Capitol Visitors Center, Pre-Visit Lesson Plan 7th Grade Letters from the Battlefield I. Objectives A. Students will learn to differentiate between primary and secondary sources. B. Students will read, analyze and compare letters written during the Texas Revolution and the Iraq War. II. TEKS Covered in this Lesson A. Explain the issues surrounding significant events of the Texas Revolution (7.3C). B. Analyze the impact of major events in the early 21st century such as major conflicts (7.7F). C. Difference between and use valid primary sources and secondary sources (7.21A). D. Analyze information by comparing, contrasting and drawing inferences and conclusions (7.21B). III. Materials A. Combat Comparison sheets (print below page 3 & 7). B. John C. Logan letter and transcript (print below pages 4-6). C. E-mail and transcript from Dexter Kimble (print below pages 8-9). IV. Activities A. Introduction: Primary Sources 1. Discuss with students how they receive information about what is going on with friends and how they learn about what is going on in the world (texting, phone, e- mail, internet, television, etc.). 2. Ask the students how their parents communicated with friends and gathered information (phone, letter, newspaper, television). Ask them to compare that with people communication 150 years ago (letter, newspaper, word of mouth, pamphlet, etc.). 3. Historians when they are trying to figure out what has happened in the past have to use different sources of information. a. Primary sources: actual records that have survived from the past (letters, photographs, music, clothing or art). b. Secondary sources: accounts of the past written by someone after the event (books, articles or textbooks). c. If you wrote an e- mail to a friend describing an event you attended that e- mail is a primary source. If someone who was not at the event wrote a story about the event based on other people's descriptions, their story would be a secondary source. 4. Correspondence represents one type of primary source that is extremely valuable. a. Letters (and now e-mails) can describe important people and events. 1 b. But the information is provided through the lens of an individual person and allows us to engage the past on a personal level. B. Primary Source Analysis 1. Divide up the students into two groups. 2. One group will read a letter from a soldier who fought and died in the Texas Revolution. The other group will read an e- mail written by a Texas soldier who died during the Iraq War. 3. Provide each group with their document, transcript and combat comparison sheet. 4. The transcript for the letter of John C. Logan includes both the original language as well as an edited version into standard English grammar and syntax for ease of use. The Dexter Kimble transcript has not been edited. 5. Have each group share their findings with the entire class. C. Extension Activities 1. The Houston Chronicle has included numerous e- mails & letters from soldiers killed in Iraq on their website http://www.chron.com/news/lettersfromiraq/ . Some of the individuals, including Dexter Kimble, have videos of family/friends reading the correspondence accompanied by photographs. 2. Students could also compare the letters of John Logan and Dexter Kimble to the famous letter of William B. Travis from the Alamo http://texasheritagesociety.org/The-Travis-Letter-Victory-or-Death.html. 2 Combat Comparison 1 1. Who wrote the letter? Who received it? 2. When (date) was it written? How was it delivered to the recipient? 3. What event does the writer describe? Summarize the story provided by the author. 4. What are the conditions in the Texas Army at this time? 5. How would you describe the author's attitude? 6. Put yourself in the place of the author. What do you think the person thought/felt at the time? 7. Put yourself in the place of the recipient. What do you think the person thought/felt upon receiving this letter? 8. What are two things you learned about the Texas Revolution from this letter? 