical essays and the historical context offer useful background for reading Jefferson’s own writings, which are available on two of the websites listed as “Online Resources” at the end of the ANB essay on Jefferson. The University of Virginia provides access to the Jefferson Cyclopedia, compiled in 1900. Click on the Cyclopedia, click on “S,” then scroll down to the items that deal with the subject of slavery. If you prefer to use the collection of Jefferson’s papers at the Library of Congress, click on “search by keyword.” Enter “slavery” and “slave” in the search box. Because Jefferson played a critical role in the founding of the United States, his biography sheds light on many events during the early years of the Republic. The same can obviously be said for a dozen or more of his peers—from John Adams to George Washington. The fact that ANB Online biographical essays are chronological means that they can be used alongside a textbook narrative to enrich students’ understanding of a particular period and critical developments. One approach you might take is to assign each student one of the Founders to track through the first decades of independence. The cross-references in the Jefferson essay will help students identify the key players. As they study events in the historical narrative, they can report on the roles their Founders played and the contributions they made to the creation and development of the new nation. If you feel that a systematic approach is needed, you or your students might prepare a timeline, citing major events. Students can then write onto the timeline where their Founders were at any given time and what they contributed to the process of nation-building. Collective biography is a good way to help students recognize and appreciate the importance of cooperation and collaboration in building a nation—and in completing an assignment!

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AMERICAN NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY ONLINE TEACHER’S GUIDE

Using the Image to Learn More about the Subject: Abigail Adams This lesson is designed to draw students’ attention to the visual materials that accompany many of the essays included in ANB Online. In addition to having them examine and analyze the portrait, the lesson raises questions about how one might use a portrait when doing historical research. Two approaches would work well: (1) Divide the class into two groups. Assign one group the task outlined in Part 1 and the second group the task described in Part 2. Once the groups have completed their respective assignments, bring the class back together for a discussion of the questions raised in Part 3; or (2) Have each student complete the first three parts of the lesson, then bring the students together to discuss their conclusions. Step 1 Direct students to the home page. In the box labeled “Search Now!,” they should type in the name “Abigail Adams” then click on the green search button to the right of the box. This will bring up a “Search Results List.” They should click on the listing for Abigail Adams. As they read the article, ask them to take particular note of the responsibilities and interests that dominated her time and thought and, in turn, shaped her identity. They should list these as they go along. When they have finished, have them arrange the items in order of priority— using as a measure either those aspects of her life that seemed most important to her or those that took most of her time and energy. Based on this ordered list, ask each of them to write a paragraph describing how Adams probably thought of herself.

Step 1

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>>>USING THE IMAGE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SUBJECT

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Once the students have completed their first task, ask them to take a close look at the portrait of Adams that accompanies the biographical essay. They should note the clothes she is wearing, her facial expression, and her pose. Ask them to describe Adams based on this portrait. Once they have recorded their initial impressions, have them click on Gilbert Stuart and read about the artist who painted this portrait. In addition to learning when Stuart painted the portrait of Abigail Adams, ask them what other information they learn about the artist that sheds light on the portrait. For example:

Ask students to compare the image of Abigail Adams provided in the essay with the image captured by Stuart. Do these two “accounts” complement or contradict one another? To what extent or in what way does the visual image add to our knowledge and understanding of Abigail Adams?

• Why might John and Abigail Adams have chosen Stuart to paint their portraits? • Why would they have commissioned portraits when they did? • How does a portrait by an artist differ from a photograph? • Is the distinction important? If so, why? • How reliable a source is a portrait?

Step 4 Ask students to carry out the same exercise using as their subject Louisa Catherine Adams, Abigail Adams’ daughterin-law. (You might wait until you have reached the appropriate place in the course before assigning this lesson.) When the students have completed this assignment, ask them to compare the portraits of the two women and discuss the differences.

Step 5 As a final question, ask the students whether the very different approaches taken by the two artists provide any insights about how and why one might use portraits when doing historical research.

• What might one learn from a portrait that would not be contained in a photograph? • What factors should one take into account in evaluating the “truthfulness” of a portrait?

