The 1840S Lesson Plan

The 1840s Lesson Plan

Objective: 1. To discover and explore the history of California in the 1840s

Time: 30-45 minutes

Materials: 1. “The 1840s”

Directions: 1. Distribute “The 1840s.” 2. Review the definition of “decade” with your students. Mention that a decade in history often has unique characteristics. Make certain that the students realize that these changes occur gradually and not automatically on January 1 of a new decade. You may want to have students list some unique characteristics of today (e.g., work, travel, leisure) to begin the lesson. 3. Introduce the 1840s. Explain to students that they will be studying three important decades during their Additional activities: “Journey.” By studying this time span 1. Writing exercise: Using the 1840s decade sheet as a students will learn how life changed reference, ask students to imagine that they just arrived to not only in the San Gabriel Valley but the pueblo Los Angeles and are writing a letter to a friend throughout California, discovering how or family member back in the United States describing people’s lives changed and how that what it is like in California during that decade. Have affected them (e.g., new inventions, students give their opinion on how they like living in education, work). California. 4. Have students read “The 1840s” 2. Research: Have students select a theme to research, individually, in pairs, groups, or as a such as methods of travel, building materials, types of class. Vocabulary words are in bold. jobs, leisure activities and compare and contrast what 5. When finishedpoint out the is happening in California to what is happening in the highlights of the 1840s—the population United States in the 1840s. Why is there a difference? of Los Angeles, what kind of work Does population density, availability of goods, access to people did, what kind of houses they technology, etc. influence how people live? Have students lived in, how they traveled, and what compare how they live today with how people lived in the they did for fun. Each of these topics 1840s. What are the biggest changes that have occurred? will be discussed with students when Have students present their findings and encourage them they visit the Homestead Museum. to include charts, images, and/or audio. 6. Compare the highlights of the 1840s with the 1870s and 1920s after Links to standards studying each of the decades. History/Social Studies: 4.2.5, 4.2.8, 4.3.1, 4.4.2 Language Arts: RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.4, RF.4.3, RF.4.4a&c, W.4.1a-d, W.4.3a-e, W.4.4, W.4.7, SL.4.1, SL.4.2, SL.4.3, SL.4.5

Homestead Museum: A Journey Through Time © Historical Resources, Inc. The 1840s Volume 1 A Journey Through Time Special Edition The Far West Meet Early Yankee Ship To In the Far West there Pioneers Arrive is a territory called If you go to Los A trading ship from California. Have you Angeles, be sure to the United States is heard of it? It stretches visit pioneers William expected to arrive on along the West Coast of Workman and John the coast this week. All North America and is Rowland. They came to rancho owners who want part of Mexico. Hardly Yankee California in 1841 and to barter their hides and anyone lives there. That received a large land tallow need to meet the Ship is why it is called a grant called Rancho La ship when it arrives. The Arrives! frontier. If you do go Puente. The rancho is ship will be carrying The Pilgrim recently arrived by ship or overland in with the latest in merchandise almost 49,000 acres. the latest merchandise. a wagon, it can take up from the United States! Among Among the products the goods for sale are to six months traveling available will be shoes, from Boston. When Steel pens doz at $1.50 candles, soap, spices, you arrive in the town Candle molds at $2.00 shawls, chocolate, and Tea at $2.00 of Los Angeles, all you fireworks. Shoes at $2.50 see is desert. In fact, the Cotton shirt at $2.50 Mexican government Macaroni at $6.00 Chocolate at $15.00 has to give land away to Shawls at $15.00 get people to live there. At Stearns Landing All Invited To Los Angeles Fiesta R O D E O Yesterday, William Vaqueros Wanted Biggest Town Workman announced a Apply to W. Workman Rancho La Puente The biggest town in rodeo on his rancho. All southern California is vaqueros and vaqueras At War El Pueblo de Nuestra must brand the calves It seems like Mexico $1,000! $1,000! Señora la Reina de and slaughter the older may soon be at war and 1,000 head of cattle offered by Don Pío Pico in los Angeles, but most cattle for their hides and with the United States. people call it Los The Yankees want all a horse race of 800 yards tallow. After the rodeo, against his Sarco. Angeles for short. It Workman plans to have the land between the has a population of 2,000 a big fiesta. Everyone East and West Coasts Blacksmithing of All Types people. Most people who is invited. There will be including California. Hardware Ironwork live there are Gabrieliño lots of music, dancing, Governor Pío Pico urges Wheels Horseshoeing Indians, Californios, or food, and games. No all young men to prepare On Wine Street Mexicans. They live in one will want to miss to fight and join the adobe houses. Imagine this party. Mexican army. We all  Gold is rumored to that!—living in a house wonder how life in have been found north of made out of mud and California will change Los Angeles in Placerita Cañon. Some people have straw. if the Yankees win. already gone to investigate.