The road to Emancipation was indeed stony! Enslaved people struggled to free themselves and loved ones, one person at a time.

This activity includes primary sources from the official records of the U.S. District Court at Boston that tell the story of William and Ellen Craft, a young couple from Macon, GA, who escaped to freedom in Boston in 1848. The two traveled together, Ellen as a White gentleman (she was the daughter of an African-American woman and a White master and passed as White), and William as her slave valet. They made their way to Boston, and lived in the home of Lewis Hayden, a former fugitive and abolition activist.

With the passing of the Fugitive Slave Act in September, 1850, the Crafts' respective owners employed the legal system to regain their escaped property. A U.S. Marshal was sent to the home of Lewis Hayden. Hayden refused to let the marshal in and threatened to ignite kegs of gunpowder; the Marshal left. Ellen and William fled to Britain, where they remained for 20 years. They eventually returned to the United States and settled back in Georgia.

In this activity, students will examine historic documents about these fugitives from slavery. Then, using the documents, they will construct historical narratives to tell their story. They can explore perspective and use standard elements of writing (plot, character, setting, conflict, impact). Thinking about essential questions/topics, they will begin their writing with a topic/opening sentence that sets out the main idea.

Through this lesson, students in 3rd-5th grade will understand how the human history of a local creek (Whatcom Creek in this example) affects the health of salmon populations. This lesson is an active way to engage students in graphing through the use of models and uses critical thinking to understand implications of human actions in the past and in the future.

Highlights from the past and present of Ohio, from the rich online collections of the Library of Congress.

This lesson will allow students to explore an important role of environmental engineers: cleaning the environment. Students will learn details about the Exxon Valdez oil spill, which was one of the most publicized and studied environmental tragedies in history. In the accompanying activity, they will try many "engineered" strategies to clean up their own manufactured oil spill and learn the difficulties of dealing with oil released into our waters.

Speakers: Dr. Steven Zucker, Isaac Peterson, Dr. Beth Harris. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.

A review of fresco and tempera and the development of the use of oil paint by artists in Venice. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.

An Oklahoma Brunken Family History (Version: 06 Apr 2018)

Short Description:
Family history of the descendants of William Leopold and Mary (Petersen) Brunken. Starting with their parents, the family trees and the lives of the people are described based on photo albums, photocards and genealogical records.

Long Description:
Family history of the descendants of William Leopold and Mary (Petersen) Brunken. Starting with their parents, the family trees and the lives of the people are described based on photo albums, photocards and genealogical records.

This is book is a work in progress. The comment boxes will be open during the development of this book. If you find errors or have suggestions, please use the comment box at the end of each chapter. All comments will be appreciated that help improve this book.

If you have related pictures and stories about Oklahoma Brunken family members, please send copies to Family.Kirmse@gmail.com so that they can be included.

Word Count: 75198

(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)

Highlights from the past and present of Oklahoma, from the rich online collections of the Library of Congress.

An illustrated sheet music cover for a polka composed by Henry Bellman. Within a circular, ornamental border is an allegorical scene based on the seal of the State of Virginia. A helmeted female figure armed with a spear and sword (probably Minerva) stands on the figure of a fallen despot. The latter's crown and broken scepter appear near him on the ground. The scene is also littered with broken manacles and a cross.|Lith. by A. Hoen & Co. Balto.|The Library's impression of the music sheet was deposited for copyright by the publishers on January 26, 1855.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1855-1.

Confident Union propaganda from the summer of 1861, claiming dominance over Confederate troops led by generals P. G. T. Beauregard and Gideon Pillow. Union commander Winfield Scott sits on a mound in the center, holding a noose and awaiting the emergence of president of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis from his "Richmond" burrow. With his feet Scott pins the tails of two foxes, Beauregard (on the left), near Mannassas Junction, and Pillow, near Memphis. The print was probably issued before the Battle of Bull Run, while Beauregard's troops were stationed at Manassas Junction, protecting the Confederate capitol at Richmond. Memphis was not won by the Union, however, until June 1862.|Published by Currier & Ives, New York.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Gale, no. 4947.|Weitenkampf, p. 131.|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1861-36.

