Francis P. Lynch
Leaders in Connecticut 1950 to the Present
Objective:
To familiarize students with the names of past and current leaders in state government, and to observe political trends.
Materials Needed
:
Multiple copies of
Connecticut State Register and Manual
for the last five ten years. Blank paper, with scotch tape as needed. Perhaps several blackboard panels.
Strategies:
Working singly or in groups, with the blackboard or the unlined paper:
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a. have students construct a basic time line of Governors of Connecticut, 1950 to the present, using the
Register
as a reference.
Questions: 1.
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Which of these persons is still alive and active?
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2. What have you heard of any of these people doing?
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3. Where have they left their names in places around the state? (The John Dempsey Medical Center, the Chester Bowles Highway, the Meskil Ice Storm, etc.
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b. Do the same thing with United States Senators over the same period.
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Questions: 1. What names are well known from this group today? (Prescott Bush, Tom Dodd, Abe Ribicoff, Brien McMahon)
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2. What may we conclude from this list of people? Where did they come from in the state? What does this show about Connecticut?
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c. Try to find the boundaries of the United States Congressional District you live in. Who is your present Representative?
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d. At 20 cents a mile, how much does it cost you to get back and forth to work for a week?
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e. Have you ever been to:
Springfield Civic Center?
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G. Fox Downtown Store?
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Hartford Civic Center?
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The Bushnell?
New Haven Civic Center?
What immediate and long range problems would this town (Granby) face without ample gasoline at a price which people could afford to buy it?