SECONDARY CURRICULUM - UNIT 1
Essential Questions:
- Why do people move to unknown places to live?
- What challenges do people face as they move into undeveloped places?
- What important information needs to be considered when moving?
- How do resources (lack of or abundance of) affect people’s moves?
- How did people survive in an era with few resources?
- How do people accumulate resources?
Key People, Events and Vocabulary
- Solomon Juneau
- Byron Kilbourn
- George Walker
- Increase Lapham
- Jacques Vieau
- Alexander Mitchell
- The Bridge War
- Schooner
- Commerce
- Exchange (as a place)
Community Connections
- Use A History Lover’s Guide to Milwaukee to plan a tour of downtown Milwaukee. Allow students to take photographs of the buildings, bridges and monuments and restaurants located in the downtown area. Afterward, have students create presentations of what they saw. Students can work in groups on different themes.
Nelsen, James. (2021). A History Lover’s Guide to Milwaukee. The History Press.
- Visit a downtown business. Ask the businessperson for a tour and explanation of what they do. Have students interview the businessperson. Questions could include:
- Why did you choose to establish this business?
- Why did you choose this location?
- How long has been in operation
- What types of people does your business serve?
- How do your products/services help Milwaukeeans?
- What is your revenue and expenses?
If it is not possible to bring students downtown, invite local business people in for a career-day activity. Afterward, students can compare business practices from the nineteenth century to business practices today.
Milwaukee PBS
Chapter 1: Natives and Traders
Milwaukee PBS
Chapter 2: New Frontiers
Milwaukee PBS
Chapter 3: King Wheat
