When Whales Lit the World

Quiz Webform ID
22414
date_published
Teaser

Up to the 20th century, whalers provided oil for the industrial revolution.

quiz_instructions

Up to the 20th century, men shipped out whaling—risking their lives and spending up to five years at sea per voyage. Why? Because whalers lit the world, providing oil for lamps and for the machines of the industrial revolution—at no small cost to the whale population. Test your whaling knowledge.

Quiz Answer

1. Many idioms and words we use today arose from maritime jargon. Which of the following is not true?

b. "Blackstrap" was a sailor's nickname for tar.

"Blackstrap," today used for thick molasses, was a nickname not for tar, but for a cheap wine typically served in the Mediterranean. Sailors stationed in the area were said to be "black-strapped."

As for the other terms, cooks were permitted to keep a portion of the "slush," or fat scum from boiling meat, in the ship's stores. They then sold the fat to tallow merchants, providing the cooks with a handy "slush fund." Plates were generally square in the British Navy, for easier storage—leading to our adoption of the phrase, "a square meal." Finally, the word, "junk" originated as a word for rope worn to the point that it was useless for anything beyond making fenders or friction-reducing sail cushioning (baggywrinkle). Eventually, according to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, it also was used to refer to the meat, often of poor quality, fed to sailors, and then to anything discarded or broken.

2. There are many whales in the sea, and each had its own peculiarities noted by whalers. Which of the following is not true?

a. American whalers sought out the blue whale, as its immense size provided the most blubber, and therefore, profit.

Blue whales were unmanageable with American whaling technology. (Groups with more advanced tools, such as the Scandinavians, did hunt them.)

Right whales were given their name based on their by-products and the comparative ease of the kill. Sperm whales were similarly prized; however, they often dove deeply when injured. Secured to the line of a harpoon, attendant whalers had to sever the line fast, or follow the whale to the bottom. John Smith was interested in whaling in early America. However, he failed to locate any whale species considered valuable at the time.

3. Among seafaring tales, few are as well known as Herman Melville's Moby Dick. Which of the following is not true?

c. The name of Ahab's vessel, the Pequod, is taken from a type of indigenous vessel used in Rokovoko, the island from which the character Queequeg came.

The Pequod is likely named after the Pequot, a Native American group native to what is now Connecticut. Rokovoko (or Kokovoko in some versions) is a fictional island created by Melville.

Moby Dick is thought to be based on a real white sperm whale, known as Mocha Dick. As for the chapel in New Bedford, the pulpit was added after the release of the 1956 film Moby Dick, starring Gregory Peck. The pulpit was redesigned to meet the expectations of tourists, disappointed by the lack of the prominent film feature. Finally, the Coffin and Starbuck families intermarried in the 17th century, creating a long line of Quaker whalers. Both Coffin and Starbuck remained Nantucket surnames.

4. Different groups of people were considered bad luck on ships, and treated with suspicion when on board. Which of the following groups was not considered a risk?

b. One-eyed men

There was no stigma attached to sailors or passengers with one eye—although this was not true of the cross-eyed or "swivel-eyed."

Finns were believed to whistle the winds, have the second sight, or be in league with the Devil. In contrast, preachers, as men of God, could cause harm to vessels carrying them, as the sea was considered godless. Bringing a godly individual aboard was taunting the sea. Similar superstitions, although less common, applied to the Bible. Last, but not least, women were generally considered ill luck on board. However, a naked woman would bring favor to the voyage by shaming the sea into submission. This sparked the tradition of naked female figureheads. Women were also believed to be the best navigators.

5. One final question, a "grab bag" of whaling fact and fiction. Which of the following is not true?

a. A sea shanty is a type of dance, akin to a jig, in which the watch would take turns performing.

Sea shanties were, in fact, work songs, used to time tasks that required group coordination, such as furling sails. They featured call and response singing and were highly rhythmic.

Whaling expeditions chose to freeze their vessels into the ice knowing that they would be among the first whalers in prime hunting locations come the thaw. One of the better known captains involved in the practice, George Comer, also used the winter to conduct ethnographic studies of the local Inuit. Lewis Temple, an African American man, did invent the toggle head harpoon, which released a hook on the harpoon head when it entered the whale. This prevented the harpoon from easily sliding out of the wound, and revolutionized the whaling industry. Scrimshaw was a recognized whalers' art. Common forms included pie crimpers, walking sticks, and corset busks, frequently given to sweethearts as gifts.