3 4 Original Letter from John C. Logan John C. Logan came to Texas to fight with a group of volunteers from Kentucky. He served under Colonel James Fannin and died at Goliad, a month after writing this letter. Goliad Texas 24th Feby 1836 Most Respected friend I again take the liberty Of adressing a few lines to you to let you know That I am well at Present whoping that these Few lines may find you in the same. Our Company has just returned to this from San Patricio on the front eer of Texas & in a few days are Going to march Bexar we have seen some Hard times in the country for the last 2 Month we have ben living Entirely on beef & We are all most naked as we are cuting Up tent cloth to make us Panteloons & Every man is his own Taylor in this Army & a good many of us are bare footed & worst of all the the Schooner that was bringing provision & clothes has been wrecked She was from New Orleans & bound to Copeno & we all undergo fatigue that we would not do if wer in the U.S. & all for the chance of up triping a few mexicans I did intend to return to the united states at this time but there is a force from mexico of about 7000 men marching to retake this Country again & our whole force at this time dont Exceed 800 men but we are willing to meet them when Ever the arive there is no corn nor flour in this country I have not heard from any of my friend since I left this Country the U. States this is one of the most desireble climates that I have Ever been in but I dont like to live (illegible) (in a?) fronteer Country (illegible) (no?) more at present but Remains your OS Good Bye J C Logan 5 Edited Transcript of John C. Logan's Letter Goliad Texas 24th February 1836 Most Respected friend, I again take the liberty of addressing a few lines to you to let you know that I am well at present. Hoping that these few lines may find you in the same. Our company has just returned to from San Patricio on the frontier of Texas and in a few days are going to march Bexar. We have seen some hard times in the country for the last two months. We have been living entirely on beef and we are all most naked as we are cutting up tent cloth to make us pantaloons. Every man is his own tailor in this army and good many of us are bare footed. Worst of all the schooner that was bringing provision and clothes has been wrecked. She was from New Orleans and bound to Copano [Copano Bay near present-day Rockport]. We all undergo fatigue that we would not if we were in the U.S. all for the chance of up tripping a few Mexican. I did intend to return to the United States at this time but there is a force from Mexico of about 7000 men marching to retake this country again and our whole force at this time does not exceed 800 men. But we are willing to meet them whene ver they arrive. There is no corn nor flour in this country. I have not heard from any of my friends since I left the Unite States. This [Texas] is one of the most desirable climates that I have ever been in but I don't like to live in a frontier country. Good Bye J C Logan 6 Combat Comparison 2 1. Who wrote the e- mail? Who received it? 2. When (date) was it written? How was it delivered to the recipient? 3. What event does the writer describe? Summarize the story provided by the author. 4. What are the conditions in the U.S. Army at the time? 5. How would you describe the author's attitude? 6. Put yourself in the place of the author. What do you think the person thought/felt at the time? 7. Put yourself in the place of the recipient. What do you think the person thought/felt upon receiving this e- mail? 8. What are two things you learned about the Iraq War from this e- mail? 7 8 E-mail from Dexter Kimble Marine Staff Sergeant Dexter S. Kimble, of Houston, was killed when his helicopter crashed in a desert sandstorm near Ar Rutbah, Iraq. He was 30. From: To: Subject: Date: Kimble, SSgt Dexter S Andrea Kimble RE: JUST SAYING HI Tue. 19 Oct 2004 Dear: family I got the box. It was a welcome surprise because I wasn't expecting it. We haven't been able to do laundrey for a while and the new under war will definitely be used. Life here is still better than what we had in Kuwait. I'm tipping the scales at about 199 lbs. and we get plenty to eat in the chow hall. I'm working in Maintanence Control now and its working out pretty good. I've been doing a little more flying than usual to. I'll probably get another air medal. I should break a thousand hours of flight time while we're out here also. Dawanna says that the kids are doing fine and the baby is getting fat. I'm sending a picture me and shakara took right when I was leaving. How is things going with your v.a. stuff dad? I was telling some guys the other day about you back in Vietnam and how we ain't got no reason to complai or do our job. I was also telling them about when you worked for Brown an Root and how they tried to ask you to come out here. Mom I have the blanket you made on my rack and it is very comfortable. I'm gonna try and send you some stuff from out here that I think you might like for the house. I also have plan on getting something for you to Erika and Andrea. Your nieces and nephews are taking gymnastics classes and ballet. The gymnastic coaches say that Raiya has very developed arm and back muscles. Thats probably because when she was little I would put her on the pull up bar. Well I have to run I'll talk to you later. Love Dexter. 9