Focus: This lesson will center on an interdisciplinary theme combining history and language arts. Students will use their historical analysis skills to compose a creative, descriptive journal of their experience in Washington D.C. through the eyes of different "characters" in history.

Vital Themes and Narratives: Patterns of Social and Political Interaction. Civilization, Cultural Diffusion and Innovation.

Habit of Mind: #1-Understand the significance of the past to their own lives, both private and public, and to their society. #3-Perceive past events and issues as they were experienced by people at the time, to develop historical empathy as opposed to present-mindedness. #10-Recognize the importance of individuals who have made a difference in history, and the significance of personal character for both good and ill.

Objectives: The students will be able to describe the cultural and political climate of our nations capital by:

• reading and discussing excerpts from Carl Abbott's book, Political Terrain Washington D.C.: From Tidewater Town to Global Metropolis
• analyzing pictures of women, protestors and maps of early Washington from the Library of Congress
• creating their own fictional journal of a person's life and thereby, gaining a special understanding of life at that time in the capital

Activities:

1. Washington D.C. map on overhead with discussion from Abbott's book of its location and why the area was chosen along with those that chose it. (Possible character for journal could be George Washington, Pierre L'Enfant, or another planner of the city). Excerpt from pg. 28.
2. Women's photographs on overhead with discussion from Abbott's book on the role of women in Washington D.C. with a comparison to women's cultural ancestry. (Possible character for journal could be a woman from Boston or Charleston seeking employment in the city). Excerpts from pg. 93-97.
3. Discussion of others influenced by the "promises" Washington held including: free blacks, politicians, and protestors.
4. Bonus Veteran photograph analyzed with an emphasis on the influence of Washington as a place of free speech and protest.

Sources: Library of Congress Photographs

Horydczak, Theodor. "Washington D.C. Photographs."
http:// lcweb2.loc.gov 6 February 2002.

"Washington D.C. Photographs." October 1998. http://memory.loc.gov
6 February 2002.

Abbott, Carl. Political Terrain Washington D.C.: From Tidewater Town to Global Metropolis. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1999.

Assessment: Students will write a fictional 1 page journal from a characters' point-of-view who sought opportunity in Washington D.C. Examples of characters can include:

• George Washington
• Pierre L'Enfant or planner of the city
• free black (African-American)
• Charleston woman
• Boston woman
• male or female politician
• protestor
• European tourist visiting the city

Some questions to be answered include:

1. What opportunity did this person see in Washington?
2. Describe the process of finding their "place" in the city?
3. What was the political and social climate in the city at this time?
4. Did they find what they were looking for in Washington whether it was power, employment, satisfaction in creation, acceptance, or assistance from the government?
5. Inclusion of historical details.

Journal will be graded on format, creativity, grammar and spelling, and understanding of topic with facts and historical details.