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Lesson 1 (from Chapter 1)

Objective

On April 15, 1846, three families set out from Springfield, Illinois to go to California. The objective of this lesson is to understand why they would take this journey at this point in history.

Lesson

1. Research the growth of the city of Springfield, Illinois. What was it like by the time Virginia Eilzabeth Backenstoe Reed was born? What was it like when she was leaving? Write a thousand word essay on the history of Springfield.

2. Discuss the allure of California. Why did people want to move there? Why do you think the already-successful Reeds wanted to go there? What other types of people were drawn to California? Make a commercial for California inviting families like the Reeds to settle there.

3. Do some class research and design the front page of a newspaper highlighting events that were going on in Illinois, the United States and the world in April...

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