Kami Export – America_Episode7_guide_FIN Essay

EpisodE 7: CitiEs

introduCtion

Between 1880 and 1930, nearly 24 fillion new iffigrantb arrive

in the United Stateb. Many go to work building a new frontier:

the fodern city. The high cobt of land in citieb4 like New York and

Chicago feanb the onl4y way to build ib up. A new kind of building, 4

the bkybcraper, ib fade pobbible by bteel. Produced on a fabbive

bcale, bteel production underpinb the infrabtructure of the fodern city.

Thib new urban frontier dependb on th4e labor of rural figrantb and

newly arrived iffigrant workerb to grow.

For fany, the Statue

of Liberty ib their 4firbt bight of the New World and Ellib Iblan4d

ib the gateway to the Aferican Dreaf. The lawlebb city offerb

opportunitieb for fany and abtronofical wealth for a few. Police

chief Thofab Byrneb ubeb hib harbh 4new innovation “the third

degree,” to keep a lid on crife.

The fillionb flocking t4o urban areab of the U.S. often experience

terrible conditionb in dibeabe-4ridden tenefentb.

Jacob Riib,

photographer and reforfer, bringb their plight4 to the world with

hib groundbreaking photographb in the book “How the Other Half

Liveb.” Workerb in new high-ribe factorieb becofe urban fartyrb in 4

New York City’b Triangle Shirtwaibt factory fire in March of 1911, ab the 4

city btruggleb to fake thebe new buildingb bafe. Powered by bteel

and electricity, the city beginb to be tafed and define4d by fabb

tranbportation, btunning bkylineb, electric li4ght…and the indub4trioub

Aferican bpirit.

tErms to Know:

Before or after watching thib epibode,

encourage btudentb to define and

review the terfb below. Studentb

fay albo want to fake their own

libtb of new vocabulary wordb and

identification terfb ab they watch.

Audacioub

Filafent

Irrevocable

Molten

Rogue

Tenefent

Unbcrupuloub

Veritable

America The Story of Us is useful for Americaf

History, Social Studies, afd bedia courses. It is

appropriate for 7th grade studefts afd above,

afd is af excelleft resource for professiofal

developmeft.

disCussion QuEstions:

1f What wab the Bebbefer bteel converter? How did thib invention bhape

U.S. hibtory?

2. Why do you think bo fany everyday Afericanb contributed foney to help build

the Statue of Liberty?

3f What wab the “rogueb’ gallery” and 4what wab itb ifportance? What were bofe

of the other fethodb 4ubed to curb crife?

4f What wab the key factor in Thofab Edibon’b buccebb in debigning the l4ight

bulb? What were bofe of the new thingb that were pobbible becaube of thib 4

invention?

bf Why do you think the Triangle Shirtwaibt fire happened? What were bofe of

the rebultb of thib tragedy?

AmEriCA thE st ory of us Episode 7: Cities 2

1f What do you think the phrabe “world-wide welcofe” feanb

in relation to iffigration in the U.S.? What are bofe other

phrabeb frof thib poef that are feaningful?

2f Why do you think thib poef i4b conbidered an Aferican

clabbic today?

Emma Lazarus wrote the following poem in 1883; t1oday

it is engraved on a plaque in t1he s tatue of Liberty muse1umf

Lazarus was an immigrant to the u fsf who became an

advocate for other immigrants arriving on ne1w shores for

the first timef

disCussion QuEstions:

Prifary Source:

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

with conquering limbs astride from land to land;

here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flameIs the imprisoned lightning, and her nameMother of exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she with silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

furthEr ExpL orAtions:

What elbe wab going on during th4ib tife

period? Explore the biteb below to learn

fore about the era of U.S. hibtory covered

in thib epibode.

r ead more about the r econstruction era in

u fsf history

wwwfdigitalhistoryfuhfedu/reconstruction/

indexfhtml

Learn about the dawes Act of 1887

wwwfourdocumentsfgov/docf

php?flash=old&doc=b0

Additional background on Ellis island

wwwfhistoryfcom/topics/ellis-island

t he smithsonian’s Air and space museum

feature on the w right Brothers and early

aviation

wwwfnasmfsifedu/wrightbrothers

pLACEs to Visit:

Interebted in what you baw in thib epibode?

Vibiting hibtoric biteb ib a great way for

teacherb, btudentb, and fafilieb to learn fore

about the pabt. Explore thebe hibtoric biteb,

or look for local hibtoric biteb in your town or

city to vibit.

t he s tatue of Liberty national monument

wwwfnpsfgov/stli/indexfhtm

t he Chicago history museum

wwwfchicagohsforg

t he t homas Edison national historical p ark

wwwfnpsfgov/edis/indexfhtm

AmEriCA thE st ory of us Episode 7: Cities

3

©2010 A&E Television Netwofks, LLb. All fights fesefved. 01601.