Reading Like a Historian: Great Awakening

In this lesson, students study the Great Awakening and one of its most notable preachers, George Whitefield, in an effort to answer the central historical question: Why was George Whitefield so popular? After viewing an online film clip and a brief PowerPoint to establish context for the Great Awakening and some of its "superstar" preachers, students are presented with three primary sources regarding Whitefield:

  1. a long-after-the-fact anecdote by Benjamin Franklin,
  2. a contemporary (but undated) account by a born-again Whitefield follower Nathan Cole, and
  3. a hostile and dismissive letter by a rival preacher, Nathanael Henchman.

For each, students answer sourcing and contextualization questions and formulate a hypothesis as to Whitefield's popularity. A culminating class discussion addresses the central question.
Resource ID#: 35927 Type: Lesson Plan
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Direct Link: https://sheg.stanford.edu/history-lessons/great-awakening

General Information

Subject(s): English Language Arts, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 11
Intended Audience: Educators educators
Suggested Technology: Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, LCD Projector, Overhead Projector, Speakers/Headphones, Computer Media Player
Instructional Time: 1 Hour(s)
Resource supports reading in content area:Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: sourcing, contextualization, Great Awakening, George Whitefield, Benjamin Franklin
Instructional Component Type(s): Lesson Plan,  Worksheet,  Problem-Solving Task,  Presentation/Slideshow,  Video/Audio/Animation,  Text Resource
Instructional Design Framework(s): Direct Instruction
Resource Collection: General Collection

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