Teaser
Help students make connections between religion, technology, and American culture in this teaching module.
Description
Students analyze maps, travel posters, and the writings of Mark Twain to explore expectations versus reality. They then plan their own itinerary for American tourists.
Article Body
In this teaching module from the Shapell Manuscript Foundation in collaboration with the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Mediastudents learn how to examine engaging primary sources including travel posters, train tickets, maps, and a letter written by Mark Twain to better understand the attitudes and experiences of Americans who travelled to British Palestine in the late 1800s.
Students work in small groups to analyze sources and think through what kinds of expectations Americans might have had about the Holy Land before they travelled there. Students are also encouraged to explore what technological changes allowed tourists the opportunity to travel across the ocean. Primary sources such as travel posters present an idealized version of the places that Americans were familiar with from the Bible.
After analyzing these primary sources students work in groups to create their own travel itineraries and promotional posters or pamphlets to advertise tours in the Holy Land. These can be physical materials or students may use digital tools to create their promotional materials. The modules also contain guidance on differentiation for diverse learners and connections to standards.
Topic
American Tourists in the Holy Land
Rubric_Content_Accurate_Scholarship
Rubric_Content_Historical_Background
Rubric_Content_Read_Write
Yes
Students show their understanding through primary source analysis and creating visual media.
Rubric_Analytical_Close_Reading_Sourcing
Yes
Requires close reading and attention to source information.
Rubric_Scaffolding_Appropriate
Rubric_Scaffolding_Supports_Historical_Thinking
Rubric_Structure_Assessment
Rubric_Structure_Realistic
Rubric_Structure_Learning_Goals
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