For more information

Want to know more about the history of whaling in America? The best place to start would be the museum of "the city that lit America," New Bedford, MA. The New Bedford Whaling Museum offers a multitude of sources to introduce you to the fascinating world of the country's now defunct whaling industry, from the biology of whales to the life of the whalers. Six online exhibits cover everything from whaling ports to U.S. whalers and the opening of Japan. Also be sure to read over the curriculum guide which looks at the uses of whale products, signing up for a whaling voyage, conditions at sea, sailors' free time, whaling tasks, and information on whaling and conservation today. The packet includes primary sources, making it easy for educators to introduce whaling as a vital part of U.S. history—without ignoring its environmental implications. Finally, the Collections Search (accessible from the main page) is a fantastic resource for artifacts and prints to illustrate handouts, PowerPoint presentations, or other materials.

Should the opportunity ever arise, be sure to visit in person! In addition to the museum, the area offers the sailors' chapel mentioned in Moby Dick, a National Park Service visitor's center, and a modern working waterfront.

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By the Numbers: Election Maps

date_published
Teaser

What can historical election maps tell us? Take a look at the electoral vote for several 19th-century presidential elections.

quiz_instructions

During modern presidential campaigns and elections, red-and-blue maps dominate reporting on politics, tracking the success of candidates and their parties state by state. Check out these older maps, drawn from 19th-century presidential elections. The colors indicate Electoral College results for each state then in existence. Figure out what year each election occurred.

Quiz Answer

1. 1848
Blue: Democrat
Orange: Whig
Whig Zachary Taylor beat Democratic candidate Lewis Cass. Third party Free Soil candidate Martin Van Buren did not get one electoral vote.

2. 1856
Blue: Democrat
Red: Republican
Yellow: Know Nothing
Democrat James Buchanan won with 174 electoral votes over Republican John C. Fremont's 114 and Whig-American Millard Filmore's 8.

3. 1852
Blue: Democrat
Orange: Whig
Democrat Franklin Pierce beat out Whig candidate Winfield Scott. The popular vote was much closer than the electoral vote: 50.8% to 43.9%.

4. 1860
Red: Republican
Blue: Democrat (Southern)
Yellow: Constitutional Union
Green: Democrat
Sectional divide split the nation prior to the Civil War when Republican Abraham Lincoln won the election. John Breckinridge led the Southern Democrats, John Bell ran for the Constitutional Union party, and the northern Democratic candidate was Stephen Douglas.

5. 1844
Blue: Democrat
Orange: Whig
Democrat James K. Polk won over Whig candidate Henry Clay.

6. 1840
Blue: Democrat
Orange: Whig
Whig candidate William Henry Harrison beat Democratic candidate Martin Van Buren with 234 electoral votes to 60.

7. 1864
Red: Republican
Blue: Democrat
This mid-Civil War election map reflects the separation between North and South. Republican Lincoln beat Democrat George McClellan.

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Historic Site Teacher Immersion: The Oliver Kelley Farm

Description

From the Minnesota Historical Society:

From July 20–22 at the Oliver Kelley Farm in Elk River, participants will explore content related to 19th-century agricultural and farming history, technological innovations that impacted production and family, and subsistence vs. market economics. Teachers will also learn about and experience historic site interpretation at one of the Society's much-loved historic sites. In period-appropriate clothing, participants will job-shadow historic site employees and engage in historical interpretation themselves. Teachers will return to their classrooms with an instructional video documenting this experience.

For more information, contact the given email address. To register, fill out this form.

