Murder on the Frontier - Lesson 2
Essential Questions
- To what extent were the Paxton Boys justified or not justified in attacking and annihilating the Conestoga Indians in Lancaster?
- To what extent were the factors of excessive competition and fear influential in the relationship between the colonists and the Conestoga Indians?
Objectives
- Compare and contrast the views of two opposing texts
- Summarize the essential message of each primary source
- Draw conclusions based on direct evidence found in the primary sources
Materials
- "Apology of the Paxton Volunteers" (1764)
- Benjamin Franklin, A Narrative of the Late Massacres (1764)
Handouts
- Historical Background: "Peaceable Kingdom Lost, Part 2" by Kevin Kenny, Glucksman Professor in Irish Studies, New York University. Commissioned for Digital Paxton.
- Primary Sources
- "The Apology of the Paxton Volunteers Addressed to the Candid & Impartial World," in The Paxton Papers, ed. John Dunbar (The Hague: M. Nijhoff, 1957), pp. 193–194. Some spelling and punctuation have been modernized in the transcript.
- Benjamin Franklin, A Narrative of the Late Massacres, in Lancaster County, of a Number of Indians, Friends of the Province, by Persons Unknown. With Some Observations on the Same, 1764, pp. 12–14 and 25–27.
- Activity Sheets
- Analyzing an Essay (Lesson 2): Important phrases only, no critical thinking questions
- Summary Organizer #1: Excerpts from "The Apology of the Paxton Volunteers"
- Summary Organizer #2: Excerpts from Franklin's Narrative of the Late Massacres
- Summary Organizer #3: Excerpts from Franklin's Narrative of the Late Massacres
- Overhead projector, ELMO projector, or similar device
Procedure
- During this lesson students will engage with two primary source documents. The first is an excerpt from "The Apology of the Paxton Volunteers" outlining the Paxton Boys' grievances.
- Hand out Summary Organizer #1. Share read the text with the students as described in Lesson 1.
- Display Summary Organizer #1 in a format large enough for everyone in class to see. The whole class will be going through the text-analysis process together for the first reading.
- Explain that the objective is to select Key Words from the text and then use those words to create a summary sentence that demonstrates an understanding of the passage.
- Guidelines for Selecting the Key Words: Key Words are very important to understanding the text. Without them the selection would not make sense. These words are usually nouns or verbs. Tell the students not to pick "connector" words (are, is, the, and, so, etc.). The number of Key Words depends on the length of the original selection. This selection is 288 words, so you can pick ten to twelve Key Words. The students must know the meaning of the words they select. This will give them practice reasoning out word meanings using context and advancing dictionary skills.
- Students will now select ten to twelve words from the text that they believe are Key Words and write them in the Key Words section of their organizers.
- Survey the class to find out what they selected as Key Words. You can ask for a show of hands to determine the most popular choices. Using this vote and some discussion the class should finalize ten to twelve Key Words. For example, let's say that the class selects Indians, governed, dangerous enemies, spies, laws, intelligence, implements, war, source, and calamities. (Note: Two words may be allowed if they convey a single idea.) Now, no matter which words the students had previously selected, have them write the words agreed upon by the class or chosen by you into the Key Words section of the summary organizer.
- The class will now use these Key Words to write a brief sentence or two to summarize what the author was writing about. This should be a whole-class discussion-and-negotiation process. For example, The Indians who lived among us were not governed by our laws and were dangerous enemies and spies who gave intelligence and implements of war to our enemies (the French). They are the source of our calamities. The students might decide that they don't need some of the Key Words to make the summary even more streamlined. This is part of the negotiation process. Copy the final negotiated sentence(s) into the organizer.
- Tell the students to restate their summary sentence in their own words; they do not have to use the author's words. For example, The Indians who lived in our area were not governed by our laws and were dangerous enemies and spies who helped the French. They are responsible for our misery and misfortune. Copy the final negotiated sentence(s) into the organizer.
- Wrap-up: Discuss vocabulary that the students found confusing or difficult. You could have students use the back of their organizers to make a note of these words and their meanings.
- Hand out Summary Organizer #2. This contains an excerpt from Benjamin Franklin's A Narrative of the Late Massacres, written as a reply to the Paxton Boys' explanations. The students may work in small groups, in pairs, or individually to complete the organizer. They should select ten to twelve Key Words for this passage.
- Wrap-up: Discuss vocabulary that the students found confusing or difficult. You could have students use the back of their organizers to make a note of these words and their meanings.
- You can assign Organizer #3 for homework. They may complete the whole assignment at home or only identify and circle Key Words (seven to eight) so that you are prepared to engage in the negotiation process the next day.
Assessment
Either as an in class or homework assignment, students will develop a viewpoint on one of the lesson's Essential Questions, writing a brief evaluative essay or exit card.
- To what extent were the Paxton Boys justified or not justified in attacking and annihilating the Conestoga Indians in Lancaster?
- To what extent were the factors of excessive competition and fear influential in the relationship between the colonists and the Conestoga Indians?
