White Out! A detective approach to improve historical literacy

1. White Out! A detective approach to improve historical literacy Anthony Fitzpatrick Vice President of Professional Development The American Institute for History Education Teaching American History in Miami-Dade County

2. Florida Sunshine State Standards • Historical Analysis • SS.5.A.1.1 Use primary and secondary sources to understand history. • SS.5.A.1.2 Utilize timelines to identify and discuss American History time periods. • SS.8.A.1.1 Provide supporting details for an answer from text, interview for oral history, check validity of information from research/text, and identify strong vs. weak arguments. • SS.8.A.1.2 Analyze charts, graphs, maps, photographs and timelines; analyze political cartoons; determine cause and effect. • SS.8.A.1.3 Analyze current events relevant to American History topics • through a variety of electronic and print media resources. • SS.8.A.1.4 Differentiate fact from opinion, utilize appropriate historical • research and fiction/nonfiction support materials. • SS.8.A.1.5 Identify, within both primary and secondary sources, the author, audience, format, and purpose of significant historical documents. • SS.8.A.1.6 Compare interpretations of key events and issues throughout American History.

3. What is White Out • White Out is a method of document analysis for students designed to help them develop a sense of historical literacy through the use of primary sources. • The White Out Method focuses on student understanding in five key areas. They include • Understanding Events of the past • Appreciating Narratives of the past • Understanding and dealing with the language of the past • Understanding historical concepts such as causation, motivation and empathy • Research skills

4. How it works • Select a document that makes reference to historical content. The document can involve an event covered in class or one that will be covered in the future. You can also select a personality central to the content.

5. How it works • Choose a passage that raises a historically significant issue that applies to United States History over a wide span of time. For example: issues concerning labor, gender equality, civil rights, and political factions etc.

6. In simple terms . . . • Is this a quote, cartoon, concept that could be used over time? • Use a quote from the 1770s. Can you “hear” the 1960s if you closed your eyes?

7. Setting up a White Out • Next, choose a passage from the document that could apply to other periods or episodes in US History in order to help students make comparisons. Remove all bibliographic material that would reveal the author and date of the source. Here is an example:

8. What document is this? • When, in the course of human events, …but one to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes that impel them to such a course. • We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all … are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon the institution of a 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.

9. Let’s narrow it down to two: • The Declaration of Independence • JULY 4, 1776 • The Declaration of Sentiments • 1848 Thomas Jefferson Elizabeth Cady Stanton

10. White Out Revealed:

11. Setting up a White Out (continued) • Have students contextualize the document by asking questions about the authors language and the issues discussed. Do the issues raised by the author’s reveal anything about when the document was created? How about the language?

12. Advantages of the White Out Approach: Understanding Events of the Past • By incorporating prior knowledge along with critical thinking students will develop the ability to sort out contestable and non-contestable facts in order to analyze primary sources as well as historians interpretations of past events through the creation of historical narratives.

13. Advantages of the White Out Approach: Understanding and dealing with the language of the past • Students develop an appreciation of the importance of language as a transmitter of culture and how language can be a window into the past. Students also learn to appreciate the problems associated with a reliable translation or transcription of a source as a potential problem in constructing historical narratives. 

14. Advantages of the White Out Approach: Embedded Principles • “We hold these truths to be self evident . . . • Certain basic American values are reflected in historical documents. Identifying these and exposing them to students can be a fruitful intellectual exercise.

15. White Out in the Intermediate Classroom. • You may be thinking to yourself – No Way will my kids have the background knowledge to even take a wild guess . . . • GOOD POINT! • So how can the intermediate teacher modify this strategy, get the most out of it, and prepare students for when they encounter this type of activity later?

16. How About? • Turn it into a memory game with the author/ context on one card and the quote on another. It can be the base concept for a wonderful lesson! Any other ideas??? • Remember – just by starting an exercise like this, you are making a HUGE difference! Can you imagine your students walking into a high school classroom knowing the author and context for some of American history’s best quotes and concepts!

17. Use the Founding Fathers: • Ideally, we are learning what makes each founding father unique – (otherwise, it’s just a bunch of guys that make a government) • Only use the big names: • Washington, Franklin, Adams, Henry, Madison, Jefferson, Hamilton

18. Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! James Madison Federalist 10 Patrick Henry Speech to Virginia Commonwealth George Washington Farewell Address Tap into that Cultural Literacy!

