New York City Government:

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Ms. Bopp

Adlai E. Stevenson High School

Introduction

You are a teenager growing up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn around the turn of the twentieth century. Your parents have only received a sixth grade education. Your grandparents are immigrants and do not speak English, but they were determined to raise their children as Americans. Your own parents are constantly telling you about how wonderful it is to be Americans and that education is the key to opportunity. Every year, on the first Tuesday in November, your father proudly goes to his polling place and votes for Tammany. Nobody seems to know who this mysterious Tammany is, but no one in your neighborhood would ever think of voting for anyone else. You decide to use your education, which your parents and grandparents so highly value, to do some research.

Task

Your task is to research how Tammany, the political machine wielding power in New York City from just before the Civil War until World War I, came to power. You will need to learn about the major figures behind Tammany, such as Boss Tweed, how the machine operated, and why the public supported it for so long. In a group of four students, you will analyze Tammany’s policies, corruption, and the underlying causes for its existence and power. You will document your findings and analysis in a series of four newspaper articles, which must include at least one editorial piece.

Process

You will use the following strategies to synthesize your information and evaluate Tammany.

1. You will be assigned to a group of four students, and each group will use the Internet to learn about Tammany, how political machines worked, and current New York City government.

2. You will complete the following public policy worksheets:

a. Defining the Social Problem

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/select.html

b. Gathering the evidence

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet2.html

c. Identifying the cause of the problem

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet3.html

d. Evaluating existing public policies

http://maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/existing.html

e. Developing your own original public policy

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet5.html

3. You will use the websites listed below to research the topic.

4. Each group will formulate its research around the following questions:

1. How was a “political machine” able to gain control of New York City government?
2. What benefits did Tammany bring to the people of New York City?
3. As Tammany’s power increased, how did its corruption increase? Find at least 5 examples of this relationship.
4. How did Boss Tweed rise to power?
5. Find three examples of Tammany’s presence in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
6. Find two political cartoons pertaining to Tammany. Analyze each.
7. What finally caused Tammany’s downfall?

5. You will visit the website for Martin Scorcese’s movie, Gangs of New York (see link below). View the trailer clip on your computer. How are Tammany and Boss Tweed portrayed in the film? Based on your research, are they accurate depictions?
6. You will find 3 political cartoons about Tammany, and analyze each one. You may create your own for extra credit.

Resources

http://history1900s.about.com/cs/tammanyhall/

http://history1900s.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pbs.org%2Fwnet%2Fnewyork%2Flaic%2Fepisode3%2Ftopic6%2Fe3_t6_s1-tt.html

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/newyork/laic/episode3/topic6/e3_t6_s1-tt.html

http://www.albany.edu/~dkw42/tweed.html

http://www.polaris.edu/iltli/Tchrpgs/Tweed.htm

http://www.smithsonianmag.si.edu/smithsonian/issues02/feb02/boss.html

http://712educators.about.com/cs/biographies/p/bosstweed.htm

http://www.midtownmedia.com/ndc/Civilwar.html

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=211

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/recon/boss_1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammany_Hall

http://video.movies.go.com/gangsofnewyork/

Evaluation

Your grade will be based on the following:

Each group will write a 4 newspaper articles that detail the history of Tammany Hall and Boss Tweed in New York City. They can be dated present-day, or during the years Tammany was in power. The editorial piece must contain the writer’s opinion based on fact. 30 points

Each group will reenact a scene from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, adding in social commentary about the political climate of the time. You can use the actual references to Tammany in the book, or you can use other scenes and analyze the influence of New York City history and government on the novel. 30 points

Each group will present a visual aid that allows the class to compare and contrast New York City government “then and now.”

30 points

Each group will fill out a “Self Evaluation Sheet” reflecting on your research, writing, presentation, and knowledge acquired. 10 points

Performance Standards

 Language Arts:

 E1c Read and comprehend information materials. 

E2a Produce a report of information.

E3b Participate in group meetings.

The student produces a report that:
•	engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
•	develops a controlling idea that conveys a perspective on the subject;
•	creates an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context;
•	includes appropriate facts and details;
•	excludes extraneous and inappropriate information;
•	uses a range of appropriate strategies, such as providing facts and details, describing or analyzing the subject, narrating a relevant anecdote, comparing and contrasting, naming, explaining benefits or limitations, demonstrating claims or assertions, and providing a scenario to illustrate;
•	provides a sense of closure to the writing.

Your group’s written work will be graded based on the following rubric:

GRADE:	1	2	3	4
Oral Presentation –scene from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn	No knowledge of the uses of PPA. Presents no data to support the proposed policy.	Little knowledge of the uses of PPA. Presents several sources of data in a logical format to support the proposed policy.	Acceptable amount of knowledge Of the uses of PPA. Presents several sources of data in a logical and organized format to support the proposed policy.	Superior knowledge of the uses of PPA. Presents an exceptional amount of data to support the proposed policy.
Research	Links are not relevant to support the proposed policy.	Enough links but few support the proposed policy.	Many links that support the proposed policy.	All links support the proposed policy.
Articles & Worksheets	Incomplete Does not use the conventions of standard written English.	Weak usage of the conventions of Standard Written English.	Acceptable usage of the conventions of Standard Written English	Superior use of the conventions of Standard Written English

Conclusion

At the close of this project, you will have a thorough understanding of the social situation in New York City that corresponds to the setting of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Hopefully, you will have learned a great deal about our system of government, life as an immigrant, and the vibrancy of New York City. Your critical thinking process, as well as your researching techniques will be greatly enhanced.