Hitchcock versus Shaker Chairs: Artifacts to Teach about the Rise and Rejection of Industrialism in the Young Republic

This article describes a group students in an elementary gifted class used discovery to learn about life in industrial New England. Taking multiple days to analyze this topic, students used artifacts (chairs), discussion, and primary sources to explore the politics of the 1830s. They examined the workings of Hitchcockville, CT, and a Massachusetts Shaker colony. Students used evidence to see the rise of industrialism and the reactions society had to it; the chairs reflect the geography, history, economics, and politics of the Age of Jackson. Students also examined a parallel Shaker community that lived and worshipped together--people who rejected the industrial age and attempted to insulate themselves from the problems of the age. This article also provides the benefits of learning about national and international events through the use of artifacts. (Contains 5 figures and 10 resources.)