Lesson Title: George Washington, Innovative Farmer

Authors: Sari Bennett & Pat Robeson - Maryland Geographic Alliance

Grade Level: 4/5

Duration: 1 class periods

Essential Questions: 1. Why is good soil important to a farmer?2. How did George Washington modify the enviornment of his plantation to make it successful?

Enduring Understanding: When the natural environment is modified there are consequences.

Maryland State Curriculum: GeographyD. Modifying and Adapting to the Environment1. Describe how people adapt to, modify and impact the natural environmentGrade 4:b. Describe ways and reasons people in Maryland and the United States modify the natural

environment and the consequences of modificationsGrade 5:

Describe ways that colonists in the New England, Middle and Southern regions adapted toand modified the environment, such as uses of the grist mill, water wheels and plantation farming.

Maryland Environmental Literacy Standards: Standard 7 Environment & SocietyTopic B: Individual and Group Actions and the EnvironmentIndicator 1: Examine the influence of individual and group actions on the environment and explain

how groups and individuals can work to promote and balance interests.• Describe how people adapt to, modify, and impact the natural environment

SS 3(4)D.1• Explain why and how people adapt to and modify the natural environment and the im-

pact of those modifications SS 3(5)D.1

Reading Informational TextGrade 4RI3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, in-cluding what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.• Connect and explain types of relationships. (See CCSS 3 RL2.)• Apply content knowledge to determine relationships in an informational text.• Use text-relevant information and language to explain connections between and/or among

events, ideas or concepts, and steps in a text.• Apply knowledge of standard English when writing about or discussing informational texts.

(See CCSS 4 L1, 2.)• Apply academic and domain-specific vocabulary to discuss and/or write about types of re-

lationships. (See CCSS 4 L6.)

Grade 5RI3 Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, orconcepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.• Connect and explain types of relationships. (See CCSS 3 RL2.)• Apply content knowledge to determine relationships in an informational text.• Use text-relevant information and language to explain connections between and/or among

events, ideas or concepts, and steps in a text.• Apply knowledge of standard English when writing about or discussing informational texts.

(See CCSS 5 L1, 2.)• Apply academic and domain-specific vocabulary to discuss and/or write about types of re-

lationships. (See CCSS 5 L6.)

Connections: Geography, Environmental Literacy, Science, Reading, Writing

Student Outcomes:• use information on signs located at Mount Vernon to identify ways Washington modified

the natural environment to farm his farms by immplementing new innovatrions.• identify crops Washington grew and explain why he grew them. • explain ways Washington improved the soil and why it was necessary to protect the envi-

ronment. • read primary source information and match Washingtonʼs quotations to photographs of his

farms.

Summative Assessment: Students work individually or in groups to: • make a list of each of Washingtonʼs innovations and give evidence from primary and secondary

sources• describe the purpose of each innovation • explain how each innovation modified the natural environment and made the plantation suc-

cessful

Materials:• Farmer George Plants a Nation by Peggy Thomas & Paintings by Layne Johnson, (Calkins

Creek, an imprint of Boyds Mills Press,Inc, Honesdale, PA, 2008) ISBN 978-1-59078-460-0* Mount Vernon Signs # 1 - 7 - one set for each group of four, or use sheets for a gallery walk* George Washington Innovative Farmer Question Sheets #1-3 - one set for each group of four * Assessment Quotes #1 - 2 - one for each student• Assessment Photographs - one for each student

Vocabulary:Tier 2environment: everything in and on earth's surface and its atmosphere within which organisms,

communities or objects existmodify: to changehuman-made features: features on the earth's surface constructed by people, including but notlimited to village, town, city, building, road, airport, canal, dam, port, bridge, and monument

Tier 3granary: a storehouse of grain

manure: animal waste used to fertilize landmidas touch: one who converts everything he touches to gold. Washington wanted to convert

everything to manure because it was so important to maintain good soil.nursery: place where young trees, vines, and plants are grown and usually soldrotation: growing different crops in the same field usually in a regular order

Prior Knowledge:This activities use images of Mount Vernon and quotations from George Washington to empha-size ways he modified the natural environment to become an innovative farmer.

