Page 77 - Copshaholm Curriculum Book_2015

The Industrial Revolution: The Growth of America’s Production System 3

iii. Each student assembles his part of the product and passes it on to
the person in front of him. No talking, must work faster each time,
etc…

b. Assign supervisors who monitor the “production” and correct students’
errors during the assembling of the product.

c. 20 minutes of assembly
d. Have student complete a paragraph about how they felt during the

simulation.
3. Day 3:

a. Introduce life as a worker (check Activities section for research material)
b. Have groups of students research on the Internet or library about the life

of a worker during the industrialization revolution. Have student groups
report to the rest of the class their findings.

i. Students should take notes on each other’s presentations.
c. What was the conclusion? Was life good or bad for a worker? How did a

worker’s life compare to that of a slave’s life?
d. Homework: Research and look for current child labor practices of modern

day companies.
4. Day 4: US Corporations Finding Cheap Workers

a. In pairs, have students find one or two facts about how much a worker in
the late 1800s made and what hours they had to work.

b. Have students share their facts with the rest of the class. Having the
students take notes (possible test later???).

Week Three: BIG BUSINESS
Goal: Students will view the Industrial Revolution from the point of view of a rich tycoon
(factory owner).

Objectives for this week:
1. Learn about J.P. Morgan and the banking business.
2. Learn about J.D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil.
3. Learn about Carnegie and railroads (steel).
4. Learn about Studebaker and car/wagon production.
5. Learn about Oliver and agricultural products.
6. Compare these with Bill Gates and Microsoft.
7. Explain and discover the meaning of the Anti-Trust Act.
8. Explain and discover Laisse Faire.
9. Investigate Social Darwinism.

Activities:
1. Day 1:
a. Introductions to Carnegie/Morgan/Rockefeller/Studebaker/Oliver
b. Give some of your students a different tycoon to research.
c. The remainder of students are to become muckrakers. Have them
research the history or muckrakers. They should “dig up dirt” on the
tycoon they are assigned to research.