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Elections Then and Now

William Hogarth's The Polling. Plate III. (London, 1758) Present-Day Voters

Introduction

Since the formation of the United States over 200 years ago, laws governing elections have changed significantly. Procedures have been updated to improve accuracy and fairness, and legislation has been passed to enfranchise most adult American citizens. This lesson uses images from the eighteenth century and today to illustrate how elections have evolved.


Materials


Strategy

Tell students they will be looking at one image of voting in the eighteenth century and another image of present-day voting. Have students work together in small groups to analyze the two images: The Polling and the present-day photo of a polling place. Each group should complete a copy of the "Elections Then and Now" handout with things they notice about each image.

After five to ten minutes, have each group tell the class about the entries on their charts. Be sure students notice that all the voters in The Polling are white men who appear by their clothing to be wealthy, and the voters in the present-day photo are men and women of different races and appear to be of different social groups. They should notice the voters in The Polling are giving their votes orally by swearing their identity on the Bible. The candidates are at the polling place listening to the voters, while present-day voters cast their votes secretly. Add any more information from the image explanations that you want your students to know.

Have each group read and analyze the handout titled "18th-Century Election Process." Have them add information to their "Elections Then and Now" charts in the appropriate place.

Introduce these vocabulary words and definitions before the groups read the handout:

writ: a formal legal document ordering an action
parish: a district of local colonial government often the same as the church parish
registered: officially recorded
freeholder: a person who owns land

Then give each group a copy of the handout titled "Present-Day Presidential Election Process."

Introduce these vocabulary words and definitions before the groups read the handout:

polls: place where votes are cast
ballot: ticket or paper by which a vote is registered
carrel: a small enclosed space


Extension

  • Have students brainstorm ideas to put in a letter they might write to Thomas Jefferson explaining how the voting process has changed since colonial times. Have students write their letter to Thomas Jefferson using their ideas from their group's charts and class discussion.
  • Have one half of the small groups create brief skits of the 18th-century election process and the other half create skits of the present-day election process.
  • For extra credit, have students accompany an adult to the polls on election day and write a short report about their experience.



This lesson was written by Gloria Moeller, elementary school teacher, Lakeside, CA.