Facing a relative lack of enthusiasm for his campaign in New York State, Lewis Cass hoped to muster Democratic rank-and-file support by endorsing for lieutenant-governor the popular lawyer Charles O'Conor. Here the "Old Hunker" (i.e., conservative Democrat) Cass fishes from a rock at right, dangling a line with O'Conor on its hook above a group of Irish immigrant laborers. O'Conor says, "Come my Countrymen" as he is hailed enthusiastically by the workers, exclaim, "Hurra for Charley O'Connor," "We'll have him President yet," and "Isn't he a darling." A man at the far left says, "Send down the Jewell." Their tools--spades, wheelbarrow, pickaxes and such--are strewn about. At left is a wall plastered with posters advertising a "Mass Meeting Cass & Butler" and "One More Rally for Ireland." Cass remarks, "Upon my honor, I had no idea that a Lawyer was such excellent bait for the real Dimicrats!"|Lith: & pubd. by H.R. Robinson 31 Park Row N.Y. (adjoining Lovejoy's Hotel).|Probably drawn by "W.J.C."|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Weitenkampf, p. 90-91.|Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1848-34.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1837, by H.R. Robinson, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, of the Southern District of New York. Printed & published by H.R. Robinson, 52 Cortlandt St. N.Y.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)

A rare pro-Jackson satire on the President's campaign to destroy the political power and influence of the Bank of the United States. It was probably issued late in the presidential campaign of 1832, after Jackson's July veto of the bill to re-charter the Bank. (Weitenkampf tentatively dated the print 1833, but the Library's impression was deposited for copyright on September 12, 1832.) Jackson is portrayed as a cat (with a tail marked "Veto") defending the corn cribs in "Uncle Sam's Barn" from rats "which had burrow'd through the floor, to get at his capital Corn Crib: While Uncle Sam, and his active laborers, stand at the door, enjoying the sport." The cat has one rat in his mouth, possibly Henry Clay, who says, "My case is desperate." Under his paws is another (possibly the Bank's president Nicholas Biddle) who says, "Them d'd Clay-Bank Rats brought me to this." In the lower left a rat with a cape and his paw on a Bible says, "My Cloak does not cover me, as well as I could wish, but this Book with it, will be a good passport to the Corn Crib." Other rats creeping from holes in the floor say, "I'l keep in my hole while he's in sight" and "No chance for me whie he's in the Barn." At the upper right two rats (possibly influential pro-Bank newspaper editors James Watson Webb and Charles King) nibble corn, remarking, "The U.S. Bank Rats are very liberal to us Editor Rats, we must stick to them at all risks." From an open doorway three men, "Uncle Sam and his active laborers," survey the scene. First man: "Bravo my Boys! keep him in the Barn; and no doubt, but he will keep the Rats away." Second: "What a tail he carries! I guess he is of the Kilkenny breed." Third: "How he nicks them." The use of rats to symbolize corruption was commonplace in cartoons of the 1830s, particularly with respect to the Bank of the United States. See ""This is the house that Jack built"" (no. 1833-6). For their use in another context see ".00001. The value of a unit..." and "The Rats Leaving a Falling House" (nos. 1831-1 and 1831-2).|Copyright secur'd 1832.|Michael Williams Del et Lith 44 Canal Street N.Y.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Weitenkampf, p. 29.|Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1832-5.