What is a farm without good soil? Maintaining soil quality and productivity were essential to anyfarmer. Washington felt soil conservation was the most important aspect of his farming at MountVernon. Although 200 years ago George Washington and other farmers of his day knew littleabout soil chemistry or the biochemistry of plant nutrition, they recognized that soil could become“exhausted” or depleted of nutrients essential to the productivity of their fields. Thus, Washingtonexperimented with a number of different soil “enhancements”, carefully observing and recordingthe results of his experiments. He wrote regularly, while away, to his farm managers to ensurethat his careful plans were being carried out according to his very specific instructions.

Pre-Assessment:Tell students that most people know a lot about George Washington as our countryʼs leader butdonʼt know that he was also a farmer. At the age of 27 after fighting in the French and Indian Warhe returned to his plantation and wanted to improve it so it could be profitable. How do you thinkWashington modifed the environment of his plantation to make it successful? Make a list of stu-dent responses.

Lesson ProcedureEngagement:Tell students when George Washington leased Mount Vernon in 1754, it had about 2000 acres.Under his leadership, the estate grew to more than 8000 acres. It was divided into five differentfarms. He was a great innovator. In 1765, before George Washington switched from tobaccofarming and adopted his new ideas, he owed money. By the time he he died in 1799, Washingtonhad estimated his worth at $530,000. This is more than $6 billion in today's currency. Washingtonmay have been the richest man in American history!

Ask student the following questions and discuss answers.• What does innovation mean? (a new idea, method, or device)• What are some examples of innovations in society today? (electric car, digital cameras, DVD

player, cell/smart phones, laptops, GPS, etc.)

Step 1:Show students the book, Farmer George Plants a Nation and have students listen to the story tolearn about what innovations George Washington made at his farms. While reading demonstratehow to read closely to make sense of what the author is saying and clarify unknown words. Makeyour thinking visible.

Step 2:Distribute a set of the Mount Vernon Signs and the question sheets to each group of four stu-dents.

Tell students to use what they learned and information on the signs to answer the questions.Match each image to a question number and answer all parts of the question.

Image #1 (do as a group using a transparency or ppt) a) Why did George Washington switch his cash crop from tobacco to wheat?

Wheat did not deplete the soil as quickly as tobacco. Wheat had economic advantages; Washington could sell it to many markets.

b) George Washington modified his farmland in many ways. Identify the human-made featuresfound on his farms.

cultivated land, homes, mill, distillery, roads, fences, barns

c) George Washington used wagons to get wheat and corn to the mills for processing. To whomdid Washington sell his flour, cornmeal, and other products? How were these products transported to market?

Europe and the West Indies - Ships were used to transport cash crops across the ocean orto the Caribbean.

Image #2Washington had 8000 acres of forested land. After these trees were cut down, Washington usedsome of the land for other agricultural activities. a) List ways he used the land shown on this map.

seed beds, fruit gardens, orchards, berry bed

b) What types of trees did he grow? Why did he grow these?types of trees: apple, cherry, peach, plum, pear fruit was used in the kitchen for cooking; other trees would be transplanted elsewhere

c) What were seedbeds used for?to grow vegetables, grains and pasture grasses; allowed to “go to Seed,” providing the seeds for next seasonʼs planting

Image #3Washington used a complicated system of rotating the crops planted in his fields.a) Why did Washington believe crop rotation was a good process for farmers to use?

Crop rotation was used to increase and maintain soil fertility.

b) What crops in Washingtonʼs rotation were grown for profit and to eat? Which were grown forfertilizer?

profit and to eat: wheat, corn and potatoes fertilizer: buckwheat, clover or grass

c) What was the pattern for growing clover or grass?planted 3 times in 7 years

d) Why did Washington place livestock in the grass and clover fields?Livestock could graze and their manure helped replace valuable nutrients in the soil.

e) When was buckwheat planted? Why was it planted then?Buckwheat was planted after wheat was harvested and allowed to decompose to make a“green Manure” that helped the soil.

f) When could corn or potatoes be grown?Corn and potatoes were planted in fields after three years of being planted in clover or hay.

