Overview

Author

Audience

Objectives

Materials

Procedures

Extension

Evaluation

Appendix

Iowa in Revolt: Rural Violence in the Early Years of the Depression

Lesson Overview

In March of 1931, a series of protests began in Cedar County, Iowa led by local dairy farmers who were resisting mandatory bovine tuberculosis testing that had been mandated in the state of Iowa for decades. The resulting protest took farmers from the Statehouse to the barnyard as they fought to repeal objectionable legislation. Other more violent acts of protest followed in western Iowa in 1932 as the Depression deepened and farm foreclosures in Iowa led the country. A Judge was nearly lynched, lawyers were threatened, Sheriffs were forced to kiss flags and that was just the beginning. The Farmers’ Holiday strike led to violent picketing and mob rule on Iowa roads.

This lesson focuses on the primary resources from 1930-33 that shed light on the justifications and the actions for the rural violence that occurred in Iowa prior to Roosevelt’s New Deal programs in Iowa. No significant acts of organized rural violence occurred after 1933.

After a thorough review of the documents, students will demonstrate their understanding of the situation in Iowa by partaking in a dinner party where they will be expected to converse and mingle with fellow diners mentioned in the documents they are all familiar with. Along the way students will also fill out graphic organizers to prepare them for the dinner party. Students will also have an opportunity to set the place cards for their fellow diners. There are also mini-lessons to provide analysis activities.

Lesson Author

Name:	Melanie Clark
School:	West Liberty High, West Liberty, IA

Lesson Audience

Grade Level	11-12	# of Class Periods	3
Class	AP US History	Length of Period	80 minutes

Objectives Back to Navigation Bar

Student will:

1. Analyze primary source documents
2. Apply existing knowledge from secondary sources and teacher lecture.
3. Prepare a script of possible topics and dinner conversation ideas to keep them occupied during appetizers and a 30 minute dinner.
4. Interact with fellow historical figures, embodying the viewpoints and perspectives appropriate to the situation in Iowa at the time.
5. Complete all assigned analysis graphic organizers.

Materials Back to Navigation Bar

General

1. The following list of documents are the scans/word documents/PDFs used on Day 1 at the primary source stations to be reproduced for students to examine.

- Photos from State Historical Society of Iowa, Robert Moore’s Photo Book of Iowa National Guard Unit, Company F, 168^th Regiment cow war photos.docx

- Letter from Frank S. Ward (State Historical Society of Iowa, Letters to Rev. Leo R. Ward from his Family) Letter from Frank S Ward.docx

- Transcript of H.R. Gross interview on Milo Reno and cow war (Herbert Hoover Presidential Library, Gross Papers Box 82, Folder 6) gross interview transc.pdf

- Letter from T.S. Ward (State Historical Society of Iowa, Letters to Rev. Leo R. Ward from his Family melrose letter on bank failure.docx

- Scrapbook page (State Historical Society of Iowa, Grant Munger Papers, Box 1) munger scrapbook.pdf

- Daily Iowan, November 7 Daily Iowan November 7.docx

- Daily Iowan, January 5 and 10 Daily Iowan January 5 and 10.docx

- Daily Iowan, April 28 Daily Iowan Friday april 28.docx

- Daily Iowan, April 29 Daily Iowan Saturday april 29.docx

- Daily Iowan, April 30 Daily Iowan Sunday april 30.docx

- Excerpts of the Depression Diary of Elmer Powers Excerpts from The Depression Diary of Elmer Powers.docx

- Excerpts of the Depression Diary of Mrs. Clara Ackerman Excerpts from The Depression Diary of Mrs.docx

- Scanned collection of documents from Hoover Presidential Library Collection of Herbert Hoover Presidential Library.docx (12 documents)

Online Resources (hyperlink)

1. See Citations on existing handouts for photographs from the Library of Congress collection, America from the FSA/OWI Black and White Photographs collection http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsahtml/fahome.html

Handouts (Handouts embedded in Appendix)

1. Document analysis note charts Document Analysis and Note Sheet.docx

2. Mini Lesson for Day 2 Tough Going poem.docx

3. Compare and Contrast for Day 2 Compare and Contrast pic.docx

4. Dinner Party Seating chart and conversation script for Day 3 depression era dinner party.docx

5. Dinner Party Guest List for Day 3 Dinner Guests for dinner party.docx

6. Homework Chart for Day 3 The Thirties in Iowa wkst1.docx

Classroom Procedures Back to Navigation Bar

Prior Learning (background information, vocabulary)

The student will need to know:

1. The secondary source information contained within their textbook and have access to existing lectures.
2. The basic timeline and essential questions from the Great Depression Unit
3. The basic New Deal legislation and have read at least through FDR’s first One Hundred Days

Day 1:

1. Students are placed in their cooperative groups. Each group will begin at their assigned spot and will rotate from primary source station (#1) to the next station counter-clockwise. Each station contains a set number of documents (photos, transcripts, telegrams etc.). Students may access the documents at a later date if necessary but should take good notes at the time they are in their cooperative group. Groups are given 10 - 12 minutes before the timer goes off. Teacher should assist and guide as needed.
2. Repeat step #1 until all cooperative groups have made it full circle.