19. This one was easy for us: • Patrick Henry’s “Treason” Speech. March 23 1775.

20. Scaffold the activity • First time out – use a famous quote that they know: “I cannot tell a lie.” Etc. • Make sure the “negative” answers are decently obvious. • The kids should be justifying why they know their answer to be right. In time – their explanations will become more sophisticated.

21. But where do I begin? • Look at your themes (ESP as an example) • Do a search for speeches and/or quotes • Also these are broad areas with LOTS of stuff– • American Foreign Policy • Expansion of rights • Economic policy (look at Boom and Bust times)

22. As you do this more . . . • They will have to think more specifically using context clues. • This, like other things, is an acquired skill. • You can begin to make it tougher as the year goes on and they have more content to draw from. And you’ll be able to employ other great strategies

23. The American Revolution? • "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." -- • Benjamin Franklin at the signing of the Declaration of Independence • King George III at the notion that the American colonists wanted independence • Franklin Roosevelt at the Yalta Conference

24. White Out Revealed

25. One more practice . . . • "There! His Majesty can now read my name without glasses. And he can double the reward on my head!" -- • Abigail Adams after signing her name in large letters on the Declaration of Independence • King George III after signing his name in large letters on the Declaration of Independence • John Hancock after signing his name in large letters on the Declaration of Independence • Crispus Attucks after signing his name in large letters on the Declaration of Independence.

26. White Out Revealed!

27. Let’s add some color: • Once you’ve established the big name figures and their quotes and “personalities” – you can extend into other areas!!!!

28. Political Cartoons!!

29. Revealed

30. OK OK OK • I know – Maybe that isn’t one for elementary students. (But funny as the day is long)

31. Maybe this one . . .

32. Revealed

33. Or . . . “Cloze the door”! • Cloze procedure is a technique in which words are deleted from a passage according to a word-count formula or various other criteria. The passage is presented to students, who insert words as they read to complete and construct meaning from the text. This procedure can be used as a diagnostic reading assessment technique. There are many resources online to assist in using the Cloze procedure, including online worksheet generators!

34. Instead of names . . . • My country,' tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims' pride, from every mountainside let freedom ring! • Justice • Liberty • Equality • Freedom

35. Revealed • My country,' tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims' pride, from every mountainside let freedom ring! • Teaching core democratic values and/or vocabulary by removing text and having students use context clues AND prior knowledge to fill in the blanks.

36. The Declaration another way: • We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all … are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon the institution of a 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. • Happiness • Allegiance • Liberty • Self-evident

37. Revealed • We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all … are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon the institution of a 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.

38. Now some for us!

39. Who said this? The question you propose, whether circumstances do not sometimes occur, which make it a duty in officers of high trust, to assume authorities beyond the law, is easy of solution in principle, but sometimes embarrassing in practice. A strict observance of the written laws is doubtless one of the high duties of a good citizen, but it is not the highest. The laws of necessity, of self-preservation, of saving our country when in danger, are of higher obligation. To lose our country by a scrupulous adherence to written law, would be to lose the law itself, with life, liberty, property and all those who are enjoying them with us; thus absurdly sacrificing the end to the means. • Abraham Lincoln, 1862 Proclamation suspending the Writ of Habeus Corpus • Thomas JeffersonSeptember 20, 1810 Letter to John B. Colvin regarding the Louisiana Purchase • Alexander Hamilton’s Opinion as to the Constitutionality of the Bank of the United States : 1791 • Henry Clay in Response to the Nullification Crisis, 1833

40. Revealed: Thomas Jefferson On the surface – most would probably say that the quote doesn’t sound like the Jefferson we know – it lets my students dig deeper and understand complexity.

41. White Out the Early Federal Period (Maybe . . . Insert maniacal laugh) • As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion,-as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of ---------and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any --------- nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries. • Treaty of Peace and Friendship, Signed at Tripoli November 4, 1796 . • Television Address to the People of Pakistan From Islamabad, Pakistan Bill Clinton 1998. • William McKinley addresses the annexation of the Philippines. August 12, 1898.

42. Survey Says . . . • Treaty of Peace and Friendship, Signed at Tripoli November 4, 1796 • Picture is the burning of the Frigate Philadelphia, 16 February 1804. Note the picture was a representation of the Barbary Wars – but was of an event that occurred after this treaty.

