TEACHER RESOURCE LESSON PLAN PROFILES OF INFLUENTIAL DETROITERS MI GLCES – GRADE THREE SOCIAL STUDIES H3 – History of Michigan Through Statehood • 3-H3.0.1 – Identify questions historians ask in examining the past in Michigan. • 3-H.3.0.7 - Use a variety of primary and secondary sources to construct a historical narrative about daily life in the early settlements of Michigan. • 3-H3.0.8 – Use case studies or stories to describe how the ideas or actions of individuals affected the history of Michigan. COMMON CORE ANCHOR STANDARDS - ELA INTRODUCTION Reading This lesson helps third grade students understand • 1 - Read closely to determine what the text says the life and culture in Detroit after the Americans explicitly and to make logical inferences from took control of the settlement in 1796, through its it; cite specific textual evidence when writing involvement in the War of 1812. The lesson includes or speaking to support conclusions drawn from a comprehensive background essay, a list of the text. additional resources, and copies of worksheets and primary sources. • 9 - Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS authors take. Who were key early Detroiters, and how did their Writing actions help the city of Detroit grow and develop? • 1 - Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using LEARNING OBJECTIVES valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient Students will: evidence. • Understand the role selected individuals played in the development and growth of Detroit. • List the characteristics and personal values needed to be an influential leader in the community. • Understand the historical beginnings of Detroit chronologically and in a specific time frame. LESSON PLAN: PROFILES OF INFLUENTIAL DETROITERS BACKGROUND ESSAY The Great Fire of 1805 just come from Washington, D.C., a city with a street The community of traders, farmers, tradesmen, plan based on Paris, France. He offered to create a and families at the edge of the Detroit River grew new city design based on the hexagon with diagonal to almost 500 people during the 1700s. In 1802, roads radiating out from the city’s center. He Territorial Governor St. Clair incorporated Detroit as promised property to the townspeople if they agreed a town with five Trustees to make laws, levy taxes, to wait for a survey to design the new plan. They and keep order. John Askin, a successful fur trader agreed to the plan. Among these citizens were the who owned a vast shipping fleet, was one of the first African American property owners in the city. first trustees. Detroit was scheduled to become the As the new city was constructed, the complete capital city of the newly formed Michigan Territory on hexagonal design of Woodward’s survey became too July 1, 1805. complex. The City was still designed around three Just as Detroit’s future looked promising, a main diagonal spokes - Gratiot, Michigan and Grand terrible disaster occurred – the Great Fire of 1805. A River Avenue - which remain major thoroughfares baker was in his stable and he knocked ashes from of Detroit today. Grand Circus Park, in downtown his pipe. It was a hot, Detroit, is another piece windy day at the river’s of Woodward’s plan. edge, and the wind blew In just 14 years, the hot ashes into a pile of the population of hay and fanned the flames Detroit doubled and the until both the barn and city was rebuilt, with the bakery were ablaze. broader streets and The alarm sounded and more brink buildings. Detroit’s only fire engine New industries – arrived.Townspeople fishing, lumber, textiles, formed bucket brigades, gristmills, and breweries but they could not stop began to do business. the brisk wind from Steamboats transported spreading the fire. passengers all over the Many citizens Great Lakes. The new frantically gathered their animals, loaded up their City of Detroit would become very important to the most prized possessions, and fled through the gates history of Michigan. of the town. In just six hours nothing was left where the houses once stood but a blanket of ashes, with The War of 1812 black chimneys rising up through the smoke. Only In the midst of Detroit’s rebirth, conflict Fort Lernoult, on the hill above the city, and one was brewing between the United States and warehouse at the river was spared. A century of England. The British were fighting the French in community growth was destroyed. the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, and the tensions Some people moved across the river to affected the new United States of America. There Sandwich (Windsor), Ontario or to other nearby were several reasons why America declared war towns. But almost two thirds stayed nearby. In just on England in 1812. A few of the more important three weeks William Hull, the new Michigan Territorial reasons included: