Teachers who attend the workshops will return to their classrooms with broadened knowledge of Independence Hall and its role in the entire spectrum of American history.  They will be able to impress upon their students the ebb and flow of issues of freedom and discourse when people within a republic differ in fundamental ways. Due to the research, discussion, and lesson writing teachers will undertake during their time in the workshops, they also will be able to consider similar scenarios for political and social landmarks in their own communities, opening student eyes to the many layers of history that often are overlaid in one place.

Content and Design

The proposed six-day workshops will be held at multiple historic sites and research institutions throughout Philadelphia (while based out of the National Constitution Center on Independence Mall) during the two weeks of June 21-26 and July 26-July 31, 2015. Through the discussions within the workshops, the assigned readings, and the unique research opportunities, participating teachers will be asked to explore a number of themes with the goal of expanding these themes to create effective lesson plans for their classrooms. Participants will also be asked to think critically about questions such as: What is the role of an iconic landmark in a culture? Why does a landmark become an icon? What uses are made of the icon over time? How do different nationalities and other social organizations use the landmark in forming their own identities? How does a landmark shape civic discourse?

Workshop Schedule Details 

The basic layout of each day will provide participants with the opportunity to experience one or more cultural landmarks, lectures from noted scholars, a chance to perform archival research at the city’s most significant repositories, and wrap-up sessions with Master Teachers that open discussion about how the explored themes and topics can be tied into classroom curriculum and how to incorporate their own communities’ landmarks into the lessons.

• Day 1: The first day will consist of registration, a meal, a welcoming address, and a keynote speech by Dr. Gary Nash exploring the question of “What is the role of an iconic landmark in a culture?”

• Day 2: The second day will focus on the theme, “The Foundation of an Icon.”  The day will be spent at the Independence Hall and participants will be invited to research at the Independence National Historic Park Archives. The day’s lecturer will be Dr. Charlene Mires who will focus on the “Building” of Independence Hall (both literal and figurative). Participants will also be introduced to their curriculum projects by project co-director Beth Twiss-Houting.

• Day 3: The third day’s theme is “An Icon Develops.” The landmarks visited will be the Liberty Bell and the site of the President’s House. The lecture, titled “African Americans in the City of Independence,” will be given by Dr. Randall Miller. A second lecture, titled “Abolition and the Liberty Bell,” will be given by Dr. Emma Lapsansky-Werner at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania where participants will view a document exhibit of collections related to abolition and have the opportunity to perform archival research.

• Day 4: The fourth day’s theme is “How do different nationalities and other social organizations use the landmark in forming their own identities?”  A lecture by Dr. Holly Holst will be titled “Remember the Women,” and a lecture by Dr. Mires will focus on the idea of “Expressing and Expanding National Identity.” Participants will visit the numerous landmarks and murals in or around Independence Mall, and the research facility will be the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) where participants will explore immigration.

• Day 5: The theme for the fifth day will be built around the question, “How does a landmark shape civic discourse?” The day’s featured landmark will be Independence Hall (2nd floor), and the research facility will be the Philadelphia History Museum.   The first lecture by Jeffrey Collins will focus on the use of Independence Hall’s second floor for civic purposes and a second lecture, delivered by Tom Sugrue, will be titled “Protest in Place.” There will be a window of time in the afternoon when participants can meet with the project’s co-directors and master teachers for advice on their final projects or re-visit any of the research repositories.

• Day 6:  The theme for the sixth and final day will be “Looking Back, Looking Ahead: Independence Hall Today and Tomorrow.” The day’s landmark will be the National Constitution Center. The first lecture, given by Dr. Charlene Mires, will focus on the creation of Independence Mall as a stage for national discourse. The second lecture will be given by Kathleen Maher (site coordinator) and will focus on the National Constitution Center as a new “town hall.” The day and workshop will conclude with a discussion about the curricular projects.

Reading List

These works will give teachers a sturdy foundation on which to build greater understanding about the significance of Independence Hall as a landmark, a civic cornerstone, and a symbol of America’s ongoing struggle for freedom. A packet of readings will be organized by theme and available to teachers in advance of the workshop. Integral to the readings and workshops will be three online digital resources: the sources on the Independence Hall in American Memory website, essays from the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia project,  and HSP’s Preserving American Freedom website.

Core of assigned reading list:

• Foner, Eric. The Story of American Freedom. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1998.
• Nash, Gary. Forging Freedom: the Formation of Philadelphia’s Black Community. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1988.
• Maier, Pauline. American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence. New York: Random House, 1997.
• Mires, Charlene. Independence Hall in American Memory. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002. 

Instituional Partners

The institutional partners for the project include the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (lead applicant); the National Constitution Center (lead site); the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia; Independence Park Institute; the National Archives at Philadelphia; and the Philadelphia History Museum.