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AMERICAN NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY ONLINE TEACHER’S GUIDE

Using Biography with Primary Sources: Plessy v. Ferguson Primary sources are the fundamental elements of historical research. They provide firsthand records—hence the term “primary” source—of the past. Although it is tempting to assume that an account by either a participant or someone who observed an historical event would be the most accurate version of what “really” happened, it is important to keep in mind that no single record can tell us all that we might want to know: the full story of what, where, when, why, or how something happened. Perhaps even more important is the fact that individuals who leave historical records always have unique perspectives that influence how they see and understand events. Perspective may be shaped by a person’s education, experiences, or expectations. For that reason, it is critical that a student, acting as historian, ask specific questions about the participants and/or the authors when reading, interpreting, and analyzing primary sources. The purpose of this lesson is to illustrate both the importance and the value of using biographical information when working with primary sources. The primary source selected for this lesson is the Supreme Court’s 1896 decision in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson.

Step 1 The obvious place to begin the research is to find out about the individuals who were involved in the case or whose lives and/or careers were in some way touched by the Court’s decision. The lesson begins by having students try three different approaches to searching ANB Online. • Begin by doing a quick search, using the Search Now box on the home page. Type Plessy. • Next, choose Custom Search. Using the Full Text option, type “Plessy v. Ferguson.” Use quotation marks to search for the exact phrase. • Finally, choose Custom Search again. This time, use the Full Text option and do a Boolean search. Type Plessy AND Ferguson. Ask them to compare the results of these searches. Which is the most useful? Why?

Step 2

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Step 2 Ask the students to examine the “Search Results List” produced by the second “Full Text” search. The list of 21 individuals whose names appear includes the dates during which these men lived. It also lists the careers of these individuals. Using the dates and career categories, students should be able to identify tentatively those who were directly involved in the case (#s 2, 3, 6, 7, 13, 14, 16, and 20).

>>>USING BIOGRAPHY WITH PRIMARY SOURCES

Step 3

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Have students read the eight biographical articles from ANB Online. Use the following questions as guidelines:

When the students have finished reading about the key players and the historical context for the Court’s decision, direct them to the following website to read the opinions written by Brown and Harlan: www.landmarkcases.org. Encourage them to refer to the background readings— biographies and historical context—as they read these opinions.

• What was this individual’s role in this case? • What aspects of this individual’s experience shaped his attitudes and values? • Why did he become involved in the case? • What factors influenced his thinking about the issues raised in this case?

• Based on Justice Brown’s majority opinion, why did the Supreme Court uphold segregation?

• Of what short-term importance was this individual’s participation?

• Why did Justice Harlan dissent?

• Of what long-term importance was this individual’s participation?

Step 4 The Search Results List also includes a dozen articles in The Oxford Companion to United States History. Instruct the students to work through this list for background information relating to the Plessy decision. They will find the easiest way to do this is to click on the first article, then use the arrow in the upper right hand corner to proceed to the next essay. Several of the longer articles include a brief “table of contents,” located at the top of the left hand column. They can use this to skip to the portion of the article that is likely to reference the Plessy case, or they can simply scroll down until they find the name of the case, high-lighted, and read the relevant material. The background essays from the Companion should help students answer the following questions, which you can either distribute as they are reading the entries or use as the basis for a class discussion before moving on to the next step.

• To what extent and in what ways did the personal views of the justices influence their opinions? • Do the opinions reveal personal prejudices on the part of the justices? • What political, social, and economic factors influenced the justices’ thinking and their opinions? • What evidence of these factors appears in the opinions?

• What was the status of African Americans in the United States, the South, and, in particular, New Orleans, in the late nineteenth century? • What factors contributed to racism during this period? • What constitutional provisions had been adopted to protect the rights of African Americans? • How did the Supreme Court interpret the relevant provisions in the Constitution? • What factors influenced the thinking of the Supreme Court justices who decided the Plessy case?

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AMERICAN NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY ONLINE TEACHER’S GUIDE

Step 6 Ask your students to return to the Custom Search page. Enter “Plessy v. Ferguson” in the box for “Full Text,” then click on “Black History Special Collection.” Then select “Search.” This will restrict the results to African Americans who had some connection with the Plessy v. Ferguson decision. The four African Americans included in this Special Collection represent two generations: Carver and Washington were leaders of the Black community at the time the Court issued the Plessy decision; Houston and Marshall had seen the results of the decision and were determined to overturn it. Ask your students to read these four biographies and to compare/contrast the positions taken by these four men with regard to the Court’s conclusion that segregation Step 6 based on the rule of “separate but equal” is constitutional. You might have them write short (one-page) papers, discuss this question in small groups, or engage in a class discussion.