Image #4Washington strongly believed in using fences on his farms.a) What were the four functions of fences?

split rail was moveable and used primarily around fieldswattle was used to protect animals from predatorspost and rail was used to permanently mark boundary lines and keep animals on and off

fieldshurdle was used to keep animals in an area for grazing and manuring.

b) What is the big advantage of split-rail fences? They were moveable and could be laid around trees and other obstacles.

Image #5Washington rotated crops to improve the quality of the soil. a) Identify five other ways Washington used to improve soil quality.

Animal manure and “green manure” such as buckwheat and clover were used as fertilizers. Creek mud was natural fertilizer. Fish heads decomposed in the soil and were used as a fertilizer. Marl which was a “chalky clay” was used like lime is used today to lower soil acidity. Plaster of paris which is made of calcium sulfate or gypsum was used to change the PHbalance.

b) What human-made-feature did Washington build that illustrates his concern for improving thesoil. dung repository

Image #6A 16-sided barn was one of the most interesting human-made features Washington built on hisfarms. a) What geographic characteristics forced Washington to build this unique barn?

weather and climate

b) If this barn was such a good idea, why didnʼt Washington build more?Reliable threshing machines were invented. These ended his plans to build additionaltreading barns.

Image #7As a military and political leader, Washington was often away from his farms for long periods oftime. Yet, his farms were quite successful.

a) How were the farms maintained?By 1799, Mount Vernon had 316 enslaved people who worked the farms.

b) Name 3 jobs done on the farm? Place a star next to the jobs connected with modifying theenvironment.

planted, cared for and harvested cropsworked at the gristmill and in the mansion house dug ditches cut firewood husked cornrepaired fencesslaughtered hogs and preserved meat for foodModifying the environment included: planting and harvesting crops, digging ditches,

cutting down trees for firewood.

Summative Assessment:Go back to the list made in the preassessment. Ask students what could be added to the listbased on what they have learned in this lesson. Focus the discussion on the innovations Wash-ington made at his farms. Students work individually or in their groups to: • make a list of each of Washingtonʼs innovations and give evidence from primary and secondary

sources (for example: new process for treading wheat, soil conservation, composting, fertiliz-ing, designing and building a barrel seeder, crop rotation)

• describe the purpose of each innovation • explain how each innovation modified the natural environment and made the plantation suc-

cessful

Closure:George Washington Describes Methods of FarmingMatch the small photographs to each of the quotes. Next identify the topic of the quote: crops,animals, farm buildings. etc. that Washington was writing about. Write the letter of each photo-graph linked to a quote on the lines.

Quote #1: Topic: crop rotation - Photographs - F - soil exhausted soil, K - crop list

Quote #2: Topic: Mount Vernon Plantation - Photographs - O - mansion, J - Potomac River

Quote #3: Topic: forest - Photographs - B - forest, M - orchard

Quote #4: Topic: crops - Photographs - L - enslaved worker, N - hoeing wheat

Quote #5: Topic: 16-sided barn - Photographs - H - 16-sided barn

Quote #6: Topic: sheep - Photographs - I - sheep, E - loom

Quote #7 Topic: corn - Photographs - D - corn, G - fish

Quote #8 Topic: cattle - Photographs - C - fence, A - Duke and Earl - cattle

Visionary Farmer“I hope someday or another, we shall becomea store house and granary for the world.”

George Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette, June 19, 1788

While the world remembers him as a great mili-tary and political leader, George Washingtonwould have told you he was first and foremosta farmer.

