Manifest Destiny ... one note card at a time!

Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way (mural study, U.S. Capitol)
1861 

Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze 

Born: Schwabisch-Gmund, Germany 1816 

Died: Washington, District of Columbia 1868 

oil on canvas 33 1/4 x 43 3/8 in. (84.5 x 110.1 cm.) 

Smithsonian American Art Museum Bequest of Sara Carr Upton 

1931.6.1 

Smithsonian American Art Museum

We just started a new project in class looking at westward expansion. Teams have taken on topics ranging from the Trail of Tears to King Cotton to the Kansas Nebraska Act in order to wrestle with the idea of American Manifest Destiny. Their final product will be Prezis (think PowerPoints for non-linear thinkers). I'm treating this as a mini-research project and so they are having to use notecards, bib cards and MLA7 citations. This is their first foray into this style of research and my oft used quote is from the movie, The Waterboy ... "Yoo can do eet!" [Imagine my best Rob Schneider Cajun accent].

The painting above is impressive in person. It is by the same artist who painted Washington Crossing the Delaware and the mural in the rotunda of the US Capitol. I'm going to hope against all hope and pray Blogger solved our commenting issue and invite students to offer their insights on this painting. Sorry, no extra credit, candy bars or ... well, nothing. Just wanted to hear your insights.