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Primary Source Lessons: The Invention of the Cotton Gin and Its Effect on the South

The Invention of the Cotton Gin and Its Effect on the South

Ronda Fulks

Sherman Elementary School; Sherman, IL

Overview:

During our study of the causes of the Civil War, students will investigate the effects the invention of the cotton gin had on the south and ultimately how this helped fuel the debate between the North and the South over the issue of slavery.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

identify the effects the invention of the cotton gin had on the South
identify how the invention of the cotton gin affected the lives of the slaves living on Southern plantations.

Time Requirement:

Two 35-40 minute lessons

Recommended Grade Levels:

4th - 6th grades

Standards and Assessment Anchors:

State Goal 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations.

C. Understand the development of economic systems.
16.C.2a (US) Describe how slavery and indentured servitude influenced the early economics of the United States.

D. Understand Illinois, United States and world social history.
16.C.2c (W) Describe basic economic changes that led to the and resulted from the manorial agricultural system, , the industrial revolution, the rise of the capitalism and the information/communication revolution.

E. Understand Illinois, United States and world environmental history.
16.E.2b. (W) Identify individuals and their inventions (e.g. Watt/steam engine, Nobel/TNT, Edison/electric light) which influenced world environmental history.

Resources:

http://www.cottonman.com/cotton.htm (Contact for purchasing cotton bolls)

http://www.superstock.com/stock-photography/cotton/boll (Cotton Plants)

Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938
Texas Narratives, Volume XVI, Part 3

http://www.slaveryinamerica.org/history/hs_es_cotton.htm (Tables)

From Slavery to Civil Rights: A Timeline of African American History

The Thomas Jefferson Papers Series 1. General Correspondence. 1651-1827
Thomas Jefferson to Eli Whitney, November 16, 1793

http://www.picturehistory.com/product/id/1180

Procedures:

Vocabulary:

Preview the following words before students are placed in groups: cotton boll, cotton gin, economical, profitable

Anticipatory Set:

The teach will distribute a cotton boll to each student. Students will be directed to separate the soft white lint from the seeds. (Cotton bolls can be purchased online from the "cottonman" web site listed above in Resources.) This will enable students to experience first-hand what it is like to pick the seeds from cotton. Students will discuss how difficult it was to remove the seeds.

Students will be shown photographs of cotton fields, from the following web site: http://www.superstock.com/stock-photography/cotton/boll (Most students living in Illinois have never seen cotton growing in a field.)

Activate Prior Knowledge:

In which colonial region was cotton a cash crop?
Who worked in the cotton fields on the southern plantation and why were they needed?

Small Group Activity:

Distribute the packet of material to each student. Place students in groups of three to four and ask each group to read and discuss the information in the packet together. Each student will write an answer to each question in his/her own packet. Allow at least 45 minutes to complete the packet (See Below).

Evaluation of Group Work:

Students will evaluate each member of his/her group using a rubric (See below).

Culminating Writing Activity:

After completing the packet with group members, each student will be given Essay worksheet to be completed individually. (See attached essay directions.) A rubric will be used to evaluate the student's understanding of the objectives.

Modifications:

Students could dictate the essay to another student or the teacher.
The group could complete one packet and copies could be made for all group members. (One student in the group would fill out the packet for the group.)

Worksheets:

Slaves and Cotton page 1

Slaves and Cotton page 2

The Invention of the Cotton Gin in 1793

Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Eli Whitney

The Cotton Gin and Its Effect on Slavery page 1

The Cotton Gin and Its Effect on Slavery page 2

Essay

Collaborative Work Skills: Cotton Gin

Teacher Name: Mrs. Fulks

Student Name: _______________________________________

Category	4	3	2	1
Focus on the Task	Consistently stays focused on the task and what needs to be done. Very self-directed.	Focuses on the task and what needs to be done most of the time. Other group members can count on this person.	Focuses on the task and what needs to be done some of the time. Other group members must sometimes nag, prod, and remind to keep this person on task.	Rarely focuses on the task and what needs to be done. Lets others do the work.
Contributions	Routinely provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A definite leader who contributes a lot of effort.	Usually provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A strong group member who tries hard.	Sometimes provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A satisfactory group member who does what is required.	Rarely provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. may refuse to participate.
Working with Others	Almost always listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others. Tries to keep people working well together.	Usually listens to, shares with, and support the efforts of others. Does not cause "waves" in the group.	Often listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others, but sometimes is not a good team member.	Rarely listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others. Often is not a good team player.

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