Contact name
Jennifer Cadwell
Registration Deadline
Sponsoring Organization
Minnesota Historical Society
Phone number
6512593432
Target Audience
4-12
Start Date
Cost
$50
Duration
Three days
End Date

Great American Texts: Frederick Douglass

Description

From the Ashbrook Center website:

"To reflect on the life of Frederick Douglass is to be reminded of the famous self-description attributed to his great contemporary, Mark Twain: 'I am not an American; I am the American.' A classic self-made man, Douglass, like his country, rose from a low beginning to a great height; he gained freedom by his own virtue and against great odds in a revolutionary struggle; and he matured into an internationally renowned apostle of universal liberty. In this course, we consider Douglass' telling of his own story, taking as primary texts his three autobiographies: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1845), My Bondage and My Freedom (1855), and Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (1881; 1892). We will find in these texts not only the annals of an unforgettable life but also Douglass' reflections on enduring issues in American political thought such as the nature and specific evil of slavery, the nature and grounds of human rights and freedom, and the meaning and mission of the American Republic."

Registration Deadline
Sponsoring Organization
Ashbrook Center
Phone number
8772895411
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
Free; $500 stipend
Course Credit
"Teachers may choose to receive two hours of Master's degree credit from Ashland University. This credit can be used toward the Master of American History and Government offered by Ashland University or may be transferred to another institution. The two credits will cost $440."
Duration
Six days
End Date

Sectionalism and Civil War

Description

From the Ashbrook Center website:

"A study of the sectional conflict beginning with the nullification crisis. This course will not only examine the political, social and economic developments in the period leading to the Civil War, but will emphasize the political thought of Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas, and John C. Calhoun."

Registration Deadline
Sponsoring Organization
Ashbrook Center
Phone number
8772895411
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
Free; $500 stipend
Course Credit
"Teachers may choose to receive two hours of Master's degree credit from Ashland University. This credit can be used toward the Master of American History and Government offered by Ashland University or may be transferred to another institution. The two credits will cost $440."
Duration
Six days
End Date

Molly Brown and Western Biography: A Look at Life and Legend

Description

From the Molly Brown House Museum website:

"You've probably heard many tall tales of western women: a sharp shooter splitting a hair with her rifle, an old woman freezing in a mine and a rags-to-riches red head who couldn’t read or write. These iconic figures—Annie Oakley, Baby Doe Tabor and Molly Brown—have long dominated our perception of women's experiences in the West. During the summer of 2010, the Molly Brown House Museum will conduct . . . [a] workshop designed to explore the difference between life and legend in western women's biographies by visiting the real life places where these women lived, studying archival materials and learning from scholars in the field. Throughout the experience you will also explore how to use this information with your students."

Contact name
Anne Levinsky
Contact email
Registration Deadline
Sponsoring Organization
National Endowment for the Humanities, Molly Brown House Museum
Phone number
3038324092
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
Free; $1,200 stipend
Course Credit
"Three credits for continuing education will be available for participants at a minimal cost through Adams State College in conjunction with the Teaching with Primary Sources Program. All participants will receive a certificate of completion with contact hours, which they can submit to their districts/states individually according to their own requirements."
Duration
Six days
End Date

The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson, and America, 1801–1861

Description

From the Middle Tennessee State University website:

"The Hermitage: Home of President Andrew Jackson is uniquely positioned to interpret many of the changes in America from the dawning of westward expansion to the eve of the Civil War. Andrew Jackson, as both an agent and a product of change, was one of the most important, and most controversial, individuals during this period of turmoil and transition. As a political and military leader, as a businessman, and as a slave-owning cotton planter, he was at the center of important national issues. To many people in his day, Andrew Jackson was a symbol for American democracy, and he remains so in our own time. During the Jacksonian era, government moved from the republican system envisioned by the founding fathers to a democracy. Jackson also was a contentious president, touched by scandal, who took unpopular stands. His military and political careers are well known, but during his time democratic ideals were translated into religious life, reform movements, architecture, and the decorative arts. Daniel Feller, editor of the Papers of Andrew Jackson at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a visiting scholar for each workshop, points out that, at the time, Americans exuded a great deal of optimism about the future. Our goal is to present multiple perspectives that allow teachers to draw their own conclusions about Jackson's role in shaping the politics and political ideals of American society. No single historical perspective can adequately or definitively interpret Andrew Jackson, The Hermitage, or an entire period of history. Participants will be encouraged to weigh historical and archaeological evidence, react to multiple interpretations, and draw their own conclusions to deepen and enrich their knowledge of history."

