| LESSON PLANS
MIDDLE SCHOOL:
Cultural Exchange (Salem)
Teacher Summary
International trade was crucial to the development of the United
States. In the early 1800's the government received about 95% of
its money from customs duties from international trade. After the
American Revolution, traders from the United States, free from British
trade restrictions, traded around the world. In the late 1700's
and early 1800's, captains took their ships far away, constantly
trading and accumulating cargo. This unit introduces students to
this trading process, illustrating that it was a long and arduous
process to complete a single voyage. Sailors might find themselves
away from home for several years. It was during this period that
Salem reached the zenith of its power as a trade port, boasting
the highest per capita income in the country in 1800.
Content Standards:
- Students will have the ability to describe the routes New
England traders took to China
- Students will understand the reasons why certain trade routes
were chosen
- Students will understand the idea of supply and demand regarding
the various goods traded during these economic transactions
- Students will gain a basic understanding of navigational
techniques and concepts
- Students will know what a typical New England trading vessel
looked like
- Students will gain an understanding of the importance of
Hawai'i in the trade connections between New England and China
- Students will understand the idea of Cultural Diffusion
and the transfer of cultural ideas through material trade
Essential Questions:
What was the trade connection between Salem and China in the early
1800's?
What role did the Hawai'ian Islands play inthis trade?What were
the reasons for this trade?
What products were exchanged in this trade?
Besides trade goods, what other aspects of culture were transferred
during this trade?
Essential Skills:
Students will be able to analyze a painting and answer relevant
questions based on its content .
Students will be able to read and interpret informational charts
(crew and cargo lists/ships logs etc).
Students will gain a basic understanding of navigational concepts.
Preparations/Supplies Needed:
World maps, pencils, New Trade Winds Website, photo of
a painting of a sailing ship, photos of Hawai'i, photo of an object
made of sandalwood, photo of a painting of the ports of Macao, Whampoa,
and Canton. Photos of the interior of the Gardner Pingree House,
pictures of porcelain, silk, and the Tea Trade painting, the Pierce
Nichols House, and the Chinese merchant with fur lined robes
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