By the mid-1760s - more than a decade beforethe Revolutionary War - Washington hadswitched his main cash crop from tobacco towheat. He know that wheat did not deplete thesold as quickly as tobacco and had economicadvantages as well. Because the British didnot regulate the sale of wheat as closely as to-bacco, he had more markets in which to sell hiswheat for greater profit.

Washington used the most modern scientific farming methods at Mount Ver-non. He introduced an innovative seven-year crop rotation plan and experi-mented with soil enhancers to increase the productivity of his fields. Heacquired the most modern farm implements and began a progressive systemof livestock management.

He divided his Mount Vernon estate into five farms. The Washingtons livedon the Mansion House farm, the other four farms were for agricultural produc-tion. Each of the four outlying farms was home to between 40 and 80 slaves,who worked from sun-up to sun-down six days a week to implement Washing-ton visionary ideas.

In 1771, Washington opened a merchant mill. He transported wheat and corngrown at his farms to the mill for grinding into flour and cornmeal. He soldthese products as far away as Europe and the West Indies. In 1797, Wash-ington further expanded and diversified his farming operations by constructinga distillery next to his mill.

Although Washington loved the life of a farmer, his motivation went far be-yond personal satisfaction and profit. He believed that American economicsuccess lay in the nationʼs ability to produce agricultural products that couldbe sold around the world.

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Most of this four-acre enclosure was devoted toan orchard that produced the apples, cherries,peaches and other fruits needed in the kitchen.Vegetables, grains and pasture grasses weregrown in beds and allowed to “go to seed,” providing the seed essential to next seasonʼsplanting. Hedging plants, boxwood and treeswere also propagated here, and nurtured untilthey reached a size to be transplanted to a per-manent location.

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Advantageous Fencing#4“Much fencing is necessary at this plantation before it can be said to be advan-tageously laid off and in good order.” George Washington to John Fairfax, January 1, 1789

When it came to fencing, George Washington was ahead of his time. Not onlydid he use fences to keep deer and other wild animals away from his crops,fencing was also part of his plan to keep his soil healthy. By fencing his live-stock in the fields of grass, he was able to use their manure as a natural fertil-izer to improve the quality of his soil. Washington used four basic fence types,each with its own purpose.

Split Rail fences were moveable and usedprimarily around fields. Their big advantagewas that they could be laid around trees andother obstacles.

Wattle fencing was tightly woven to penpoultry and small animals as protectionagainst predators such as foxes.

Post and Rail fences were used to permanently mark boundary lines and keepanimals on and off fields.

Hurdle fences were small and moveableand used primarily to keep animals in an areafor grazing and manuring.

The Midas Touch

“When I speak of a knowing farmer, I mean on who understands the best courseof crops; how to plough, to sow, to mow, to hedge, to Ditch and above all, Midaslike, one can convert everything he touches into manure.”

George Washington to George William Fairfax, June 30, 1785

George Washington knew from observation and experience it over plant-ing depleted the soil of nutrients. Evenwithout the benefit of our modern knowl-edge of biochemistry, he found ways toimprove the soil through careful experi-mentation. In addition to animal manureand “green manure” such as buckwheatand clover, he used other natural fertiliz-ers including:

Creek Mud, which had rich nutrients similarto those provided by animal ma-nure.

Fish Heads, which provided nutrients andorganic materials as they de-composed in the soil.

Marl, which was described at the time as“chalky clay.” Today we know Marl is si-miliar to lime, which is used to lowersoil acidity.

Plaster of Paris: which is still made chieflyof calcium sulfate or gyp-sum. Gypsum is usedtoday to loosen heavy,clay-like soil withoutchanging its PH balance.It also adds calcium andsulfur, both of which areimportant for plant growth.

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Innovative Barn

“I am now erecting a building for the expresspurpose of treading.” George Washington to Anthony Whitting,

October 26, 1792

Between 1792 and 1795, Washington built a16-sided treading barn at Dogue Run Farm.

Long frustrated by the inefficiency of threshinggrain out of doors under the “vissitudes ofweather”, Washington designed this circularbarn so that wheat could be tread indoors byhorses and mules.