Contact name
Jan Leone
Contact email
Registration Deadline
Sponsoring Organization
National Endowment for the Humanities, Middle Tennessee State University
Phone number
6158985798
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
Free; $1,200 stipend
Course Credit
"Participants will receive a formal certificate of completion to present for continuing education units or in-service credit from their school district or state. Signed certificates will be mailed to each participant after the final project has been submitted and evaluated. Participants also may enroll for three semester hours of credit from MTSU. To receive credit, participants must enroll in MTSU and pay tuition and fees (fees for in-state graduate credit are approximately $1,000, fees for out-of-state graduate credit are approximately $2,300). Non-MTSU students must enroll as non-degree status."
Duration
Six days
End Date

The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson, and America, 1801–1861

Description

From the Middle Tennessee State University website:

"The Hermitage: Home of President Andrew Jackson is uniquely positioned to interpret many of the changes in America from the dawning of westward expansion to the eve of the Civil War. Andrew Jackson, as both an agent and a product of change, was one of the most important, and most controversial, individuals during this period of turmoil and transition. As a political and military leader, as a businessman, and as a slave-owning cotton planter, he was at the center of important national issues. To many people in his day, Andrew Jackson was a symbol for American democracy, and he remains so in our own time. During the Jacksonian era, government moved from the republican system envisioned by the founding fathers to a democracy. Jackson also was a contentious president, touched by scandal, who took unpopular stands. His military and political careers are well known, but during his time democratic ideals were translated into religious life, reform movements, architecture, and the decorative arts. Daniel Feller, editor of the Papers of Andrew Jackson at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a visiting scholar for each workshop, points out that, at the time, Americans exuded a great deal of optimism about the future. Our goal is to present multiple perspectives that allow teachers to draw their own conclusions about Jackson's role in shaping the politics and political ideals of American society. No single historical perspective can adequately or definitively interpret Andrew Jackson, The Hermitage, or an entire period of history. Participants will be encouraged to weigh historical and archaeological evidence, react to multiple interpretations, and draw their own conclusions to deepen and enrich their knowledge of history."

Contact name
Jan Leone
Contact email
Registration Deadline
Sponsoring Organization
National Endowment for the Humanities, Middle Tennessee State University
Phone number
6158985798
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
Free; $1,200 stipend
Course Credit
"Participants will receive a formal certificate of completion to present for continuing education units or in-service credit from their school district or state. Signed certificates will be mailed to each participant after the final project has been submitted and evaluated. Participants also may enroll for three semester hours of credit from MTSU. To receive credit, participants must enroll in MTSU and pay tuition and fees (fees for in-state graduate credit are approximately $1,000, fees for out-of-state graduate credit are approximately $2,300). Non-MTSU students must enroll as non-degree status."
Duration
Six days
End Date

Crossroads of Conflict: Contested Visions of Freedom and the Missouri-Kansas Border Wars

Description

From the University of Missouri-Kansas City website:

"Crossroads of Conflict: Contested Visions of Freedom and the Missouri-Kansas Border Wars is a Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshop for Teachers that explores historic homes and public buildings, townscapes and museum collections in light of recent research to understand the clash of cultures and differing definitions of 'freedom' that played out on the Missouri-Kansas border. Workshop participants will consider the forces and events that led to the abandonment of the understandings reached in the Missouri Compromise, the rejection of popular sovereignty in the Kansas Territory and the establishment of the shadow 'Free State' government. They will examine the nature and intensity of the struggles between the Kansas Jayhawkers and Missouri Bushwhackers and the general mayhem these vicious disputes engendered along the Missouri-Kansas border during Bleeding Kansas and the Civil War.

"The Crossroads of Conflict workshop will give K-12 teachers fresh tools for using historical settings, architecture, material culture, art and drama, along with historical documents and records to enable students to engage the past and gain a better understanding of the forces that shaped and continue to influence national and regional history."

Contact name
Mary Ann Wynkoop
Contact email
Registration Deadline
Sponsoring Organization
National Endowment for the Humanities, University of Missouri-Kansas City
Phone number
8162351631
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
Free; $1,200 stipend
Course Credit
A Certificate of Participation will be provided to all workshop participants. Three Continuing Education Units are available at in-state tuition rates. Three units of graduate credit in American History are available for approximately $1000. An appropriate final project, supervised by a member of the program faculty, will be required for graduate credit."
Duration
Six days
End Date