Each Wisconsin Hometown Stories program is a celebration of the evolution of a town/city in Wisconsin, its residents and the stories they have to tell that paint the picture of specific communities across the state.

In this episode, discover Eau Claire, a community that was both shaped and empowered by the convergence of two rivers. Follow the origins of the Native people who lived on the land and the growth of timber milling, tire manufacturing, and cookware industries that provided employment for Eau Claire residents. Also learn about a feathered mascot named Old Abe who led area troops into Civil War battles, as well as the influential role the city played in the fight for civil rights in baseball.

Each Wisconsin Hometown Stories program is a celebration of the evolution of a town/city in Wisconsin, its residents and the stories they have to tell that paint the picture of specific communities across the state.

In this episode, explore the story of two Wisconsin cities with a contentious beginning that grew to be collaborative communities of innovation and service. Film, archival images, and interviews with historians, local citizens and experts illustrate the two cities' rich stories and their role in shaping international manufacturing and retailing.

Students will be able to identify the differences between suffragettes and suffragists and the goals of the suffrage movement. After reading about the twentieth-century suffrage movement, students will be able to create either a protest poster, political cartoon, or speech that accurately portrays the arguments of suffragists, suffragettes, and anti-suffragistsStudents should have learned about Jane Addams as a Progressive Era figure, especially her role in Hull-House. Students should also have learned about the Seneca Falls Convention and the earlier suffrage work of the nineteenth century.

During the Civil War women played an important role both on the battlefield and on the home front. They helped after battles as nurses, ran businesses and farms, and worked in munitions factories while their fathers and brothers were off at war. They supported the war effort by contributing to organizations like the United States Sanitary Commission, and in rare cases even disguised themselves as soldiers and participated in battles.
Students will be able to:
1. Name four roles that women had during the Civil War.
2. Describe four contributions women made to the war effort.
3. Explain three difficulties women faced during the Civil War.

The goal of this module is to provide resources and information about the history of women’s vote in the U.S. Looking at the women’s suffrage movement provides a framework for exploring the changing role of women in politics and society in the 19th and 20th centuries. The history of suffrage offers an opportunity to examine women’s roles at critical points in the nation’s history, and to think about the impact of women’s voting behavior on politics in our time.
Activities and discussion questions are designed to explore the changing role of women in society and in politics. The module includes ideas for developing lessons on women’s suffrage and integrating the issue of suffrage into lessons on US history and politics, and to consider the impact of full suffrage on politics and society today.

The events of the American Revolution took place just when political cartoons became very popular in England. People gathered every day at print shops all over London to learn the news and see the latest cartoons mocking the events of the day. Politicians quickly learned the power of a good cartoon. There is even evidence that some English politicians hired artists to mock their enemies and improve their own standing.
Students will be able to examine and analyze various political cartoons on the empowerment of colonial women and how through political cartoons, their actions were displayed and perceived by individuals of the period. Students will be able to use historical thinking skills to understand how images play a vital role in spreading information and sentiments.