The Birth of the Paper Valley Activity #1:

Appleton: Perfect for Paper

Developed by the Outagamie County Historical Society with funding from Cooperative Education Service Agency 6, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and the U.S. Department of Education. © 2006 OCHS.

Goal:  Students will learn the origins and get a sense of importance of paper making in the Fox Valley.

Objectives:

1)  Students will make observations about the content of the excerpt in questions 1 and 2.

2)  Students will analyze an excerpt from a historical document, the 1879 Illustrated Annual Review.

3)  Students will synthesize information from the document with their knowledge of contemporary Appleton to judge whether the author’s predictions were correct.

4)  Students will speculate about negative effects the paper industry may have had on the Fox Valley and ways to address such effects.

5)  Students will create a convincing visual argument promoting the area as ideal for the paper industry through a “recruiting poster.”

Read the excerpt from the 1879 Illustrated Annual Review entitled “Paper and Pulp Mills.”

1)  What three reasons does the author give for Appleton being a perfect place for paper manufacturing?

2)  What words does the author use to compare the papermaking industry in Appleton to that of other cities?

3)  Use your knowledge about contemporary Appleton to judge whether or not the author was correct in his predictions for the industry.

4)  The papermaking industry has been and continues to be very important for the entire Fox Valley’s economy.  It provides many jobs, and has brought new people and much money to the area.  Can you think of some possible negative effects of having so many paper manufacturing plants along the Fox River?  Do you think the people of 1879 Appleton knew of these negative effects?

5)  What are some ways the community can address the negative effects you listed above?

6)  Read the excerpt once again.  Create a poster “recruiting” paper factories to the area.  You will want your poster to advertise the reasons why Appleton is a perfect location for manufacturing paper.

This activity uses the primary source document:

Article "Paper and Pulp Mills," Illustrated Annual Review of the Appleton Post Devoted to the City of Appleton, Wisconsin, Its Water Power and Industries; also An Historical Sketch of the Fox River, 1879

Click here for a printable worksheet for this activity (PDF file)
Click here for a printable worksheet for this activity (PDF file)