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First Gas Tractor, Racine, Wisconsin, 1892

Chapter 9 explores the transformation of Wisconsin from a primarily rural, agricultural state to one in which cities, businesses, and industries — as well as farms — flourished.

Students will learn about the changes in transportation, industry, and lifestyles that impacted our rural and urban landscapes and the new challenges and problems that resulted. The chapter also discusses the Progressive era reforms led by Bob and Belle La Follette.

Find reproducible worksheets and other cross-curricular activities for this chapter in the Student Activity Guide.

Belle and Bob La Follette: Partners in Politics

by Bob Kann
Read more about the book

Assessment

• Chapter 9 Assessment

  (Word document, 3 pages, 743 KB) This assessment is a Microsoft Word document, which allows you to customize it for your classroom.

Interactive Whiteboard Resources

• Chapter 9 SMART Notebook Activities

  (.notebook format, 164 MB) To view or download the interactive whiteboard resources, you need a login and password. Learn more about how to access these materials on our Interactive Whiteboard Resources page. Interactive whiteboard files have been created on SMART Notebook 11 software and work best with SMART interactive whiteboard hardware.

Books Related to This Chapter

• Belle and Bob La Follette: Partners in Politics

• A Recipe for Success: Lizzie Kander and her Cookbook

• Harley and the Davidsons: Motorcycle Legends

• Ole Evinrude and His Outboard Motor

• Working with Water: Wisconsin Waterways

Field Trips Related to This Chapter

• 'Explore the Era of Stagecoach Travel' Field Trip to Wade House

  During this historic site field trip students will learn about early Wisconsin transportation, travel and everyday life in a mid-19th century town.

• 'Why History Matters' Guided Tour of the Wisconsin Historical Museum

  This one-hour guided tour introduces students to the main themes of the most recent 200 years of Wisconsin history. Students will discover how artifacts reflect history and what they reveal about our lives today. Students will be challenged to think critically about Wisconsin history and create personal connections to the past through museum exhibits.

• 'Industrialization' Field Trip to Old World Wisconsin

  During this historic site field trip students will experience firsthand how small town life began to change as railroad commerce challenged craft workers and local businesses to compete with new goods and services.

Additional Activities

• Chapter 9: Activities Overview

  (PDF, 1 page, 288 KB) Additional Activities Table of Contents for Chapter 9

• Activity 9-1

  (PDF, 4 pages, 329 KB) New Industries and Old

• Activity 9-2

  (PDF, 6 pages, 346 KB) Political Cartoons

Learn More

• 4th Grade Textbook - Wisconsin: Our State, Our Story

  This definitive Wisconsin history textbook from the Wisconsin Historical Society is full color, visually stunning, and promotes strong literacy skills.

Have Questions?

Contact our helpful staff about implementing the textbook in your classroom.

• education@wisconsinhistory.org