From the treading floor on the second level, the grain fell between slattedfloorboards to the level below, where it was gather, cleaned, and sent to thegristmill to be ground. Washingtonʼs design was the only one of its kind.However, with the increasing availability of reliable threshing machines by theend of the 18th century,” he discontinued his plans to build additional treadingbarns at Mount Vernon.

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George Washington: VisionaryFarmer

Name__________________________________

Date____________________

Use each ofthe sign im-ages to an-swer thequestions

Sunrise to Sunset

“The sun never caught him in bed, and he was unwilling to find any of hispeople sleeping.” George Washington slave,1838

In 1799, most of Mount Vernonʼs 316 slaves were field workers; and wellover half of the field workers were women. Overseers supervised the workon each farm and reported to a farm manager, who oversaw production of all

four farms. According to a 1799 census, the population of the four outlying farms was as follows:

Dogue Run Farm - 45 slaves: 17 adult women, 7 adult men, 21 children

River Farm - 57 slaves: 23 adult women, 15 adult men, 19 children

Muddy Hole Farm - 42 slaves: 17 adult women, 7 adult men, 18 children

Union Farm - 74 slaves: 24 adult women, 16 adult men, 34 children

Carried out in “gangs” of eight to ten people, the slavesʼ jobs varied with theseasons. In the spring, they planted and cared for the crops. During the harvesting season in late summer and fall, farm workers were joined by otherenslaved laborers from the gristmill and Mansion House Farm, where theWashingtons lived. Everyone worked hard to harvest the crops on time. Although winter was a quieter season, there was still much work to do. Cropshad to be processed, seeds saved, ditches dug, firewood cut, corn husked,fences repaired, and hogs slaughtered and preserved for food.

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George Washington: Innovative Farmer

Name__________________________________ Date____________________

Use each of the sign images to answer the questions below. Match each image to a questionnumber and answer all parts of the question related to that image.

Image #1a) Why did George Washington switch his cash crop from tobacco to wheat?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

b) George Washington modified his farmland in many ways. Identify the human-made featuresfound on his farms.

_______________________________, ______________, _____________, _______________

______________________, _______________, ________________

c) George Washington used wagons to get wheat and corn to the mills for processing. To whomdid Washington sell his flour, cornmeal, and other products? How were these products trans-ported to market?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Image #2Washington had 8000 acres of forested land. After these trees were cut, Washington used someof the land for other agricultural activities. a) List 3 ways he used the land shown on this map.

_____________________________________ ______________________________________

_____________________________________

b) What types of trees did he grow? Why did he grow these?

Types of trees:_________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Why these trees? ______________________________________________________________

Handout #1

below. Match each image to aquestion number and answer allparts of the question related tothat image.

Image #1Why did George Washington _

Name__________________________________ Date____________________

c) What were seedbeds used for?

___________________________________________________________________________

Image #3.Washington used a complicated system of rotating the crops planted in his fields.

a) Why did Washington believe crop rotation was a good process for farmers to use?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

b) What crops in Washingtonʼs rotation were grown for profit and for food? Which were grown forfertilizer?

for profit and food_______________________________________________________________

for fertilizer____________________________________________________________________

c) What was the pattern for growing clover or grass?

___________________________________________________________________________

d) Why did Washington place livestock in the grass and clover fields?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

e) When was buckwheat planted? Why was it planted then?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________Image #4Washington strongly believed in using fences on his farms.a) Name the type of fence that matches each of its uses.

___________________________ was moveable and used primarily around fields

___________________________ was used to protect animals from predators

___________________________ was used to permanently mark boundary lines and keep ani-mals on and off fields

___________________________ was used to keep animals in an area for grazing and manuring

Handout #2

b) What is the big advantage of split-rail fences?

___________________________________________________________________________

Image #5Washington rotated crops to improve the quality of the soil. a) Name five other ways Washington used to improve soil quality.

