Just Do It… “it’s just words…”

1. Just Do It…“it’s just words…” • Using the three wordle cards— • What is the topic? • Where do you think the wordle’s come from (origins)? • Pick a wordle (or 3) and can your reconstruct the essence of the narrative from the words provided. • Puzzler – How can we make a secondary source into a primary source?

2. “it is the questions we decide to ask that determine whether something is a primary or a secondary source. Thus Gibbon’s book The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire may be either a primary or a secondary source, depending on whether we are asking questions about Rome or about eighteenth-century ideas” (Lee, 2005, p. 55).

3. Thinking about learning history… “the acquisition of historical knowledge is “both the servant and the result of enquiry” (Counsell, 2000, p.70). “The concept of evidence is central to history because it is only through the use of evidence that history becomes possible. Even when students ask themselves how we know about what happened, however, it does not follow that they will recognize source material as evidence to be used differently from the notes or textbook accounts they may encounter on other occasions” (Lee, 2005, p.54).

5. Basically, we are briefly just going to play with different kinds of sources as a way to illustrate, discuss and unpack our understandings of the nature of history, historical literacy and historical representation. (Maybe)..

6. So…… • So what is the topic? • “it is only words..” • Place the cards in chronological order of when you think each passage was created. (Don’t panic- only 3 cards ) • What language gave you clues to order? • What key concepts/messages/generalizations do you see as important signifiers in each wordle?

7. Use the Wordle from the “just do it” to identify language, key vocab and concepts that connect with what you found from just reading the passage. • Which wordle represents which passage? • How does the wordle in conjunction with the passage inform our understanding of how slavery was represented in the past?

8. 1995 1950 1933

9. From the perspective of the period • Take a look at the following image • Based on your assigned passage on slavery (1 of 3) from a specific period in time-- how would you as a student interpret this source as part of an inquiry into the nature of slavery in 19th century America. • Does the source contradict, confuse, reinforce your contextual understanding - based on the passage you have?

10. Title: A cotton plantation on the Mississippi · Creator(s): Currier & Ives., · Date Created/Published: [New York] : Currier & Ives, 1884. (Library of Congress) Currier and Ives called their company 'The Grand Central Depot for Cheap and Popular Pictures," and they proudly advertised their ware as "the best, cheapest, and the most popular pictures in the world."

11. Take a look at the other images provided. Imagine you are a text book publisher • Can you identify images that would support certain texts?- Which one’s would you use/not use? Why? • What does this activity have to do with historical representation, historical literacy, the nature of history? • Who should care? How can this be extended?

12. What does this tell us about the nature of history? How have interpretations of slavery shifted? Why? • Why should we care?