Discovering Quacks, Utopias, and Cemeteries: Modern Lessons from Historical Themes

by Cynthia Williams Resor

Overview

Discovering Quacks, Utopias, and Cemeteries: Modern Lessons from Historical Themes​ explores two enduring issues – our age-old pursuit of better lives and how the media impacts our choices. In this unique approach to social history, each chapter opens with essential questions asking the reader to consider these issues in historical and modern life. The histories of fake cures, imaginary and real utopias, cemeteries, tombstones, and scrapbooks are explored from ancient times through the transformations caused by the Industrial Revolution into the twentieth century. Historical images, excerpts from primary source documents, and activities adaptable to learners of all ages are included to illustrate the role of historical media. Quacks, Utopias, and Cemeteries, the third in the daily life series by Cynthia Resor, is an ideal book for history enthusiasts, especially social studies teachers, education or humanities professors, museum educators, and anyone wanting to know about the lives of average people in the past.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781475832051
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	06/21/2019
Pages:	154
Product dimensions:	8.51(w) x 10.76(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Cynthia W. Resor was a middle and high school social studies teacher before earning her Ph.D. in history. She is currently a professor of social studies education at Eastern Kentucky University.Visit the author's website, http://teachingwiththemes.com

Table of Contents

Author’s Note

Introduction

Chapter 1: Quackery

Chapter 2: Caveat Emptor: Caveat emptor: Let the Buyer Beware

Chapter 3: Imagining Utopia

Chapter 4: Utopian Communities

Chapter 5: Cemeteries and Tombstones

Chapter 6: Remembering the Dead: Symbols and Scrapbooks

Works Cited

About the Author

Index

Editorial Reviews

Dr. Resor provides another enjoyable, practical, and informative read for educators. Focusing on the social history of quacks, utopias, and cemeteries, readers will quickly discover how relevant these topics are today. Moreover, Dr. Resor provides numerous primary sources as well as valuable insight on how teachers can incorporate these themes to promote important historical thinking skills.

Joshua Kenna

Cynthia Resor continues to impress with her third book in the daily life series Quacks, Utopias, and Cemeteries: Modern Lessons from Historical Themes. Approaching the topic through a thematic lens provides Resor’s hook, engaging students as they dive into historical trends and topics by asking key questions and critically analyzing sources before drawing conclusions. Relevant to today’s education trends and the need for media-literate citizens, this is a terrific resource for teachers and museum educators alike.

Megan Schanie

A fascinating read! Resor does a fantastic job using social history themes to show how people’s hopes and dreams influence social customs and their daily lives. Each chapter includes essential questions, an overview of the topic through several eras in U.S. and European history, and teaching ideas with primary sources. Through each topic and era, Resor focuses on the concept of “media literacy” and shows that even though the media has changed over time, the purpose and strategies used remain the same.

Jana Kirchner