Step 7 The nine remaining biographies from the 21 that appeared on the original “Search Results List” also deserve attention. Divide the class into groups and assign each one of the following tasks: Group 1:

Robert Morris—What was his connection to the Plessy case? Who else was involved in the legal decision cited as a precedent by the Supreme Court? Why was the Massachusetts precedent important? Group 2:

William Faulkner, William Ruffner and Paul Zuber—All of these men were engaged in educational reforms. Compare and contrast their ideas about educating African Americans. How do you explain the differences? Of what importance was the Plessy decision to their thinking? Group 3:

Hugo Black, Charles Hutcheson, Sherman Minton, Fred Vinson, and Earl Warren—These men, judges and justices who served in the 20th century, faced the challenge of deciding cases in which Plessy was cited as the leading precedent. How did each of these men interpret the Plessy decision? How did they apply it to cases that came before their courts? How did their opinions contribute to the overturning of the “separate but equal” doctrine?

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>>>USING CROSS-REFERENCES TO DO COLLECTIVE BIOGRAPHY

Using Cross-references to Do Collective Biography: The Cuban Missile Crisis This lesson on the Cuban Missile Crisis is designed to teach students the value of cross-references in historical research, using the ANB Online as a starting point. One of the principal objectives of this lesson is for students to realize that many individuals, including men outside Kennedy’s administration, were involved at different levels and in different ways with this historical event. Through a lesson using collective biography, they will discover who some of these men were, what roles they played, and what they contributed to the decision-making process. As they answer these questions, they should also consider the more general question: What approach to decision-making did President Kennedy employ to resolve the Cuban Missile Crisis? The lesson guides students through an online search and helps them to gather and organize information about the Cuban Missile Crisis. Before beginning this lesson, remind the students that the ANB Online includes only articles about individuals who have died. Therefore, as they come across names that do not appear in the initial search or the cross-references, they should write them down and look elsewhere (including, but not limited to the web) to learn about key players who are alive. The bibliographic references might, for example, be useful in finding sources that include those players who are still alive.

This lesson can be assigned to students to work on individually or in groups. Before they begin the online research, distribute the following questions to guide them: • Why were the United States’ relations with Cuba problematic even before the missile crisis? • What was the relationship between Cuba and the Soviet Union? • Why did the Soviet Union move missiles and other military materials onto Cuba? • When did the U.S. administration learn about the missiles? • Why was the administration concerned about these missiles? • Who was involved in deciding how the U.S. should respond? • What choices did these men consider? • Who were the most important decision-makers? • How was the crisis resolved? • Why was this event called a “crisis”?

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AMERICAN NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY ONLINE TEACHER’S GUIDE

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Step 1

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Ask the students to click on Custom Search. To search for relevant articles, students will do a Full Search text search for “Cuban Missile Crisis.” In order to limit the search to articles containing the phrase “Cuban Missile Crisis,” it will be necessary to use quotation marks around the three words.

Instruct students to begin their research by selecting the article about John F. Kennedy. They should then locate the feature “Read more from the Oxford Companion to United States History,” which appears in the left hand column. As they browse the contents of this section, they will see an article on the “Cuban Missile Crisis.” Ask them to click on this link and read the article from the Oxford Companion. It will give them historical background to the Cuban Missile Crisis as well as a brief description of how the crisis was resolved. This article also contains cross-references to several other items of interest in the Oxford Companion, which can be assigned if the students need or are interested in getting more background on relevant aspects of U.S. foreign policy.

>>>USING CROSS-REFERENCES TO DO COLLECTIVE BIOGRAPHY

Step 3 Ask the students to return to the John F. Kennedy article using the link at the upper right of the screen. From there, return to the “Search Results List” and have the students begin going through the articles. You might point out that arrows at the top of each article allow the reader to move easily backwards and forwards from one article on the list to the next. You can choose to have the students read the articles online or print them out.

Step 4 Before they begin reading the biographical articles, construct and distribute a chart that will help them to organize the information contained in these essays. Along Step 3 the top of the chart, list the names of each of the men they will be reading about. Down the side of the chart, list the following categories: • Family background • Education • Military experience

Step 5 Once the students have compiled the information, help them to look for patterns that place the individuals in groups. For example, you might distinguish “insiders” from “outsiders,” “hawks” from “doves,” or “military men” from “career politicians.” As the class organizes and analyzes the information they have gathered, raise the following questions:

• Career

• Who were the key players?

