Montana: Stories of the Land

Chapter 10 - Politics and the Copper Kings, 1889 - 1904

The Many Names of the Anaconda Copper Company

Why Did William A. Clark and Marcus Daly Hate Each Other?

Columbia Gardens: William A. Clark's Happy Legacy

Woman Suffrage or Women's Suffrage?

Takeaways

Inspired by reading specialist Tammy Elser, who was in turn inspired by SKC graduate Taylor Crawford, we've created a "Takeaway" bookmark for every chapter of Montana: Stories of the Land. Before starting a chapter, print and cut out these bookmarks and distribute them to your students. Ask them to use the Takeaway to summarize the GIST of what they learn from reading assigned sections of the chapter. Remind them that they don't have much room, so they'll need to think before they write down the most important idea they want to take away from the section. Learn a little more about the GIST strategy.

Even though we've created Takeaways for every chapter, we don't recommend you have your students complete a Takeaway for every section of every chapter they read. That would be exceedingly tedious. However, used appropriately, they can be a useful tool for encouraging reflection and teaching students how to summarize information.

Websites and Online Lesson Plans

Looking to introduce your students to the legislative process? Check out A Student's Guide to the Montana Legislature, a 48-page booklet for anyone wanting basic information about the way the Montana Legislature works and how best to get involved in the legislative process. The guide is also available in booklet form from the Legislative Information Office leginfo@mt.gov, 406-444-2957.

For a model lesson on analyzing political cartoons, see the Library of Congress's module, "It's No Laughing Matter: Analyzing Political Cartoons"

Butte historian George Everett has created a good summary of Butte labor history.

Explore Helena using the booklet Camp to Capitol: Step into Helena's Past. By comparing  the historical photographs contained within to the streetscape today, students can gain an understanding of how Helena grew and an appreciation for the buildings that remain to reflect the community's rich history.

"The Fragile Western Biome" is a lesson created by PBS to accompany its 8-part series, The West. It explores the impact of American westward expansion, in particular the mining industry, on the ecosystems of the West.

Discover a wide array of resources for studying mining history.

Dig into Mining: The Story of Copper This interactive web-based program for students grades 6-8 uncovers the use of metals such as copper in our everyday life, and provides students a deeper understanding of today's hard rock mining industry.

Clark Fork Watershed Education Program (CFWEP) Find resources for teaching about the environmental consequences of copper mining and reclamation efforts.

"Butte's Industrial Landscape" is an incredibly informative and detailed PowerPoint presentation focusing on the environmental consequences of industrial mining. Professor Fred Quivik created it for a teacher's workshop but it can be easily adapted for use in the classroom.

Videos or DVDs

Chapter One, "When Copper Was King," (22 minutes) and Chapter Ten, "The Anaconda Mining Company," (16 minutes) of Montana Mosaic: 20th-Century People and Events. (Check your library. OPI donated a copy of this DVD to every public school in Montana. The DVD is also available as streaming video.)

Paupers Dream: Tribute to the Montana Hard Rock Miner, Joseph Campanella - 58 minutes. 

Hidden Fire: The Great Butte Explosion - 60 minutes.

Remembering the Columbia Gardens - 60 minutes.

Possible Fieldtrips

Bannack State Park, 24 miles southwest of Dillon

Copper King Mansion, Butte 

World Museum of Mining, Butte 

Daly Mansion, Hamilton 

Helena (Use the booklet Camp to Capital: Step into Helena's Past, by Ellen Baumler et al, for a self-guided tour or arrange a tour with Montana Historical Society interpretive historian Ellen Baumler ebaumler@mt.gov.)

Montana State Capitol, Helena 

Original Governors Mansion, Helena 

Virginia City, Montana

Alignment to Content Standards and Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians (EU)

Tests and Answer Keys