An attack on Nicholas Biddle and the New York newspaper editors friendly to the United States Bank. The print was evidently prompted by Biddle's 1834 attempt to create a financial crisis through an artificial tightening of credit. Biddle created the shortage as a ploy to swing public support toward the United States Bank, then under attack by the Jackson administration. Whig editors James Watson Webb, Mordecai Manuel Noah, and a third (possibly Charles King, identified here as "Charley") are portrayed as Biddle's accomplices in an unsuccessful attempt to crush the common men of New York. As Biddle (far right), Jack Downing, and a third man (with monocle) watch from the steps of the Bank as the three editors operate giant screw presses (a pun on "printing presses") which bear down upon crowds of working men, or "workies." The latter include carmen, sailors, masons, laborers, butchers, and others. Webb, standing on the press at right, tips his hat and exhorts his colleagues, "Major [Noah] and Charley let us give those workies a good screwing so as to fetch them to the Bank question, then I think that Mr Nick [i.e. Nicholas Biddle] will fee us well." "Major" Noah (far left) falls as his press is tipped by the men beneath it. He calls out, "Oh Master Nick, I rather think these workies will not stand my screwing them." Comments from below are: "Aristocracy and U.S. Bank power is heavy stuff." "Major I think you are rather a green hand to apply the screws." "Charles Major & Co., you may screw and screw untill Nick doubles your wages then we will not submit to an Aristocracy Bank!" In the center "Charley" works at turning his press, saying "Major & Co. I wish you would think on your friend and divide the spoils." From below: "If those silk stockings and ruffle shirt gentry gain the day, we workies will never vote again!" "I'll be darned if the General [i.e. Andrew Jackson] gave Nick such a patent right to screw us poor workies so!" "No I rather think he forged such a patent as this is." "I think the General is an honester man, he would rather put his veto on it." Beneath Webb's press the men protest: "You may screw Colonel [Webb] until you screw the cholera morbus out of you, then I will not bow down to a golden calf." "I will submit to any thing but a golden calf!" One man calls out to Biddle, "Split my tarry top lifts Old Nick I think you had better be reefing the fore top sail than standing on the quarterdeck giving the word put the screws on those poor workies!!" Biddle is in fact urging his minions, "That's you my cousins give them the screws and I will remember you!" Jack Downing observes, "I'll be darned Mr. Nick with all our fleet and Rank and file men, I rather think thhat them ere workies will rule the day arter all for see the Major is going down!" The man with the monocle declares, "Oh! you workies If you fail in the next election you shall never vote again!"|New York. Published by Anthony Imbert 104 Broadway.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Weitenkampf, p. 36-37.|Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1834-5.

Volcanic debris flows (lahars) flow long distances, bury and aggrade river valleys, and cause long-term stream disturbances and dramatic landscape changes. Students will evaluate the nature, scale, and history of past lahars from Mount Rainier in a river valley and interpret the past and potential future impact on humans of lahars.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

An ambivalent but essentially pro-Lincoln illustration appearing on a song by John Hogarth Lozier, dedicated to the composer's "Comrades the 37th Indiana Regiment and all who love Our Brave Soldier Boys." Lincoln drives the Union wagon, whose rickety frame consists of a boat "Constitution" mounted on four wheels. Pulled by horses named after leading Union generals, including Benjamin F. Butler, Ulysses S. Grant, William S. Rosencrans ("Rosie"), and Joseph Hooker, it is crowded with people. One of the riders holds an American flag while another seems to be falling over the side of the wagon. The vehicle has gotten mired in the mud hole of Secession, where several figures are floundering. Uncle Sam attempts to extricate the stuck back wheel using a large pole "Emancipation Proclamation" as a lever, whose fulcrum is a rock marked "1863." Sam's efforts and the wagon's progress are also threatened by several snakes at right. These probably represent the anti-Republican Copperheads who advocated reconciliation with the South. Although the Emancipation Proclamation took effect in January 1863, the print may have appeared as late as 1864. It was not until March 1864 that Grant was given supreme command of the Union army.|Cincinnati. Published by J. Church. Jr. . . . Boston. O. Ditson & Co. Philadelphia. Lee & Walker. New York. W. A. Pond & Co.|Middleton, Strobridge & Co. lith. Cincinnati Ohio.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1863-15.

Claes Oldenburg, Floor Cake, 1962, synthetic polymer paint and latex on canvas filled with foam rubber and cardboard boxes, 58.375 x 114.25 x 58.375 in. (148.2 x 290.2 x 148.2 cm) (MoMA) Speakers: Dr. Beth Harris, Dr. Steven Zucker. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.

Olmec mask (Olmec-style mask), c. 1200 - 400 B.C.E., jadeite, 4 x 3-3/8 x 1-1/4 inches found in offering 20 buried c. 1470 C.E. at the Aztec Templo Mayor (Museo del Templo Mayor, Mexico City). Speakers: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank and Dr. Steven Zucker