The Unsolved Mystery of Duffy s Cut Regina Chamberlin

Transcription

1 The Unsolved Mystery of Duffy s Cut Regina Chamberlin Grade: 11th Grade U.S. History Cross Curricular Project Content Standards: AZ CO5 Westward Expansion PO2 Analyze how the following events affected the political transformation of the developing nation C. Jackson s Presidency PO5 Describe the impacts of the following aspects of the industrial revolution on the United States A. Transportation improvements (e.g. railroads, canals, steamboats) Length of time: 1 week Materials needed: Computer access to electronic copies of primary and secondary sources, group question handouts, Duffy s Cut documentary Death on the Railroad Rationale: The purpose of this project is to create a cross curricular lesson that brings several school subjects such as science, medicine, and engineering into a history class and make history more relevant to other fields. Lesson Overview: The Unsolved Mystery of Duffy s Cut: 57 Irishmen Died at Duffy s Cut in 1832 CAN YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM?? Divide students into subject groups to examine topics and clues from Duffy s Cut and content specific readings from 4 different perspectives: Communications: Immigration and Nativism Medical: Cholera, Disease Epidemic, and Public Health Bioscience: Anthropology, Archeology and Forensics Transportation: Railroad and Industrial Expansion

2 Day 1: Introduction to Duffy s Cut Provide students with the letter from railroad files and show a news clip that summarizes the Duffy s Cut project and the beginning of this CSI type of investigation to give students an intro to the story. (Lesson will take place during the unit on the the early 19th century industrialization, immigration, and the Jacksonian Era to give students some background info) Follow up with a discussion about the mystery and investigation process involved with Duffy s Cut. Day 2 & 3: Students Solve the Mystery Each group will get a set of primary source clues and will use SOAPS to analyze the sources. Groups will also get several secondary source readings pertaining to their clues to go with the readings. Finally each group of students will receive a handout with a series of questions to answer directly related to their subjects and topics to help them solve the mystery. The students will have these two days to analyze sources, investigate the clues and attempt to figure out what happened at Duffy s Cut. (See bibliography for source information) Subjects for Groups Topic to focus on when discussing Primary Source Clue/Reading Primary Source Clue/Reading Primary Source Clue/Reading Communications Immigration and Nativism Anti Irish Political Cartoons (Can use any from early 19th century) The Irish in Philadelphia by Dennis Clark Reading Strangers in the Land by John Higham Medical Cholera, Disease Epidemic, Public Health 1832 Newspaper article on cholera The Cholera Years by Charles E. Rosenberg The Sisters of Charity, the 1832 Epidemic in Philadelphia and Duffy s

3 outbreak (see last page) Cut by William Watson Bioscience Forensics, Archaeology, and Anthropology Human Skeletal Remains by Doughlas H. Ubelaker Images of the human remains discovered at mile 59 (see last page) Images of Irish pipes and artifacts found at site (see last page) Status of Excavation by Samantha Cox Transporation Railroad and Industrial Expansion Railroad History 1 by William Watson Railroad History 2 by Francis J. Watson Duffy s contract with the railroad (see last page) Image of excavation site for Duffy s Cut at mile 59 (see last page) Handout to students: Use SOAPS to analyze the primary source(s) given to your group S ubject What is it talking about? O ccasion When and where was the original found? A udience Who is it for? P urpose Why do I care? Why was it created? S peaker Who is speaking?

4 Questions for analyzing sources (handout to groups): 1. What do these sources tell you when about what happened? 2. What other information do you need next to continue with your investigation? 3. What would your next step be to solve the mystery? 4. How does this secondary source information relate to the clue? 5. What can you infer about your topic based on these clues/readings? 6. What background information was revealed when reading the sources? 7. What information is left out of your clues/readings that you need to solve the mystery? 8. How is your group looking at this case differently than the other groups? 9. What are your main concerns in relation to your group s pathway? 10.How does this historical event relate to your pathway? Day 4: Can you solve the mystery? Each group will give a short presentation to share their clues/readings and their findings with the class. After hearing the other group s findings the students will discuss and piece together the information from all of the pathway groups to try to solve the mystery of Duffy s Cut. Day 5: Mystery Solved (well..sort of!) Groups will briefly share their conclusions. What do they think happened? (Using their pathway expertise) Finally, the class will watch clips from Duffy s Cut documentary Death on the Railroad and find out how the Watson s worked with many different types of professionals and studied many subject areas to uncover this story. They will learn what was discovered and what still remains a mystery. Assessment and Reflection Students will write a reflection addressing these 3 discussion questions (from essential

5 question): 1. How is Duffy s Cut an example of how history relates to other subject areas? 2. How does this particular historical event integrate all of the pathways? 3. How can history relate to other professions and careers such as scientists, engineers, archaeologists, etc.? Provide examples Reflection Rubric: The Mystery of Duffy s Cut Reflection Essay Criteria Excellent 9 10 Sufficient 7 8 Minimal 5 6 Unacceptable 0 4 Depth of Reflection Response demonstrates an in depth reflection on, and application of concepts, and/or connections presented in the lesson. Viewpoints and interpretations are insightful and well supported. Clear, detailed examples are provided, as applicable. Response demonstrates a general reflection on, and application of concepts, and/or connections presented in the lesson. Viewpoints and interpretations are supported. Appropriate examples are provided, as applicable. Response demonstrates a minimal reflection on, and application of concepts, and/or connections presented in the lesson. Viewpoints and interpretations are unsupported or supported with few or flawed arguments. Examples, when applicable, are not provided or are irrelevant to the assignment. Response demonstrates a lack of reflection on, or application of concepts, and/or connections presented in the lesson. Viewpoints and interpretations are missing, inappropriate, and/or unsupported. Examples, when applicable, are not provided. Required Components Response includes all components and meets or exceeds all requirements indicated in the instructions. Each question or part of the assignment is addressed thoroughly. Response includes all components and meets all requirements indicated in the instructions. Each question or part of the assignment is addressed. Response is missing some components and/or does not fully meet the requirements indicated in the instructions. Some questions or parts of the assignment are not addressed. Response excludes essential components and/or does not address the requirements indicated in the instructions. Many parts of the assignment are addressed minimally, inadequately, and/or not at all. Structure Writing is clear, Writing is mostly Writing is unclear Writing is unclear

