History 8, Wednesday, March 19th, 2014 LESSON: Jackson: The Peoples President?

OBJECTIVES: SWBAT discuss the notion of Andrew Jackson as a common man and why he appealed to the general public through small group talk. SWBAT recognize opposing viewpoints of the Spoils System through whole class discussion and debate. SWBAT understand how the Peggy Eaton Affair influence Washington D.C. and the state of the Union through whole class discussion. RATIONALE: Currently, students are in week one of the Andrew Jackson Unit. Within this unit, students analyze Jacksons decisions through close-reading primary and secondary sources and political cartoons. Ultimately, students will decide whether or not Jackson was a hero or a villain. During each class period, students vote on sources that reveal Jacksons character: hero or villain? Next, they vote whether or not these sources illustrate Jacksons decisions as political, social, or economic. Through visual mapping on the back whiteboard, students can see their voting process evolve and change over the course of the unit. PROCEDURES: 1. Students finish voting on the many faces of Jackson, i.e. him as a wild youth, war hero, president, defender of the union, etc. Teacher shows images of Jackson at the time of his youth, presidency, old age, etc. and students vote whether or not Jackson was a villain at that time. Students defend their claims through secondary source analysis. For example, Jacksons involvement in the Trail of Tears could show that he was a villain in a social sense since he was responsible for killing thousands of people. (10 minutes) 2. Teacher asks students their view of the Spoils System: How do you feel about the Spoils System? Was it fair? Was it constitutional? How could it be corrupt? Students share their opinions. Teacher directs students to build off of each others comments so it becomes student-student debate rather than teacher-student talk. Students discuss. (20 minutes) 3. Teacher projects notes on Jacksonian Democracy, the election of 1828, and the Spoils System. Teacher lectures on notes while students take notes and ask clarifying questions. Students vote on whether or not the Spoils System and Majority Rule are hero-like or villainous and where they fall under: social, political, or economic. (10 minutes) 4. Teacher tells the story of Peggy Eaton and how it caused social uproar and scandal within the White House. Teacher prompts students with discussion questions: Were Jacksons actions that of a hero? Why did the Eaton Affair take up so much of D.C.s attention? What does this reveal about womens rights? Should all of the cabinet members resigned? Students debate. (15 minutes) MATERIALS: Projector/computer to display notes/PowerPoint Copies of The Many Faces of Jackson ASSESSMENT: Students will demonstrate their understanding of Jackson as a hero or villain, common man, corrupt, etc. by citing textual evidence from secondary sources on the stages of Jacksons life. Voting on Jacksons actions and ideas Participation in discussion STANDARDS:
8 U4.1.3 Challenge of Political Conflict 8 U4.2.1 Comparing Northeast and the South 8 U4.2.3 Westward Expansion

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7