Learning About Migration: “The Orphan Train” Using Primary Sources By Terence Madden

Objective: Students will understand purpose and reasons for migration within the United States during the turn of the century.

Objective: Students will focus on one migration in particular, children on the Orphan Train, an experience of moving children from the crowded big cities of the East like New York and Boston to the rural Midwest.

Materials Website on background information on the historical orphan train experience. Seven primary resource photos Orphan Train advertisement Notice of Arrival, written by Sisters of Charity Worksheet: photo analysis Assessment worksheet Website on background information on the historical orphan train experience. Seven primary resource photos Orphan Train advertisement Notice of Arrival, written by Sisters of Charity Worksheet: photo analysis Assessment worksheet

State of Michigan Learning Standards Social Studies Content Expectations: GOAL 4: Human Systems Understand how human activities help shape the earth's surface. 4 - G4.0.1 Use a case study or story about migration within or to the United States to identify push and pull factors (why they left, why they came) that influenced the migration. Social Studies Content Expectations: GOAL 4: Human Systems Understand how human activities help shape the earth's surface. 4 - G4.0.1 Use a case study or story about migration within or to the United States to identify push and pull factors (why they left, why they came) that influenced the migration.

Immigration - Migration Defined Migrate - Immigrate - Emigration - Migrate - Immigrate - Emigration -

Immigration - Migration Defined Migrate - to move from one place to another; to move from one region or country to another. Immigration - the coming into a new country. Emigration - the coming out of a country Migrate - to move from one place to another; to move from one region or country to another. Immigration - the coming into a new country. Emigration - the coming out of a country

Getting Started Why do individuals and families move from one place to another?

Getting Started Do most people freely choose to move?.

Getting Started Did the Orphan Train children choose to move west?

Primary and Secondary Sources A Brief Overview - What is a primary resource? - What is a secondary source?

Primary Sources A contemporary account of an event Written by someone who experienced or witnessed an event Can be published or unpublished A contemporary account of an event Written by someone who experienced or witnessed an event Can be published or unpublished

Common Primary Sources Diary Entries Magazine or Newspaper Articles Photographs Audio and Video Recordings Memoirs Speeches Interviews Diary Entries Magazine or Newspaper Articles Photographs Audio and Video Recordings Memoirs Speeches Interviews

Analyzing Primary Sources Benefit of primary sources - First Hand accounts can provide details into what it was like to live during the event Disadvantage of primary sources - Primary sources are often influenced by human emotion Benefit of primary sources - First Hand accounts can provide details into what it was like to live during the event Disadvantage of primary sources - Primary sources are often influenced by human emotion

Secondary Sources A source written after the event occurred Combines research of many primary sources Often a published work A source written after the event occurred Combines research of many primary sources Often a published work

Common Secondary Sources Classroom textbook Essays Biographies Documentaries Any books written about a period or event in history Classroom textbook Essays Biographies Documentaries Any books written about a period or event in history

Analyzing Secondary Sources Benefit of secondary sources - Author can combine several points of view Disadvantage of secondary sources - The author is not an eyewitness Benefit of secondary sources - Author can combine several points of view Disadvantage of secondary sources - The author is not an eyewitness

Prime Time Here are two primary resource photos from the Library of Congress online “American Memory” collection entitled, “Immigrants on Atlantic Liner” and “Mulberry Street, New York City” from around 1900.

Observations and Inferences On board the liner, what are the people wearing? Is it cold? They are all wearing overcoats, so it must be cold In the Mulberry Street photo, there are many people and carts in the street so they must be selling things. There are no cars, so it must be a long time ago. On board the liner, what are the people wearing? Is it cold? They are all wearing overcoats, so it must be cold In the Mulberry Street photo, there are many people and carts in the street so they must be selling things. There are no cars, so it must be a long time ago.

Student Activity - Photo Analysis There are between four to six students seated around five different tables. Every table will be given a different photo related to the Orphan Train experience to examine. The whole class therefore will be examining five different photos.

Student Activity - Observing Take two minutes and then form an overall impression from the photo and the particulars of each photo.  List what you see on the photo analysis worksheet. Take two minutes and then form an overall impression from the photo and the particulars of each photo.  List what you see on the photo analysis worksheet.

Student Activity - Making Inferences Now list things you can infer from this photograph, continuing with the photo analysis worksheet.

Sharing Table 1 Table 2 Table 3 Table 4 Table 5 Table 1 Table 2 Table 3 Table 4 Table 5

Assessment Answer the questions on the Assessment paper.

Follow Up Next week we are going to read Eve Bunting's book, Train to Somewhere which describes a forced migration of orphans at the turn of the 20th century from a big city, New York, to rural and small city areas in the Midwest in the hopes of finding new homes.

Great job!. Any Questions?