43. Let’s try this one . . . • "The government does not want to and should not want to own banks. I think nationalizing the banks is an absolutely wrong thing to do.” • Thomas Jefferson in response to Alexander Hamilton’s proposal. • Senator Mitch McConnell in anticipation of TARP funds going to banks. • George HW Bush responding to a proposed bailout of Savings and Loan institutions

44. And our winner? • Senator Mitch McConnell • You’re going to find SO many articles referencing the nationalization of banks – maybe more so with Andrew Jackson. The challenge will be to find worthy sources from the present-day.

45. How about real Thomas Jefferson? “The incorporation of a bank, and the powers assumed by this bill have not, in my opinion, been delegated to the United States by the Constitution.” Remember that earlier letter concerning the Louisiana Purchase?

46. “a revolt has arisen all over our country, from Mississippi on the shores of the Gulf-kissed coast in the South to the stony crags of Maine in the North, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans, by southern Democrats and those freedom-loving Americans everywhere, at this attempt to destroy the true civil rights of the citizens of our great and common country? For, I again call to the attention of my northern colleagues what I have often repeated upon the floor of this House, namely, that the South is not the only section aggrieved by those proposed unconstitutional laws, the same sharp resentment at the interference by a powerful Federal Government with their individual liberties as the people of the South.” Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens, 1861 in response to outbreak of the Civil War. William M. Colmer, Democratic representative from Mississippi, 1948 in response to President Harry Truman’s Civil Rights Speech Governor Orval Faubus 1957 in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education and the announcement that nine Black students would attempt to integrate Little Rock High School. Setting up a White Out: Who Said . . .

47. Setting up a White Out: Is it Harry S. Truman? • “Mr. Speaker, not since the first gun was fired on Fort Sumter, resulting as it did in the greatest fratricidal strife in the history of the world, has any message of any President of these glorious United States provoked so much controversy, and resulted in the driving of a schism in the ranks of our people, as did President Truman's so-called civil-rights message, sent to the Congress several weeks ago. Not only did that message provoke serious racial controversies, but it raised anew the issue of the rights of the sovereign States as against a strong centralized government and drove a devastating wedge into the unity of the Democratic Party at a time when that party was riding high on a wave of popularity in the entire country.”

48. White Out Revealed! William M. Colmer (1948) • Does any fair-minded American find amazement, however, that the people of the South are in revolt against the leadership of the Democratic Party? It is necessary to remind any student of political history in this country that it was the section from which I hail that has cradled, nourished, and sustained the Democratic Party throughout its lean as well as its prosperous years? The South has ever been a strong believer in and contender for the Jeffersonian theory of democracy. It has ever been ready to fight for those principles. Many of its most gallant sons shed their precious blood upon the altar of States' rights. Certainly it is not surprising, therefore, that it should take the lead in the battle against this program, which would destroy the last vestige of the rights of the sovereign States.... • But now, for the first time in the history of the country, and the loyalty of my section to the Democratic Party, a President of the United States has asked the Congress to enact such a devastating, obnoxious, and repugnant program to the people of that section and their Jeffersonian conception of democracy as this so-called civil-rights program. No President, either Democrat or Republican, has ever seen fit heretofore to make such recommendations. • Excerpted from: Congressional Record - House, April 8, 1948, pp. 4270-4272. Speaker: William M. Colmer, Democratic Representative from Mississippi.

49. So why William M. Colmer? • He signed the Southern Manifesto • A response to Brown v. Board that opposed racial integration in public places – Strom Thurmond also signed – link to the Dixiecrats and their formation in 1948 in opposition to proposed civil rights legislation. • He didn’t run again in 1972 – but threw support behind a young protégé: Trent Lott. • Let’s bring in some recent events.

50. The Southern Manifesto and key excerpts. • The Southern Manifesto accused the Supreme Court of "clear abuse of judicial power." It further promised to use "all lawful means to bring about a reversal of this decision which is contrary to the Constitution and to prevent the use of force in its implementation." • "The unwarranted decision of the Supreme Court in the public school cases is now bearing the fruit always produced when men substitute naked power for established law." • "The original Constitution does not mention education. Neither does the 14th Amendment nor any other amendment. The debates preceding the submission of the 14th Amendment clearly show that there was no intent that it should affect the system of education maintained by the States." • "This unwarranted exercise of power by the Court, contrary to the Constitution, is creating chaos and confusion in the States principally affected. It is destroying the amicable relations between the white and Negro races that have been created through 90 years of patient effort by the good people of both races. It has planted hatred and suspicion where there has been heretofore friendship and understanding."