• Ideas about national security/defense

• What factors influenced their thinking?

• Ideas about communism

• Of what importance was the fact that they represented a variety of backgrounds/careers?

• Position(s) in government before 1962 • Position at time of missile crisis You may, of course, add other categories that seem relevant. Explain to the students that they do not need to read each of the articles in its entirety; however, they should look for information that enables them to complete the chart. Remind them to pay close attention to the section of the article that deals specifically with the Cuban Missile Crisis. As they read the relevant sections of these essays, they should also look for answers to the questions you handed out when they began their research.

• Did they agree on the appropriate response? Why or why not? • What were their major contributions to resolving the crisis? • What lessons did they learn as a result of their involvement?

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AMERICAN NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY ONLINE TEACHER’S GUIDE

Step 7

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Step 6

Step 7

Return to the central question: What was the nature of the decision-making process that resulted in a peaceful resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis? Choose one of the following options: 1) If students are working on this lesson individually, ask them to write short papers and then share their responses— backed up with specific evidence—in a class discussion. 2) If the students are working in groups or the class is working through this lesson together, begin by asking students to take about 5 minutes to draft individual responses to the question. The responses should take the form of a complete sentence. Once they have had time to think about their answers and write their responses, ask if anyone is willing to volunteer to have his/her statement put on the board for the rest of the students to review and revise. Have the class work through the editing process together. The thesis should be concise, complete, and correct; it should use language that is accurate. Once they have agreed on a thesis, have the class construct an outline of a paper, including evidence, to support that thesis. 3) Set up a debate. Divide the class into three groups: Two opposing teams and a panel of judges. If you decide on this option, ask each of the opposing teams to present and support its own resolution. The judges will decide which team is more persuasive and give the reasons for their judgment.

Conclude the lesson by returning to the John F. Kennedy article. Locate the Online Resources section of the article, and select the link to the JFK Library, which is part of the National Archives. This website provides “Student Resources.” Click on that item and scroll down the page to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Several of the options are well worth exploring. In order to learn more about the decision-making process and the roles played by the members of the Executive Committee, have the class listen to the “Excerpt from the EXCOMM Meeting of October 18, 1962.” Another more extensive source of information about the EXCOMM meetings is “World on the Brink,” which includes longer recordings as well as transcripts of the meetings that your students can read. As the students listen to the recordings and read the documents, ask them to keep in mind what they have already learned about the participants. Students will find that knowing who the players were, what they thought, and why they acted as they did will help them to recognize what is most important in these primary sources. In short, they will understand the importance of using secondary sources, such as those provided by ANB Online and the Oxford Companion, when doing primary source research.

>>>A RESEARCH LESSON

A Research Lesson: Frederick Douglass American National Biography (ANB) Online contains multiple features that make it possible to use biography as an end in itself and as a starting point for doing research that explores the achievements of individuals and the roles they played in shaping the American experience. The lessons, which can be used either as written or as models, demonstrate the value of this resource in teaching both skills and content.

Step 1

• What are the essential facts about Douglass’ life?

Ask students to do a quick search by typing Frederick Douglass in the box labeled “Search Now” on the home page and clicking on the green Search button to the right of the box. From the Search Results List page, click on the article. Students will find several features in the left hand column that can be used to conduct their research on Douglass. The first section identifies “Occupations and Realms of Renown.” (Note that “Abolitionists” is given as one of the Realms of Renown; this will be of use later in the lesson.) The second section notes the availability of a bibliography and online resources; the third lists cross-references within the ANB Online; and the fourth cites articles that appear in The Oxford Companion to United States History that relate to Douglass. Before exploring these features, have the students read the biographical essay, paying close attention to the photograph as well as the contents of the article. Provide the following questions for them to consider as they review the essay:

• What experiences impelled him to seek his freedom? • What factors made it possible for him to escape from slavery? • What difference did it make that he was literate? • Why did he become involved in the movement to abolish slavery? • What role did he play in this movement? • Why was his participation in the movement important? • What were his most important contributions to the movement? • Why did Douglass endorse violence? • What effect did the Civil War have on his thinking about civil rights for African Americans? • What steps did Douglass take to improve the status of African Americans in the decades after the war? • Based on the discussion of Douglass’ career as well as the photograph taken of him in 1875, what sense did Douglass have of himself and his place in American society?

