Spanish Flu

Spanish Flu

The 1918 Influenza Pandemic, also known as the Spanish Flu, was one of the deadliest events in human history.

Standard #5: Relationships among people, places, ideas and environments are dynamic

Learning Objective: You will investigate several historical documents and examine the relationship the Spanish Flu had on American society, compared to Covid-19's impact on American society.

Writing Prompt:

For this investigation, you will use the historical skills of sourcing, close reading, contextualization and corroboration to answer guiding questions and use evidence to create both a concrete detail sentence and two commentary sentences by analyzing how the Spanish Flu impacted American Society.

Historical Question:

Consider what you have experienced living through Covid 19, and how American society has changed in 2020, to fully consider the following question: How did the Spanish Flu impact American society?

Let's watch a short video about the history of the Spanish Flu

Pay attention there will be some short questions after the video...

Multiple Choice

From the video, how many "impactful waves" of the Spanish flu were there in the United States?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Multiple Choice

From the video, what event was going on in 1918 that aided in the global spread of the Spanish Flu?

• Both Disneyland and EuroDisney opened

• World War 1

• PanAm airlines began international flights

• The 1918 Summer Olympics in Paris, France

Multiple Choice

From the video, why was it called the "Spanish Flu"?

• People with Spanish Blood were more easily susceptible to contracting the virus.

• The virus originated in Spain

• Spanish doctors were able to find the cure.

• Spain, a neutral country, was the first nation to report on the virus

Multiple Choice

From the video, what caused the American "Second Wave" of the Spanish Flu in the fall of 1918?

• American troops returning home from WW 1.

• A mutated version of the virus was emerging.

• Germany, frustrated at losing the war, began biological warfare.

• Discounted railroad ticket prices created more passengers travling than ever before.

Multiple Choice

From the video, what was the result of American cities that did not take "stay at home orders" seriously?

• they had a lower death rate

• they had a higher death rate

Historical Documents

Let's look at a historical timeline of the Spanish Flu, several photographs, and a private letter, all from the time period of this pandemic.

Document A

This photograph shows an emergency hospital at Brookline, Massachusetts to care for influenza patients. Source: Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs. Medical Department - Influenza Epidemic 1918 - Emergency hospital, Brookline, Massachusetts, to care for influenza cases; 10/1918; Photograph

Multiple Choice

(Sourcing) What organization published this photograph?

• The Brookline Massachusetts Medical Center

• Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs. Medical Department

• The Kansas City Star

• The New York Times

What is unusual about this "hospital"? What does this say about how the Spanish Flu impacts American society?

Open Ended

(Close Reading) Based on this document, how did the Spanish Flu pandemic impact American society? (At least one full sentence is required for credit)

Open Ended

(Close Reading) How was this similar and/ or different for the impact the Coronavirus pandemic has had on American society? (At least one full sentence required for credit)

Document B

This summary of deaths, compiled by the Division of Vital Statistics of the Kansas State Board of Health, details the total number of deaths that resulted during the Influenza of 1918 in Kansas with 2,639 recorded deaths. Source: State Board of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Summary of Deaths by Causes, 1918.

Document B

Numbers 1 thru 105 are assigned to the 105 counties in alphabetical order. 

Numbers 200-400 are assigned to the cities within those counties 

Examples:

105 = Wyandotte County

205 = Kansas City, Wyandotte Co.

305 = Rosedale, Wyandotte Co.

(Hint: use 2 fingers on your cursor to enlarge the chart)

Multiple Choice

(Sourcing) What organization published this document?

• Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs. Medical Department - Influenza Epidemic 1918

• Records of Naval Districts and Shore Establishments. Precautions Against Influenza; 2/3/1920

• The New York Times

• State Board of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Summary of Deaths by Causes, 1918.

Remember...

Numbers 1 thru 105 are assigned to the 105 counties in alphabetical order. 

Numbers 200-400 are assigned to the cities within those counties 

Examples:

105 = Wyandotte County

205 = Kansas City, Wyandotte Co.

305 = Rosedale, Wyandotte Co.

(Hint: use two fingers on your cursor to enlarge the chart for visibility)

How many people died in Wyandotte County due to the Spanish Flu?

(Hint: use two fingers on your cursor to enlarge the chart for visablity)

Multiple Choice

(Close Reading) From the chart, how many people died in Wyandotte County due to the Spanish Flu?

• 13

• 263

• 1

• 22

Continue to examine the chart...

How does the number of Wyandotte county deaths compare to how many died specifically in Kansas City, Kansas?

Remember...

105 = Wyandotte County

205 = Kansas City, Wyandotte Co.

Multiple Choice

How does the number of people that died in Wyandotte county compare to how many died specifically in Kansas City, Kansas?

• More people died throughout the county than in just Kansas City

• Less people died throughout the county than in just Kansas City

Look at the "Ages" column

According to the CDC, Covid-19 has proven to be most deadly to older individuals and ones with pre-existing conditions. What do you notice about the age group with the highest death rate from the Spanish Flu in 1918?

Multiple Choice

How was this similar / different (the highest percentage of deaths by age group) for the impact the Coronavirus pandemic has had on American society?

• It was similar, in both pandemics deaths among the elderly were most common

• It was different, in the Spanish Flu deaths among the elderly were most common

• It was similar, in both pandemics deaths among younger people (20's-30's) were most common

• It was different, in the Spanish Flu, deaths among younger people (20's-30's) were most common

Document C

This photograph shows policemen in Seattle, Washington wearing masks made by the Seattle Chapter of the Red Cross during the influenza epidemic.

Source: Photograph 165-WW-269B-25; Medical Department - Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs. Influenza Epidemic 1918

Multiple Choice

(Sourcing) What organization published this document?

