HIGH LEVEL DOCUMENT BASED QUESTION This DBQ adheres to New York State Learning Standard 1- History of the United States and New York, Commencement Level, Key Idea #3. Additionally, this lesson plan corresponds with the National Social Studies Curriculum Standards thematic strand of science, technology, and society.
This Document Based Question (DBQ) may be used in the classroom in various ways. First, students may build their own DBQ scaffolding questions in pairs, as a group, or on their own in class using the literature and/or images from the George Eastman Discovery Kit. Second, the teacher may decide to select specific literature and/or images to include as scaffolding questions. Finally, literature and/or images can be selected either by the teacher or the students and included with the following primary sources to form a comprehensive DBQ assignment. However, at least four primary sources from the George Eastman Discovery Kit must be used as scaffolding documents.
Also, visit the National Archives “Power of Persuasion” exhibit
DIRECTIONS
This Document Based Question (DBQ) consists of two parts. Part A includes scaffolding questions for each primary source. Answer each scaffolding question in the space provided. Part B is the DBQ. Write an essay that fully answers the DBQ.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
During the second half of the 19th century, American inventors and businessmen helped change the future of the United States. In an environment of laissez-faire government and a growing supply of cheap labor, American businesses thrived. Taken together with advances in technology, businessmen such as George Eastman were able to amass personal fortunes.
DOCUMENT BASED QUESTION
How does the life of George Eastman illustrate the economic boom of the Industrial Revolution?
TASK Answer each scaffolding question in the space provided based on the corresponding primary source. Answer the DBQ using information from at least five of the primary sources in Part A and your knowledge of United States history.
GUIDELINES
Document 1
“The idea gradually dawned on me that what we were doing was not merely making dry plates, but that we were starting out to make photography an everyday affair.”
-George Eastman, From "From Glass Plates to Photo CDs... The Kodak Story"
SCAFFOLDING QUESTION
Document 2
“The Eastman Dry Plate & Film Company of Rochester Incorporated Oct. 1st, 1884, paid capital stock of $200,000, has purchased the plant and stock of the Eastman Dry Plate Company, and in addition to carrying on the manufacture of the well-known Eastman dry plates will introduce about January 1st a new paper dry plate which it is confidently expected will eventually displace the present glass plates. The new process will save Photographers about a quarter of a million dollars yearly on their dry-plate bills.”
-Public Announcement, Eastman Dry Plate & Film Company of Rochester
SCAFFOLDING QUESTION
Document 3
“In the first place, the progress of the world depends almost entirely upon education – fortunately the most permanent institutions of men are educational – hence the selection of educational institutions. I selected a limited number because I wanted to cover certain kinds of education and felt that I could get results with those named quicker and more directly than if the money were spread.”
-George Eastman, Explaining his Philanthropy, 1924
SCAFFOLDING QUESTION
Document 4
“The best thing for us to do is to bring our products up to the very highest state of perfection and reduce our price when we have to. It is not that anybody cannot make the same kind of film, but it is making film exactly the same everyday, and the man that can do it must get the trade, because there is so much dependent upon it.”
-From "Pioneers in Change: George Eastman"
SCAFFOLDING QUESTION