The Great Prohibition Experiment
Goals and Objectives
Students will examine the Prohibition experiment in the United States during the 1920’s.
Students will analyze the causes and effects of the Eighteenth Amendment and the Volstead Act by examining primary source documents using the source, close read, contextualize, and collaborate process (SCCC).
Students will analyze the causes and effects of the Eighteenth Amendment and the Volstead Act by examining primary source documents using the source, close read, contextualize, and collaborate process (SCCC).
California state Content Standards
CHSS 11.5.3 Examine the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution and the Volstead Act (Prohibition).
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCRS 11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.3 Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.3 Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.
Essential Question
Why did the American people change their mind about Prohibition?
Lesson Introduction
Students will be given an index card and will complete a think-pair-share. Students will be asked to write three things down that come to their mind when they think about Prohibition. Students will then share their answers in pairs, and will then debrief as a class.
Vocabulary
Primary Source
Secondary Source
Corroborate
Thesis
Prohibition
Volstead Act
Saloon
Drys
Wets
Progressive Movement
Secondary Source
Corroborate
Thesis
Prohibition
Volstead Act
Saloon
Drys
Wets
Progressive Movement
Content Delivery
The focus of this lesson is the use and analysis of primary source documents. Students will learn how to utilize the Source, Close-Reading, Contextualize, and Corroborate (SCCC) method to dissect and analyze primary source documents. Students will be provided with a document explaining the SCCC method, which the instructor will review with the class.
Background information for the lesson will be provided via a background essay called “Prohibition: Why did America Change Its Mind?” The background essay also includes a worksheet of six questions which will be used to guide thinking. Students will use the background information as the basis of their essays to be constructed later. Students will read the documents in order to answer the essential question: Why did the American people change their minds about Prohibition?
Background information for the lesson will be provided via a background essay called “Prohibition: Why did America Change Its Mind?” The background essay also includes a worksheet of six questions which will be used to guide thinking. Students will use the background information as the basis of their essays to be constructed later. Students will read the documents in order to answer the essential question: Why did the American people change their minds about Prohibition?
Student Engagement
In groups of three, students will analyze four documents:
1. A cartoon entitled “Prohibition’s Pals”
2. A chart entitled “Per capita consumption of alcoholic beverages (gallons of pure alcohol) 1910-1929”
3. A chart entitled “Homicide Rate: 1910-1944”
4. An excerpt from an article entitled “The Inside of Prohibition”
As students read, they will follow the guiding questions on the SCCC sheet which will assist them in dissecting the documents. Students will then choose evidence that supports their thesis on why Americans changed their minds on Prohibition. To assist students in this task, they will engage in “bucketing.” On the guide sheet, students will find three large alcohol flasks. On these flasks, students will choose three reasons explained in the sources for why Prohibition failed and write them on the bottles. Then, they will write select quotes from the sources that support these ideas.
Students will then answer the following essay prompt: Why did Americans change their minds about Prohibition? Cite specific examples from the sources given. Students must be able to back up their claims with relevant information.
1. A cartoon entitled “Prohibition’s Pals”
2. A chart entitled “Per capita consumption of alcoholic beverages (gallons of pure alcohol) 1910-1929”
3. A chart entitled “Homicide Rate: 1910-1944”
4. An excerpt from an article entitled “The Inside of Prohibition”
As students read, they will follow the guiding questions on the SCCC sheet which will assist them in dissecting the documents. Students will then choose evidence that supports their thesis on why Americans changed their minds on Prohibition. To assist students in this task, they will engage in “bucketing.” On the guide sheet, students will find three large alcohol flasks. On these flasks, students will choose three reasons explained in the sources for why Prohibition failed and write them on the bottles. Then, they will write select quotes from the sources that support these ideas.
Students will then answer the following essay prompt: Why did Americans change their minds about Prohibition? Cite specific examples from the sources given. Students must be able to back up their claims with relevant information.
Lesson Closure
Students will complete a quickwrite on the following topic: Is alcohol an important part of American culture? Give specific examples why or why not.
Assessments
Formative: Instructor will monitor groupwork during the reading and analysis portion, and will be on hand to answer questions and redirect student thinking.
Summative: Instructor will collect essays and read the student responses. The instructor will examine the use of the documents, as well as the students overall writing style and writing skills. If students were unable to adequately provide evidence to support their claims, additional instruction on document analysis may be called for.
Summative: Instructor will collect essays and read the student responses. The instructor will examine the use of the documents, as well as the students overall writing style and writing skills. If students were unable to adequately provide evidence to support their claims, additional instruction on document analysis may be called for.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers, and Students with Special needs
English Learners, Striving Readers, and Students with Special Needs will be accommodated via a vocabulary sheet that includes simplified definitions.
Resources
Reading Like a Historian website
The DBQ Project Mini Q’s in American History Volume 2, Unit 3- “Prohibition: Why Did America Change Its Mind?”
“Prohibition’s Pals”
“Per capita consumption of alcoholic beverages (gallons of pure alcohol) 1910-1929”
“Homicide Rate: 1910-1944”
The DBQ Project Mini Q’s in American History Volume 2, Unit 3- “Prohibition: Why Did America Change Its Mind?”
“Prohibition’s Pals”
“Per capita consumption of alcoholic beverages (gallons of pure alcohol) 1910-1929”
“Homicide Rate: 1910-1944”