The History of Monroeville, Pennsylvania

1. The History of Monroeville, Pennsylvania • Before we begin, take some time to complete the KWL chart on the following topics: • What do you know about the importance of transportation in Monroeville now and in the 1800’s as well as what you want to know? • What do you know about how Monroeville got it’s name and what do you want to know? • What do you know about what colonial life was like in Monroeville and how people lived and what do you want to know?

2. MonroevillePennsylvania& Early Colonial Life • Critical Thinking Question: (Please respond in your journals:) • What significance does this street sign have to Monroeville? • Why would I include it in the introduction to Monroeville history?

3. Monroeville: “A phenomena of the automobile” • The history of Monroeville is inextricably linked with the history of the roads. Family Outing on Tilbrook Road By 1807, the grand-daddy of modern highways, the Northern Turnpike was completed from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, and Monroeville, at its convenient location 13 miles out of Pittsburgh, became the first stagecoach stop heading east on the new road.

4. One road: the past and present! Then Now Monroeville was a small village nestled among widely-scattered farms. In what would surely be a sign of things to come, it was a road that gave the emerging village its first taste of prominence. Critical Thinking Question: (Please respond in your journals:) Why do you think “a road” is underlined? What road do you think this is referring to?

5. Assignment: • Within your project groups, discuss your answers to the critical thinking questions regarding “the roads”. • What significance does this street sign have to Monroeville, why would I include it in the introduction to Monroeville history? • Why do you think “a road” is underlined? • What road do you think this is referring to? • Within your groups, complete the SEA worksheet on both pictures of the Northern Turnpike. Do these pictures reinforce your answers to the critical thinking questions? If so, how? If not, how do these pictures change your answers?

6. Who is this man?????............. Assignment: In your group, complete the NARA photo analysis worksheet. In addition; using your Monroeville history workbook, list 5 educated guesses to the question ”Who is this man?”

7. …..It’s Joel Monroe! Did you guess correctly? What helped your guess? • In 1810 the village would develop along the new road, extending east to west. And when a local farmer named Joel Monroe began selling off lots along the road, he was to lay down the core of the modern community that bears his name. • Joel Monroe

8. Joel Monroe’s Major Contribution to Monroeville ‘s Future • 1850 - Joel Monroe and his neighbors petition the federal government for a Post Office for their growing village. • 1851 - The post office petition is approved, and Joel Monroe becomes the first Postmaster, with the Post Office located in his home, along what is currently William Penn Highway (US Route 22). Critical Thinking: Why was establishing a post office so important? Why was Patton Township renamed Monroeville?

9. Mid-Lesson Assignment: • Individually: • Take some time to review your KWL chart you completed at the start of the unit and continue filling it out now that you have learned some new things. You may use your PowerPoint notes and Monroeville workbook. • Be sure your critical thinking questions are completed in your journals and turn them in. • Within your groups: Please turn in your SEA and NARA worksheets with your individual names on them.

10. The Colonial History of Monroeville • In 1769 the initial Colonial settlers arrived. • The first families to settle in that region were from a wave of Scots-Irish immigrants encouraged by the Pennsylvania authorities to move west, settle the frontier, and farm the land. Questions for Discussion: What do you think the average colonial family looked like? How many people lived in a house? How many children did people have back then?

11. Well Known Colonial Families of Monroeville Joel Monroe & family The Johnston Family The Beatty Family

12. Assignment: • Within your groups; research each of these families and provide at least 3 details to share with the class on what these families did that contributed to Monroeville’s success. • In addition, be prepared to discuss the 3 photos of the families and how what the photos may say about the family. • We will discuss these details within our discussion circle and compare notes with what others found.

13. Declaration of Independence Listen to the Declaration being read • The Declaration of Independence was an important document in US history. The United States was free to become the great nation it is today. • Critical Thinking Question: • How did the Declaration of Independence help Monroeville become the great city it is today?

14. Assignment: • Using the NARA worksheet, analyze the original copy of the Declaration of Independence. Go to the following website to view it: • http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=rbc3&fileName=rbc0001_2004pe76546page.db After listening to the reading and viewing the document, how do you think this declaration changed life for colonists in Monroeville? Respond in your journals using your notes and research to support your answers.

15. How would you do as a colonist? • http://www.pbs.org/wnet/colonialhouse/quiz_pop/index.html • After taking the quiz, answer the following questions in your journal: • What surprised you about your quiz results if anything? Were they what you expected? What would be the hardest part of being a colonist? Go to the following website on your computer and take the quiz “Would you have survived in the colony?”

16. Life as a Colonist • After viewing this brief video, complete the Venn Diagram on modern life versus colonial life. You may have to do additional research! Focus on the following: • Families • Roles of men and women • Children and their lives • Political Structures • Social Structure • Problems http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/13210-colonial-america-colonial-life-video.htm

17. Monroeville ‘s Colonial Attraction • The McGinley House is the oldest existing stone house in Monroeville. • Historical records show that the land on which the house was built, was originally owned by a Matthew Simpson.  In 1827, the property was deeded to Joseph McClintock.  • It was Joseph’s son, John, a farmer and stonemason, who probably built the house around 1830.  In time, the house and farm passed to Mr. Isaac McGinley, from whom the homestead derives its historic name.

18. Your Fieldtrip to the McGinley House • Within your groups you are going to prepare a Power Point presentation on one of the following colonial family roles: (one will be assigned to your group) • A farmer • A farmer’s wife • A farmer’s son • A farmer’s daughter • Focus on the Venn Diagram you complete on Colonial life as well as the notes you took while on your fieldtrip to the McGinley House. • The rubric for whatyour Power Point should cover is in your Monroeville workbook.

19. Final Assignment • Complete you KWL chart on what you learned about: • The importance of Monroeville’s roads • The importance of Joel Monroe • The colonists of Monroeville and how they lived • Be sure to include as many facts as you can!

20. In Conclusion: • Monroeville is a city with a lot of valuable resources such as our road systems, that link us throughout the entire state. • Monroeville is named after a hard working man who sold his farms and helped to establish a small city that eventually grew into one of the largest in western Pennsylvania. • Colonists of the former Patton Twp. worked hard as primarily farmers. Their lives as well as the way they survived is something to respect and learn from.

21. Bibliography • http://www.monroevillehistorical.org/ Monroeville’s Historical Society • http://www.loc.gov/library/ Library of Congress http://www.cwf.org/ Colonial Williamsburg Site www.howstuffworks.com www.pbs.org