Investigation 6: Going to Town


NYS Learning Standards: SS 1.4 (interpreting history)


Grade Level: 3-8


Essential Question: Why might canallers have gone into town?

no title

(6.1.A)
[rpf00327] Courtesy of the Rochester Public Library, Local History Division


no title

(6.2.A)
From insert of Charter and Directory of the City of Rochester. Rochester: C. & M. Morse, 1834. Courtesy of the Schuyler C. Townson Library, Rochester Museum & Science Center, Rochester, NY


no title

(6.3.A-1)
From Hamilton Child's Gazetteer and Business Directory of Monroe County, N.Y., for 1869-70. Rochester: Erastus Darrow, 1869. p. 12-15. Courtesy of the Brighton Town Historian Collection


no title

(6.3.A-2)
From Hamilton Child's Gazetteer and Business Directory of Monroe County, N.Y., for 1869-70. Rochester: Erastus Darrow, 1869. p. 12-15. Courtesy of the Brighton Town Historian Collection


no title

(6.3.A-3)
From Hamilton Child's Gazetteer and Business Directory of Monroe County, N.Y., for 1869-70. Rochester: Erastus Darrow, 1869. p. 12-15. Courtesy of the Brighton Town Historian Collection


no title

(6.3.A-4)
From Hamilton Child's Gazetteer and Business Directory of Monroe County, N.Y., for 1869-70. Rochester: Erastus Darrow, 1869. p. 12-15. Courtesy of the Brighton Town Historian Collection


no title

(6.4.A)
From The Rochester Telegraph, Tues. June 28, 1825. p. 2, col. 6.


no title

(6.4.B)
From Rochester Observer, Thursday July 7, 1831. p. 3, col. 2.


no title

(6.4.C)
Excerpted from http://www.history.rochester.edu/CANAL/BIB/1829/ Courtesy of the Department of History, University of Rochester


no title

(6.5.A)
From Canfield & Warren's Directory of the City of Rochester, For 1845-6. Rochester: Canfield & Warren, 1845. p. 28, Advertisements Section. Courtesy of the Schuyler C. Townson Library, Rochester Museum & Science Center, Rochester, NY


no title

(6.5.B)
From Dewey's Rochester City Directory For 1853-54. Rochester: D. M. Dewey, Arcade Hall, 1853. p. 13, Advertisements Section. Courtesy of the Schuyler C. Townson Library, Rochester Museum & Science Center, Rochester, NY


no title

(6.5.C)
From Canfield & Warren's Directory of the City of Rochester, For 1845-6. Rochester: Canfield & Warren, 1845. p. 3, Advertisements Section. Courtesy of the Schuyler C. Townson Library, Rochester Museum & Science Center, Rochester, NY


no title

(6.5.D)
From Canfield & Warren's Directory of the City of Rochester, For 1845-6. Rochester: Canfield & Warren, 1845. p. 13, Advertisements Section. Courtesy of the Schuyler C. Townson Library, Rochester Museum & Science Center, Rochester, NY

Activity 6.1: What Do You see?

Document 6.1.A: Engraving of Rochester aqueduct


    1. Describe the buildings and bridges shown in the picture.
    1. What do you think people would do in this town?
    1. What details in the picture help you with your decision?
    1. Record your findings about this town and compare them to what other members of your team have recorded.

Activity 6.2: What Can We Learn From This Document About Why Canallers Went Into Town?

Document 6.2.A: Rochester, 1834


    1. Select a partner and together record your answers to the following questions:

      • What type of document is this?
      • What is the date of the document?
      • What are some of the features of the document?
      • Is it handwritten, or typed?
      • Are there any unique designs on the document, like a special seal?
      • What are the points of interest in this document?
    1. Working alone, make a list that tells why you think this document was created. Also, what do you notice about the river?
    1. What do you notice about the canal?
    1. Working as a group, given the information in the document, tell why canallers might have gone into town.

Activity 6.3: What Can We Learn From a Set of Documents About Why Canallers Might Have Gone Into Town?

Document 6.3.A-1: Business directory, 1869-70 (p.12)
Document 6.3.A-2: Business directory, 1869-70 (p.13)
Document 6.3.A-3: Business directory, 1869-70 (p.14)
Document 6.3.A-4: Business directory, 1869-70 (p.15)


    1. What kind of documents do you think these are?
    1. Where were they written, and for whom?
    1. What is their purpose?
    1. Why might canallers have gone into town?

Activity 6.4: What Can We Learn From Quotations About Why Canallers Went Into Town?

Document 6.4.A: Text from The Rochester Telegraph, 1825
Document 6.4.B: Text from Rochester Observer, 1831
Document 6.4.C: Travel memoir, 1829-30


    1. In each of these documents, who is speaking?
    1. In each of these documents, what mood is conveyed?
    1. What do the conversations reveal about why canallers went to town?
    1. Pretend you are one of the speakers and write down some of your thoughts. Exchange notes with a partner to continue the conversation.

Activity 6.5: What Can We Learn From Advertisements About Why Canallers Went Into Town?

Document 6.5.A: Advertisement, 1845
Document 6.5.B: Advertisement, 1853
Document 6.5.C: Advertisement, 1845
Document 6.5.D: Advertisement, 1845


    1. What is the purpose of each advertisement?
    1. Who produced these advertisements?
    1. Who are the intended audiences?
    1. For each advertisement, What does the author hope the audience will do?
    1. Are these advertisements persuasive? Why or why not?
    1. Create an advertisement specifically aimed at canallers. What would appeal to canallers’ needs?

Assessment:

Write an answer to the essential question: Why might canallers have gone to town?


 
Share