• Medical Department - Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs. Influenza Epidemic 1918

• Records of Naval Districts and Shore Establishments. Precautions Against Influenza; 2/3/1920

• State Board of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Summary of Deaths by Causes, 1918.

• The Washington Post

Consider if you were not wearing a mask, and were walking down the street and saw this group of people wearing masks, how would you feel about the Spanish Flu?

Based on this document, how did the Spanish Flu pandemic impact American society?

Open Ended

(Close Reading) Based on this document, how did the Spanish Flu pandemic impact American society? (At least one full sentence required to receive credit)

Document D

Source: Records of Naval Districts and Shore Establishments. Precautions Against Influenza; 2/3/1920

Multiple Choice

(Sourcing) What organization published this document?

• The Omaha World Herald

• Medical Department - Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs. Influenza Epidemic 1918

• State Board of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Summary of Deaths by Causes, 1918.

• Records of Naval Districts and Shore Establishments. Precautions Against Influenza; 2/3/1920

How was this similar and/ or different for the impact the Coronavirus pandemic has had on American society?

Open Ended

(Close Reading) This document shows how Spanish Flu impacted American society; how was this similar / different for the impact the Coronavirus pandemic has had on American society? (At least one full sentence is required to receive credit)

Document E

This photograph shows precautions being taken in Seattle, Washington during the Spanish Influenza epidemic by not permitting anyone to ride on the street cars without wearing a mask. To assist with the high demand for masks the Red Cross produced 260,000 masks.

Source: Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs,

Photograph 165-WW-269B-11

Poll

(Close Reading) How was this similar and/ or different for the impact the Coronavirus pandemic has had on American society?

• This shows how masks are required in public, just like with Covid-19

• This shows how some people were not adjusting to new rules (wearing a mask in public).

• This shows how at these pandemics are an "inconvenience" to many Americans; it appears one man from the photo will not be allowed to ride the streetcar.

Document F

Former Haskell Institute student Lutiant Van Wert sent this letter to her friend Louise, who was still at the school. Van Wert describes her work as a volunteer nurse in Washington, DC, during the 1918 influenza epidemic. Other topics include social life and a rumor that German agents were responsible for the epidemic. Haskell Institute, located in Lawrence, Kansas was formed as a non-reservation Indian boarding school providing agricultural education and emphasizing assimilation in 1884. It later became a semi-military institution where students wore uniforms and marched to classes, then began offering college level classes in 1927.

Source:  Letter from Lutiant Van Wert to "Louise"; 10/17/1918 from the Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Multiple Choice

(Sourcing) What type of document is this?

• A newspaper article

• A portion of the US war journal

• A private letter

• A recorded speech

Multiple Choice

What was the author doing in Washington D.C.?

• That's where she is from

• She was volunteering as a nurse

• It was a vacation trip

• She was part of the Women's Suffrage movement

Open Ended

Based on this document, how did the Spanish Flu pandemic impact American society? (At least one full sentence to receive credit; think if it made life easier or more difficult, what types of jobs were really effected?)

Ok, now lets practice some writing. Over the next few slides, there will be a provided topic sentence, for your convenience.

Concrete Detail

This sentence has 3 components (parts)

• Transitional phrase; things like: For example... According to... First...

• A source of information that contains at least a who (author), when (date), and what (type of document and or title)

• A "direct quote", or statistic

Multiple Choice

Which answer below is a properly written Concrete Detail? The topic sentence is...

The Spanish Flu was a very difficult time in American society because the virus brought many changes to the normal everyday American way of life.

• For example, a letter from Lutiant Van Wert in 10/17/1918 from the Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, it said, there was a lot of stuff closed.

• According to Document C, "Really, Louise, Orderlies carried the dead soldiers out on stretchers at the rate of two every three hours for the first two days we’re there.

• In conclusion, the Spanish Flu was difficult in America because we were short medical professionals, and new laws very not enforced, and many businesses closed down.

• According to a letter from Lutiant Van Wert in 10/17/1918 from the Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, it said, "Really, Louise, Orderlies carried the dead soldiers out on stretchers at the rate of two every three hours for the first two days we’re there.

Open Ended

Finish the Concrete Detail from the provided source, and topic sentence...

(Document)

Precautions Against Influenza

Influenza is spread through discharge of eyes, nose, mouth; avoid persons with coughs or a cold. If obliged to cough or sneeze yourself when near another person, turn the face or cover the mouth and face with a handkerchief. Avoid common drinking cups. Do not expectorate promiscuously. Do not stand close to another person while conversing and do not talk directly at them; discharges from the mouth are disseminated while talking.

Source: Records of Naval Districts and Shore Establishments. Precautions Against Influenza; 2/3/1920

Topic Sentence, you just need to finish the Concrete Detail:

The Spanish Flu was a very difficult time in American society because the virus brought many changes to the normal everyday American way of life. According to__________________________________ (Hint: remember a concrete detail has 3 parts, and I have provided the first)

Multiple Choice

Which answer is TRUE about Commentary Sentences?

• They have a transition phrase, source information, and direct quote.

• They are written BEFORE a concrete detail (or piece of evidence).

• They must rhyme

• They are opinion based, and explains WHY or HOW your concrete detail supports your topic sentence.

Open Ended

Write 2 simple sentences of commentary on the provided topic sentence, and concrete detail:

The Spanish Flu was a very difficult time in American society because the virus brought many changes to the normal everyday American way of life. According to records from the Naval Districts and Shore Establishments, Precautions Against Influenza, from 2/3/1920, "Do not stand close to another person while conversing and do not talk directly at them; discharges from the mouth are disseminated (shooting out) while talking." (Commentary HINT: Look at the Concrete Detail, and ask yourself why it matters?)

Alright good job!!!

You're all finished!