governor, planned to arrive. Many townspeople The British were stopping American ships from decided to wait for his advice and make plans to trading with their enemy, France, by passing trade rebuild the city. restrictions. The Americans said the restrictions One of the Governor’s officials, Judge Augustus were illegal under international law, but the British Woodward, argued that the old city was badly continued to stop trade. planned, and should not be rebuilt again. He had The British were boarding American merchant LESSON PLAN: PROFILES OF INFLUENTIAL DETROITERS vessels, kidnapping crew members and forcing them Fort Malden and Amherstburg in Canada. However, to fight for the British in the war. Britain claimed that when they went to move on July 12, several of the crew members they grabbed were not American Hull’s soldiers refused to serve outside of the United citizens because they had been born in England. States. As a result, he stopped his advance, even However, several Americans had been pressed into though his smaller force would have outnumbered service for Britain. the British, which had only 300 soldiers and 400 The British were helping the Native Americans Native Americans. in the Northwest Territory, who wanted to push the Hull heard that a group of British and Native Americans out of the land they considered theirs. Americans were attacking forts north of Detroit. The United States government knew that their He feared that a large number of Native American forts and settlements in the Northwest Territory, warriors would attack Detroit from the north. He including Detroit, were threatened by the British, decided to attack Fort Malden on August 6, but he who were supporting Native American raids. The changed his mind and ordered American soldiers governor of Michigan back to Detroit on Territory at the time was August 8. He also was William Hull, who had few concerned about running soldiers to defend against out of necessary food and a British invasion or attacks supplies, since the supply by Native American tribes. lines to the south were President James Madison under attack by British ordered an army to be sent and Native American to protect Fort Detroit. forces. Madison also appointed Hull spent early William Hull to the rank of August trying to re- brigadier general, and set open his supply lines, him in charge of moving but was not successful. the new army from Ohio to Meanwhile, more British Detroit. He took command troops were arriving of three regiments of at Fort Malden. Major Ohio militia led by Colonels Lewis Cass, Duncan General Isaac Brock, the commander for Upper McArthur, and James Findlay. As they moved north Canada, moved troops across Lake Erie from to Detroit, they were joined by Lieutenant Colonel Niagara. He arrived at Amherstburg on August 13 James Miller’s 4th US Infantry. and met with Shawnee leader Tecumseh. They While Hull and the troops were moving north to instantly became allies against the Americans. With Detroit, war was officially declared. Unfortunately, a combined force of 730 soldiers and 600 warriors, Hull did not receive word of the declaration, and he the British army was still smaller than the American sent a ship ahead of him filled with his dispatches, troops in Detroit. personal correspondence, medical supplies and sick Brock read through the documents and soldiers. However, the British in Canada knew that dispatches that had been captured from Hull’s war had been declared and they captured the ship ship. He then knew the details about the size and off Fort Malden as it attempted to enter the Detroit condition of Hull’s army. Brock also learned that Hull River. was deeply afraid of an attack by Native Americans. When he reached Detroit on July 5, 1812, Hull’s Playing on this fear, he wrote a letter to other British troops gained an additional 140 Michigan militia commanders that asked them to stop sending Native members, which brought his force to around 2,200 Americans to Amherstburg because they already had men. Though short on food and supplies, Hull was 5,000. This letter, which was a lie, was allowed to fall commanded to cross the river and strike against into American hands. LESSON PLAN: PROFILES OF INFLUENTIAL DETROITERS Shortly thereafter, Brock sent Hull a letter MATERIALS USED: demanding his surrender. Part of the letter stated: Data Element “The force at my disposal authorizes me to require of you the immediate surrender of Fort Detroit. It is far • Profiles of Influential Detroiters from my intention to join in a war of extermination, Worksheet but you must be aware, that the numerous body of • Profiles of Influential Detroiters Indians who have attached themselves to my troops, will be beyond control the moment the contest commences…” LESSON SEQUENCE: Brock continued to deceive Hull by ordering the 1.