This lesson examines the beginnings of the women’s suffrage movement as an outgrowth of the abolitionist movement. Students will learn about key figures who were involved in both movements and analyze primary source documents to compare abolitionist and women’s suffrage arguments. Utah history connections are provided by students examining the rights of Utah women in the 19th century in comparison to women in the East. Students will learn about how social movements spark new movements and how arguments made for and against the expansion of rights are similar regardless of time period.

By examining primary sources, including songs, newspapers, interviews, and photographs of migrant farm workers in California during the Great Depression, students create a scrapbook from the point of view of a migrant worker, providing evidence of the colloquial speech used by the migrants and the issues affecting their lives. Using Voices from the Dust Bowl, 1940-1941 and Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives, students select photographs and use the sound recordings of voices of the migrant workers to create captions, letters, and/or songs based on these primary sources. This lesson can be used in connection with a unit on the Great Depression, and specifically on The Grapes of Wrath.

Students will analyze primary source documents from the women’s suffrage movement–both nationally and in Utah–to examine the tactics, strategies, and imagery used in this social movement. They will also evaluate the effectiveness of these tactics and strategies in affecting social and civic change. As an optional step, students will use this information as the means to creating their own campaigns to encourage Utahns to register to vote and cast votes.

This resource is from the Utah Division of Archives and Records Service. This primary source set is designed to help students learn about prohibition. Utah became the 36th and last state to ratify the 21st Amendment, which repealed the 18th and made alcohol legal again throughout the country. The sources here show issues related to both the 18th and 21st amendments, including state congressional debates and criminal records.

This resource is from the Utah Division of Archives and Records Service. This primary source set is designed to help students learn about Women's Suffrage and the 19th Ammendment from a government and politics perspective as well as through the eyes of average Utahns and their experiences.

This resource is from the Utah Division of Archives and Records Service. This primary source set is designed to help students learn about World Wars I and II from a government and politics perspective as well as through the eyes of average Utahns and their experiences.