Amarillo Daily News (Amarillo, Tex.), February 4, 1916. 1916. Newspaper. Library of Congress Chronicling America. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn85042551/1916-02-04/ed-1/.
In 1916, an advertisement for Amarillo National Bank declares “Women have always had their rights at the Amarillo National Bank.” By examining women’s rights timelines, learners will evaluate the advertisement to answer the question: Did women have rights in 1916 at a bank in the Panhandle of Texas? Or were there conditions not noted in the advertisement? How do consumers use historical and actual data to evaluate sources and make decisions about claims of businesses?
In 1916, women were still denied the right to vote. But this bank in west Texas allowed women the rights to their own personal and household accounts. This advertisement puts this bank at the forefront of the fight for not only the vote but for women’s independence.
- What does the advertisement reveal about women in a small Texas town?
- Would this advertisement be placed in a modern newspaper? Why or why not?
- How do we know if the claims in the advertisement are accurate?
ELA Standard
6.8E. Multiple genres. listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts—genres. The student recognizes and analyzes genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts. The student is expected to (8E) analyze characteristics and structures of argumentative texts.
Social Studies Standard
8.29D. Social studies skills. The student applies critical‐thinking skills to organize and use information acquired through established research methodologies from a variety of valid sources, including technology. The student is expected to identify bias and points of view created by the historical context surrounding an event
Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
- Using the Observe-Reflect-Question method, learners begin by examining the Amarillo National Bank’s advertisement titled “Women’s Rights” to find the claims and evidence provided in the advertisement. Learners can also compare the claims and structures in the other advertisements on the page. Next, learners note the date of publication.
- Use these questions to prompt discussion and deeper exploration:
- How do we know if advertisements are true when we are making purchasing decisions?
- What are the key components of argumentative texts that consumers should seek to understand?
- How might the overarching political climate of the local area, state, and nation help a consumer evaluate claims?
- Learners reflect by testing their knowledge of American history timelines and women’s rights issues. They test their hypotheses by researching multiple sources regarding women’s rights before and after legislation and constitutional amendments.
- Finally, learners question the statements in the advertisement in comparison with their findings from research. Did women likely have rights in Amarillo? Were there conditions in which women were able to open accounts? What further research should be completed?
Library of Congress. "Women’s Suffrage." Accessed June 2024. https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/womens-suffrage/.