______________________________ such as buckwheat and clover were used as fertilizers.

______________________________was natural fertilizer.

______________________________decomposed in the soil and were used as a fertilizer.

______________________________which was a “chalky clay” was used like lime is used todayto lower soil acidity.

______________________________which is made of calcium sulfate or gypsum was used tochange the PH balance.

b) What human-made-feature did Washington build to illustrated concern for improving the soil?

___________________________________________________________________________

Image #6A 16-sided barn was one of the most interesting human-made features Washington built.a) What geographic characteristic forced Washington to build this unique barn?

___________________________________________________________________________

b) If this barn was such a good idea, why didnʼt Washington build more?

___________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Image #7As a military and political leader, Washington was often away from his farm for long periods oftime. Yet, his farms were quite successful.a) How were the farms maintained?__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

b) Name 3 jobs done on the farm? Place a star next to the jobs that were connected with modifi-cations of the environment.

1. ___________________________________________________________________________

2.____________________________________________________________________________

3.____________________________________________________________________________

Handout #2

GEORGE WASHINGTON DESCRIBES METHODS OF FARMING

Name ________________________________________ Date ________________________

Match the small photographs to each of the quotes. Next identify the topic:crops, animals, farm buildings. etc. that Washington was writing about. Writethe letter or each photograph linked to a quote on the lines.

"My object is to recover the fields from the exhausted state into whichthey have fallen, by oppressive crops and to restore them (if possible byany means in my power) to health and vigour. But two ways will enableme to accomplish this. This first is to cover them with as much manure aspossible (winter and summer). The 2d a judicious succession of crops."

George Washington (Letter to William Pearce,Dec. 18, 1793)

"No estate in United America is more pleasantly situated than this.It lyes in a high, dry and healthy Country 300 miles by water from theSea...on one of the finest Rivers in the world." George Washington to Arthur Young, British agriculturist, December 12, 1793)

“tis always in oneʼs power to cut a tree down, but time only can placethem where one would have them, after the ground is stripped...”George Washington (Letter to his manager, January 25, 1795)

Photographs:

______ _______

Photographs:

______ _______

Photographs:

______ _______

1

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Topic:

Topic:

Topic:

“When I speak of a knowing farmer, I mean one who understands thebest course of crops; how to plough, to sow, to mow, to hedge, to Ditch...."George Washington (Letter to George William Fairfax, June 30, 1785)

Photographs:

______ _______

4

Topic:

Assessment #1

#2George Washington: Vision-ary Farmer

Name__________________________________Date____________________

Use each of the sign images toanswer the questions below.Match each image to a questionnumber and answer all parts ofthe question related to thatimage.

Image #1Why did George Washington _

"I am resolved to build a Barn and treading floor at Dogue Run Plantation,and to do it as soon as other more pressing work will permit; Now I give you ageneral Bill and plan of the building."George Washington (Letter to Anthony Whiting, Farm Manager, October, 1792)

Photographs:

______

5

Topic:

“I had paid much attention of my sheep, and was proud in being able toproduce perhaps the largest mutton and the greatest quantity of wool frommy sheep that could then be produced...” George Washington (Letter to Henry Gough, February 4, 1792)

Photographs:

______ _______

6

Topic:

"Began to plant Corn in the common way at the Ferry on Monday last fewfish heads and guts & ca. Ordered to be put into some of the Corn hills, totry the effect of them as manure."

George Washington (Diary entry, May 9, 1787)

Photographs:

______ _______

7

Topic:

“tell a farmer... that his Cattle & ca. Ought to be regularly penned in summer and secured from bad weather in winter, and the utmost attentionpaid to the making of manure for the improvement of his fields at both sea-sons; that his oxen should be well attended to, and kept in good and fit con-dition, thereby enabling them to perform the labour which they mustundergo; to remind him of these things..."

George Washington (Letter to William Pearce, Sept. 23, 1793)

Photographs:

______ _______

8

Topic:

Assessment #2

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Assessment Photographs