Materials
Across the Continent: Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way
Across the Continent worksheet
Map: West of the Mississippi River
Map Worksheet
Small scenes clipped from Across the Continent
Multiple Perspectives Worksheet
Instructions
Use the worksheets to gather details from the Currier and Ives lithograph, Across the Continent, and the accompanying historical map.
Assign students scenes clipped from the lithograph to examine closely and then write captions. (Or you could provide students with the small clips to analyze and write captions, then bring them together to examine the image as a whole).
Bring the group back together and use the Multiple Perspectives worksheet to consider the points of view in the lithograph.
Final Task
After examining Across the Continent, create captions for the smaller scenes in the lithograph and place them in an order that describes the experience of westward migration from one person’s point of view. Use details from the image in each caption.