John Stienbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. His most famous books were written in the 1930’s and 1940’s, all set in Califonia. His books deal with the lives and problems of the working people. Many of the characters in his books are immigrants from Mexico or from other parts of the United States who went to California looking for work or for a better life.

The primary sources below are pieces of evidence that historians use to learn about people, events, and everyday life in the past, specifically the 1930’s. The documents and photographs below will give students a glimpse into the past and help you to better understand John Stienbeck’s book, Of Mice and Men.

We will use the Library of Congress Primary Source Analysis Tool, a graphic organizer, to help us examine the primary sources exhibited below. 

Click this link to create a copy of the Primary Source Analysys Tool in your drive, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f8xPoGm0jjG1sVJ6vVll6FZn0o10R16xtheGyoUQqXw/copy

What can be learned about someone’s travel experiences from the map? What information about California can be gathered from the map? How does the map further your understanding of migrant labor in California?

Napa Valley, California. More than twenty-five years a bindle-stiff. Define “bindle-stiff.”

In what ways does the song reflect the migrant labor experiences? What questions does the song raise about the Depression and the struggles people faced?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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