Lesson 3: Emergence of a National Economy
Rationale:
This lesson will discuss the emergence of a national economy in the United States. This lesson will ultimately teach students about the cycle and dependency of crops used to create and produce goods, which are then sold for a profit. This lesson will discuss the main themes of production, distribution, and consumption. The history and changes of the trends in the economy will be discussed. A main focus of the interactive lecture will be for students to make connections between the farming economy in the south and the factory economy in the north. The understanding of one region depending on the other to promote a stronger national economy will also be a main focus.
Curriculum Frameworks:
· Massachusetts Frameworks: USI.28 Explain the emergence and impact of the textile industry in New England and industrial growth generally throughout antebellum America. (H, E)
A. the technological improvements and inventions that contributed to industrial growth
B. the causes and impact of the wave of immigration from Northern Europe to America in the 1840s and 1850s
C. the rise of a business class of merchants and manufacturers
D. the roles of women in New England textile factories
· NCSS Theme: Production, Distribution, and Consumption-“Scarcity and unequal distribution of resources dictate the need for economic systems of exchange, including trade, to improve the well-being of the economy. The role of government in different economic systems varies over time and from place to place, resulting in diverse economic policies. Increasingly, economic decisions are global in scope and require systematic study of an interdependent world economy. A variety of systems have been developed to decide the answers to fundamental questions related to what is to be produced, how production is to be organized, and how goods and services are distributed.”
Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to understand how the American economy began to expand during the later 1700s. Students will be able to make connections between new inventions and their effects on people’s lives and the economy overall. Students will be able to make connections between the southern economy and the northern economy and their dependency on each other to create a stronger national economy.
Teaching Methods: Interactive Lecture
Procedure:
1. Students will have read Chapter 8, Section 1 of their textbook to give them an overview of the information being presented.
2. I will distribute slide handouts with a space for each slide to add additional notes.
3. I will present a PowerPoint lecture for the remainder of class.
4. The PowerPoint will require student participation to answer fill in the blank questions, true or false, and open ended questions.
5. Students will raise their hands to answer questions. If students are not participating on their own, I will use popsicle sticks with their names on them to call on students.
Assessment:
A formative assessment will be based off of student participation during the interactive lecture.
Materials:
PowerPoint presentation, PowerPoint handout/notes, popsicle sticks (if necessary)