Day 2:

1. Students will individually complete the mini-lesson comparing and contrasting the poem “Tough Going” with images from rural Iowa.
2. Students will complete the compare and contrast activity.
3. Handout the Dinner Party Seating Chart and Conversation script.
4. Assign each student a name to represent.
5. Students individually work on the Dinner Party handout using their notes about the primary resources they analyzed the previous day.
6. Primary documents should remain out and at the disposal of students to view as they begin to formulate their position and conversation ideas.
7. Assign dinner party food items to bring to the dinner party potluck for the following day. (Finger foods and uncomplicated food is suggested; who wants to have the mess and the students can’t spend much time eating when they are being graded for the amount of conversation made)

Day 3

1. Divide the desks into two large dinner tables. Each table will have its own set of characters but the food will be shared buffet style. Students are not allowed to mingle outside of their own dinner party (otherwise, you might have dinner guest FDR from table 1 talking to dinner guest FDR from table 2).
2. 5 minutes of pre-dinner conversation as students enjoy appetizers.
3. Meanwhile, using a clipboard, the teacher needs to assess the conversations and amount of conversation and listening. Use the rubric to assess the quality of the conversation. Write down ideas that can be discussed in step 6.
4. Proceed to dinner. Allow the students a few minutes to load their plates and sit. Then begin to assess once again. Continue dinner for 20-30 minutes.
5. Stop the dinner party. Clean the dinner table and buffet and return the classroom to normalcy.
6. Discuss what students thought, what they learned, what was frustrating, what was funny. Use the time to steer the conversation back to the main ideas: why was there violence in Iowa, who was responsible or to blame for the situation, could it have been handled differently. Thoughts on the personalities involved.
7. As homework, have the students fill out the chart titled The Thirties in Iowa

Extension Back to Navigation Bar

Analyze lyrics of popular songs from the Great Depression and Compare and Contrast them with the words of Clara Ackerman, Elmer Powers, the family of Rev. Leo Ward. Have the students explain why there is such a striking contrast (who wants a sad song) and then have them write their own lyrics. Activity - lyrics in gd.docx

Students view photographs of Iowa farms and farmers available from the Library of Congress’ Black and White Photos from the FSA/OWI http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsahtml/fahome.html(a New Deal program that did a great job documenting the Great Depression). Students use their visual observations to take note of the photos and then use those observations to make well founded inferences about the state of disrepair or activities in the photos. Make inferences about whether the farm has phone, electricity, running water.

Use the Farm Security Administration Photographs available from the Library of Congress as visual references for students to write letters to President Roosevelt. Students can write letters criticizing the New Deal, advocating the effectiveness of the New Deal or the student can make suggestions that might help Roosevelt in crafting a better Second New Deal. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsahtml/fahome.html

Evaluation Back to Navigation Bar

RUBRIC for Depression Era Dinner Party

	0-1	2-3	4-5
Dinner Party Wkst Part I Seating Chart Justification	Seating chart was incomplete or lacked justification sufficient to place dinner guests at their seating assignment.	Seating chart was completed and justification was provided to explain why people were seated in particular locations. Justifications were either too vague or lacked evidence to support the conclusion.	Seating chart was completely filled in and seating placement was justified in regards to placing individuals in appropriate locations to prevent further violence and free flowing conversation.
Dinner Party Wkst Part II – Conversations/Script	The conversation information was too brief, may have lacked detail and was unspecific. Information from the primary resources was not used.	Question #3 on general topics was adequate but lacked information from the primary and secondary resources provided in class. Specific events may have had mistakes or lacked details for the script for your assigned person.	Question #3 on general topics was very thorough and demonstrated a knowledge of the individuals and their connection to the events of the era in Iowa. Events were specific and represented knowledge of primary sources and the specific person you were assigned (#4).
Dinner Party Exchanges and Mingling # minutes _________	Student conversation was infrequent and may have been limited to a listening role. The listening may have not been active.	Student was engaged in conversation and was an active listener and speaker for half of the dinner party. Student mingled and engaged in conversation with some members of the dinner table.	Student was engaged in conversation and was an active listener and speaker for most of the dinner party. Student mingled and conversed with many members of the dinner table. May have injected conversations to get other guests speaking.
Dinner Party Conversation Content	The conversation and give-and-take demonstrated a shaky knowledge of the era, the situation in Iowa, the person they represent and the other people at the table. Knowledge of primary resources was not demonstrated.	The conversation and give-and-take demonstrated a basic knowledge of the era, the situation in Iowa, the person they represent and an understanding of the other people at the table. Knowledge of primary resources was rarely demonstrated.	The conversation and give-and-take demonstrated a knowledge of the era, the situation in Iowa, the person they represent and an understanding of the other people at the table. Knowledge of primary resources is obvious.

Appendix Back to Navigation Bar

Handouts

Document Analysis Notes Chart Document Analysis and Note Sheet.docx

Mini Lesson for Day 2 Tough Going poem.docx

Compare and Contrast for Day 2 Compare and Contrast pic.docx

Dinner Party Seating chart and conversation script for Day 3 depression era dinner party.docx

Dinner Party Guest List for Day 3 Dinner Guests for dinner party.docx

Homework Chart for Day 3 The Thirties in Iowa wkst1.docx