Tobacco bag stringing: Secondary activity seven
In this activity for grades 7–12, students take on the role of legislators who must make a decision concerning the passage of an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Students will evaluate the impact of emotional appeal in persuasion. This activity builds on information learned in activities one through six.
A lesson plan for grades 8 and 10–12 Social Studies
Learn more
- Secondary source: About tobacco bag stringing This article introduces the concept of tobacco bag stringing and discusses its importance as a source of income for women in North Carolina and Virginia during the Great Depression.
- Primary source: Tobacco bag stringing: Life and labor in the Depression Images and text from a report in the North Carolina Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill documenting tobacco bag stringing work in North Carolina and Virginia in 1939.
Related pages
- Mrs. B. F. Stayley: STAYLEY, MRS. B.F., married and has 14 children but all of them are away from home. Her age is 65; her...
- Mrs. W. H. Bryant: MRS. W. H. BRYANT, Wilkes County, N.C., has 9 children, one of whom is married and also has 1 child and...
- Mrs. Samuel Stayley: STAYLEY, MRS. SAMUEL, has five children living at home. She is 83 years old and her husband is 84. They...
Related topics
- Learn more about Great Depression, North Carolina, legislation, tobacco, and tobacco bag stringing.
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This is one of a series of activities that will help educators use the Tobacco Bag Stringing project materials in their classrooms. Throughout the series students will learn about tobacco stringing, study primary source documents and visuals, and practice critical thinking and analysis skills.
This activity builds on information learned during activities one through six.
Learning outcomes
- Students will read and evaluate primary sources.
- Students will experience historical empathy.
- Students will practice higher order thinking.
- Students will take on the role of a legislator in a simulation of debate and a vote for an amendment.
Teacher planning
Materials needed
- Copies of the proposed amendment for each student.
- Copies of the materials that have been used in activities one, two, three, four, five, and six. This should include the data matrix from activity five.
- Copies of the role sheets, cut out. Each student should get a role.
- Copies of the proposed amendment worksheet for each student.
Time required for lesson
- 10 minutes on the day before the debate
- Homework the night before in preparation
- One class period for the simulation
Procedure
The class period before the simulation:
- Give students copies of the proposed amendment.
- Go over the amendment sections a through d. The first section of the proposed amendment does not necessarily need to be discussed.
- Give students a copy of the amendment worksheet.
- Instruct the students to think about how they should try to convince the House of Representatives to vote on the amendment.
- For homework the students should think about the unit discussions and the matrix from activity five. Students who have access to computers at home should access Tobacco bag stringing: Life and labor in the Depression and read the letters, some of which they have seen in the classroom. They should consider the March 16, March 30, and April 13 letters that were not entirely evaluated in previous activities.
- Students should fill in the chart with ideas to use in a debate.
The day of the simulation:
- The teacher should check for completed charts. You may consider giving an alternate assignment to those who have not completed the assignment.
- On the day of the simulation, have each student choose a role from the role sheet at random from an envelope or hat. Tell students they must abide by the role sheet they chose.
- The teacher should take on the role of Speaker of the House and encourage a discussion of the proposed amendment.
- Students should give reasons for supporting or voting against the proposed amendment according to their role. They should use information and data from the materials in the Tobacco Bag Stringing project and from the stories in the Life Histories from American Memory.
- During this simulation students should understand how emotions and raw data are used to support or weaken arguments.
- Students should recognize that this simulation is based on true events in the 1930s.
- Each student should speak at least once. For shy students, allow them to use the amendment worksheet they worked on for homework or to get help from another student.
- Near the end of the class period have the “House” vote on the proposed amendment.
- End the class with a debriefing on the process that was observed by the students and the teacher. Was factual or emotional information the most effective? Why is this important to consider?
Assessment
- Assess by collecting the amendment worksheet after the debate.
- Assess by evaluating the quality of arguments of the students during the debate.
- Each student should speak at least one time during the congressional debate.
Role sheet
| Vote No | Vote Yes | Leaning No | Leaning Yes |
| Vote No | Vote Yes | Leaning No | Leaning Yes |
| Undecided | Undecided | Undecided | Undecided |
Proposed amendment worksheet
Using the data matrix from activity five, previous discussions, and the letters from Tobacco bag stringing: Life and labor in the Depression website complete this worksheet to prepare for a debate for the next class period. The four sections of the proposed amendment are listed in the column to the left. In the “support” and “against” columns, list examples from the website letters, matrix, and discussion that would support or weaken that portion of the amendment. Be sure to include your sources.
| Support | Against | |
|---|---|---|
| a. That the work is performed by hand and is performed entirely in the home of the worker and at times convenient to the worker | ||
| b. That the income derived from such work is supplemental to income derived from farming, or other and regular employment | ||
| c. That the rate of wages or compensation per number of pieces shall be not less than the direct labor cost for the same number of pieces if the work is performed by machine | ||
| d. That the work cannot be performed by machine or that machines for the performance of such work are patented and are not made reasonably available to competing manufacturers |
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Social Studies (2003)
Grade 8
- Goal 5: The learner will evaluate the impact of political, economic, social, and technological changes on life in North Carolina from 1870 to 1930.
- Objective 5.01: Identify the role played by the agriculture, textile, tobacco, and furniture industries in North Carolina, and analyze their importance in the economic development of the state.
- Goal 6: The learner will analyze the immediate and long-term effects of the Great Depression and World War II on North Carolina.
- Objective 6.01: Identify the causes and effects of the Great Depression and analyze the impact of New Deal policies on Depression Era life in North Carolina.
Grade 10 — Economics and Civics
- Goal 4: The learner will explore active roles as a citizen at the local, state, and national levels of government.
- Objective 4.04: Demonstrate active methods of promoting and inhibiting change through political action.
- Goal 5: The learner will explain how the political and legal systems provide a means to balance competing interests and resolve conflicts.
- Objective 5.01: Evaluate the role of debate, consensus, compromise, and negotiation in resolving conflicts.
- Objective 5.04: Evaluate the role of debate and compromise in the legislative process.
- Objective 5.06: Analyze roles of individual citizens, political parties, the media, and other interest groups in public policy decisions, dispute resolution, and government action.
- Goal 6: The learner will explain why laws are needed and how they are enacted, implemented, and enforced at the national, state, and local levels.
- Objective 6.06: Analyze the role of lobby groups and special interest groups in the enactment of legislation.
- Goal 9: The learner will analyze factors influencing the United States economy.
- Objective 9.02: Describe the impact of government regulation on specific economic activities.
- Objective 9.08: Analyze the influence of environmental factors, economic conditions, and policy decisions on individual economic activities.
Grades 11–12 — African American Studies
- Goal 7: The learner will assess the plight of African Americans during the Great Depression and World War II.
- Objective 7.01: Analyze the impact of the Great Depression and the New Deal on the lives of African Americans.
Grades 11–12 — United States History
- Goal 9: Prosperity and Depression (1919-1939) - The learner will appraise the economic, social, and political changes of the decades of "The Twenties" and "The Thirties."
- Objective 9.02: Analyze the extent of prosperity for different segments of society during this period.
- Objective 9.03: Analyze the significance of social, intellectual, and technological changes of lifestyles in the United States.
- Objective 9.05: Assess the impact of New Deal reforms in enlarging the role of the federal government in American life.
