Railroads Change Florida

Lesson Plans

Teacher's Guide for Audio Related to Florida Railroads

Background Information
Zora Neale Hurston Singing Traditional Railroad Lining Rhythms

The arrival of the railroad in Florida marked the beginning of a steady increase in transportation efficiency throughout the state. The labor required to build and operate the railroads, however, was often tedious and difficult. Workers plowed their way through swamps, sandhills, and other challenging terrain, cutting cross-ties and laying them down along with the rails. Over time, railroad labor developed a culture all its own, complete with songs, stories, and traditions.

Zora Neale Hurston Singing Traditional Railroad Lining Rhythms
Zora Neale Hurston Singing Traditional Railroad Lining Rhythms
Some Useful Questions to Ask:
  • What do the recordings tell us about the Floridians who built the railroads?
  • What do the recordings tell us about the process of building the railroads?
Use to Illustrate:
  • The culture of railroad work.
Sunshine State Standards
  • MU.4.H.2.1: Perform, listen to, and discuss music related to Florida’s history.
  • SS.4.A.1.1: Analyze primary and secondary resources to identify significant individuals and events throughout Florida history.
  • SS.4.A.1.2: Synthesize information related to Florida history through print and electronic media.
  • SS.4.A.6.1: Describe the economic development of Florida’s major industries.
    Examples of industries may include, but are not limited to, timber, citrus, cattle, tourism, phosphate, cigar, railroads, bridges, air conditioning, sponge, shrimping, and wrecking (pirating).
  • SS.5.A.1.1: Use primary and secondary sources to understand history.
  • SS.8.A.1.5: Identify, within both primary and secondary sources, the author, audience, format, and purpose of significant historical documents.
  • SS.912.A.1.1: Describe the importance of historiography, which includes how historical knowledge is obtained and transmitted, when interpreting events in history.
  • SS.912.A.1.2: Utilize a variety of primary and secondary sources to identify author, historical significance, audience, and authenticity to understand a historical period.
  • SS.912.A.3.13: Examine key events and key people in Florida history as they relate to United States history.
    Examples are the railroad industry; bridge construction in the Florida Keys; the cattle industry; the cigar industry; the influence of Cuban, Greek and Italian immigrants; Henry B. Plant; William Chipley; Henry Flagler; George Proctor; Thomas DeSaille Tucker; Hamilton Disston.
Florida Standards
  • LAFS.K12.R.2.4: Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
  • LAFS.K12.R.2.6: Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
  • LAFS.4.RI.3.7: Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.
  • LAFS.4.SL.1.2: Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
  • LAFS.68.RH.1.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
  • LAFS.68.RH.1.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
  • LAFS.910.RH.1.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
  • LAFS.910.RH.1.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
  • LAFS.1112.RH.1.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
  • LAFS.1112.RH.1.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
 

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