6 concise, and well organized with excellent sentence/paragraph construction. Thoughts are expressed in a coherent and logical manner. There are no more than three spelling, grammar, or syntax errors per page of writing. clear, concise, and well organized with good sentence/paragraph construction. Thoughts are expressed in a coherent and logical manner. There are no more than five spelling, grammar, or syntax errors per page of writing. and/or disorganized. Thoughts are not expressed in a logical manner. There are more than five spelling, grammar, or syntax errors per page of writing. and disorganized. Thoughts ramble and make little sense. There are numerous spelling, grammar, or syntax errors throughout the response. Evidence and Practice Response shows strong evidence of synthesis of ideas presented and insights gained throughout the entire lesson. The implications of the historical event as it relates to other subjects are thoroughly detailed, as applicable. Response shows evidence of synthesis of ideas presented and insights gained throughout the entire lesson. The implications of the historical event as it relates to other subjects are detailed, as applicable. Response shows little evidence of synthesis of ideas presented and insights gained throughout the entire lesson. The implications of the historical event as it relates to other subjects are presented, as applicable. Response shows no evidence of synthesis of ideas presented and insights gained throughout the entire lesson. No implications of the historical event as it relates to other subjects are presented, as applicable. Reflection: This lesson shows students the importance of history as it applies to other subject areas and uses Duffy s Cut as an example. This historical event incorporates science, archaeology, anthropology, literature, medicine, business, etc. Many different professionals were involved in the investigation process and it is important to show students that history is relevant and can be applicable in many fields. Annotated List of Sources Used in Lesson:

7 Clark, Dennis. The Irish in Philadelphia. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, This provides a background of information about the Irish immigration to Philadelphia and the role that the Irish played in the development of the city overtime. The anti Irish sentiment and the struggles the Irish Catholics faced in the Pennsylvania area. Cox, Samantha. Status of Excavation AAPA Abstracts 2014, vol 153 A brief report of the archaeological excavation by Samantha Cox describing the bones and artifacts the crew discovered related to Duffy s Cut. Higham, John. Strangers in the Land: Patterns of American Nativism, New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, This book discusses the development of nativism and the strong anti immigrant and anti Catholic sentiment that became widespread in 19th century America. It shows the progression of nativism as political and social events shaped American ideas. Rosenberg, Charles E. The Cholera Years: The United States in 1832, 1849 and Chicago: University of Chicago Press, This is an overview of the epidemics of 1832 and describes the spreading of cholera, yellow fever, and other diseases in the New York and Pennsylvania region. The focus is on the study and impacts of cholera on the those communities. Ubelaker, Douglas H. Human Skeletal Remains: Excavation, Analysis, Interpretation, 3 rd ed. Washington: Taraxacum, An overview of the process and procedures involved in an archaeological excavation of human remains. The tools, equipment and methods used in an excavation are described and examples are given. Watson, J. Francis. Who Was the Real Philip Duffy. Railroad History, no. 214 (Spring Summer, 2014): 77 85

8 This article provides details of Philip Duffy s life from his immigration from Ireland to the United States to his death. It outlines progression of his career and highlights the time period when he was contracted to build mile 59 by the PA Railroad. Watson, William. History and Memory at Duffy s Cut. Railroad History, no. 211 (Fall Winter, 2014): This article gives an overview of industrialization in the Philadelphia area as the railroad became a major source of transportation. The focus is on the construction of the railroad stretch from Philadelphia to Pittsburg and mile 59 that Philip Duffy was contracted to build using the labor of Irish immigrants. Watson, William. The Sisters of Charity, the 1832 Cholera Epidemic in Philadelphia, and Duffy s Cut. U.S. Catholic Historian 27, no. 4 (Fall, 2009): This article discusses the role of the Catholic Church and nuns during the 19th century outbreaks of cholera in the Pennsylvania area. It focuses on the Sisters of Charity and their role in caring for the Irish immigrant railroad workers who were the victims at Duffy s Cut. Images from Duffy s Cut Website used in lesson Village Record Newspaper 1892 Cholera article announcing a small outbreak of cholera in PA. The article describes the burial and situation surrounding the cholera victims and suggests that the disease is no longer a threat.

9 Human teeth identified as the remains of John Ruddy found at Duffy s Cut Duffy s Cut Project Pipe with Irish nationalism found at Duffy s Cut Duffy s Cut Project Duffy s Contract with the railroad company to build mile 59

10 Site where excavation took place and human remains were discovered at mile 59 Duffy s Cut Project *Additional images and primary sources can be found at Duffy s Cut Project website through Immaculata University and many other related sources are available for free online (public information).