Step 1

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AMERICAN NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY ONLINE TEACHER’S GUIDE

Step 2 Once the students have gleaned the essential information from the biographical essay about Douglass, instruct them to work their way through the articles in the Oxford Companion that are cited. Several of these provide background on racial attitudes and the institution of slavery in the United States. Others deal with efforts to end slavery and/or restore civil rights to African Americans. A few focus on Douglass’ legacy. Students should skim through the articles, locate the sections that relate to Douglass and his work, then read and take notes on the relevant material. By placing Douglass’ life and work in historical context, they should be better able to appreciate the challenges Douglass faced and the extent of his achievements.

Step 3 For additional background, ask students to research the cross-references in ANB Online. Again, they can skim through these articles to locate the sections that relate to Douglass, slavery, abolition, and/or civil rights. They should take notes from this research as well.

Step 4 The secondary sources that they have used thus far will provide background for the next step in the students’ research: examination of primary sources and, in particular, Douglass’ speeches and writings. They can access “Online Resources” either by clicking on the phrase under “Article Sections” or by scrolling to the end of the biographical essay.

Instruct students to click on the website for “Frederick Douglass, Life and Times of Frederick Douglass his Early Life as a Slave, his Escape from Bondage, and his Complete History to the Present Time.” This website includes a section labeled “Learn More.” There, students will find a brief biography of Douglass, a bibliography (“Selected readings...”), and a list of newspaper articles reporting on Douglass’ 1845–47 speaking tour in Great Britain. These reports are themselves primary sources, giving firsthand accounts of the contents of Douglass’ talks and of the audiences’ responses. The tremendous outpouring of support, as noted in the ANB essay, resulted in Douglass’ return to the United States and publication of the North Star. The last item in the “Learn More” section is Douglass’ explanation of why he decided to establish this newspaper; it is entitled “Our Paper and Its Prospects.” Ask students to print and read this item carefully. The background reading from the ANB Online and the Oxford Companion should enhance their understanding of this document and their ability to analyze and evaluate the source. Guiding questions might include: • What was the connection between his tour of Great Britain and his decision to establish a newspaper? • How did Douglass justify establishing another abolitionist newspaper? • What was his purpose in establishing the North Star? • What did he hope to accomplish? • What evidence did he produce that this paper would be successful? • What is the tone of his article? • Was Douglass realistic in predicting the success of this newspaper? • Was he correct that a newspaper published by African Americans would make a significant contribution to the abolitionist movement?

Step 4

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>>>A RESEARCH LESSON

Step 5 Continuing to work from the same website, ask students to scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “Return to ‘North American Slave Narratives’ Home Page.” There, they will find an “Introduction to Slave Narratives”—a secondary source that gives helpful guidance for reading accounts, such as those written by Frederick Douglass. Once they have read this article, they can click on “Return to Documenting the American South....,” which appears at the end of the essay. On that website, students can go to the left hand column, click on DAS Author Index, click on “D,” then scroll down to the various narratives written by Douglass. Most of these are quite long, but you may wish to have the students dip into one or two to get the flavor of Douglass’ writing.

Step 6 Having been introduced to slave narratives, students might be interested in learning about other African Americans who became abolitionists. The easiest way to identify these individuals is to do a “Custom Search” using ANB Online. In the box for “Realms of Renown,” ask them to type “Abolitionists.” (Make sure they use the plural of the word.) Then have them check the box under “Special Collections” labeled “Black History” and click on the green search button at the top of the page. Since the search will turn up over 30 individuals, you might ask each student to read one or two of the essays and report back to the class.

In reading about these Black Abolitionists, ask the students to pay particular attention to the following questions: • Was this person ever a slave? • Where did he/she live? • When did he/she live? • What motivated this person to become an abolitionist? • What dangers did this person face? • What means did this person use to help bring about emancipation? • What contribution did he/she make to help free blacks? As students pool the answers to these questions, the class can begin to formulate a generalization about Black Abolitionists and the role they played in bringing about the emancipation of slaves in the United States.

Step 7 To conclude the exercise, ask students—either in a written assignment or in class discussion—to compare Frederick Douglass to the other Black Abolitionists they read about. What characteristics and experiences did he share with them? What made him different and, ultimately, “the most influential African American of the nineteenth century”?

Step 6

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For additional information about the American National Biography Online, please go to www.anb.org or call 1-800-334-4249 ext. 6484. For printed copies of this Guide, please send an email to [email protected].

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