Big Questions & Evidence Table Key [T2]
Your students will use a blank worksheet [S2] to answer these questions. There are three Big Questions that students are asked to answer in the course of gameplay. By reading newspapers and speaking to Non Playing Characters (NPCs), Anna and Walter can hear a variety of facts and opinions, often in conflict, that will help them make decisions about their future. The player is asked to sort these pieces of "Evidence" into Yes or No columns for later discussion. The game will keep track of the player's decisions, which are available to view anytime by clicking on the blue Big Questions in the upper right hand corner of the screen. The game also knows the suggested placement of each item, as shown below, but you may wish to discuss other possibilities with your students.
- Big Question 1: Does the mill treat workers fairly? (active during Episodes 1 and 2)
- Big Question 2: Is the mill in financial trouble? (active during Episodes 1 and 2)
- Big Question 3: Is a strike likely to succeed? (active during Episode 3)
Download the Full Classroom| ANNA'S STORY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | When Learned | Why Classification is Correct | |
| Yes-1 | The Courier-Dispatch says the new weaving machines will allow workers to be more productive and earn more money. | Episode 1 (Monday); papers available AM and PM | Machines help workers by allowing them to earn more money |
| Yes-2 | Franz says that the mill only cuts wages in order not to lay people off. | Episode 1 (Mon) morning, Mill Yard | The mill cares about its employees because it doesn't want to lay them off |
| Yes-3 | Franz says that conditions at the mill are better than they used to be. | Episode 1 (Mon) afternoon, Mill Yard | The mill is improving working conditions to help workers |
| Yes-4 | Joey told me the mill is going to throw the workers a big picnic. | Episode 1 (Mon) afternoon Mill Street | The mill treats its workers generously by giving them a picnic |
| ANNA'S STORY | |||
| Evidence | When Learned | Why Classification is Correct | |
| No-1 | The Siren says the mill's new machines are dangerous. | Episode 1 (Monday); papers available AM and PM | Machines help the company at the expense of the workers |
| No-2 | Stanley would not let me go to the bathroom during my shift. | Episode 1 (Mon) at work | Work rules are rigid and dehumanizing |
| No-3 | The working environment is making Sophie sick. | Episode 1 (Mon) afternoon, Mill Yard | Dangerous working conditions are condoned by the mill |
| No-4 | Sophie told me that last year the mill cut wages just so they could make bigger profits. | Episode 1 (Mon) afternoon, Downtown | The mill is exploiting a dependent workforce |
| No-5 | The mill's payroll ledger shows that managers earn much more than the workers. | Episode 2 (Tues) at home at the end of the day | Severe pay inequity exploits a vulnerable workforce |
| WALTER'S STORY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | When Learned | Why Classification is Correct | |
| Yes-1 | Franz told me how conditions at the mill used to be a lot worse. | Episode 1 (Mon) afternoon, Mill Yard or Mill Street | The mill is improving working conditions to help workers |
| Yes-2 | Jedediah told me the workers take advantage of their bathroom breaks to smoke and skip work. | Episode 1 (Mon) afternoon, barbershop | Seemingly harsh rules are necessary to control workers who take advantage of the mill |
| Yes-3 | Joey thought the mill was great for giving the workers an annual picnic. | Episode 2 (Tues) afternoon, downtown | The mill treats its workers generously by giving them a picnic |
| WALTER'S STORY | |||
| Evidence | When Learned | Why Classification is Correct | |
| No-1 | Amadeo reminded me that the mill cut wages last year so they could make bigger profits. | Episode 1 (Mon) before work Downtown | The mill is exploiting a dependent workforce |
| No-2 | Stanley told me the new machines can be dangerous at high speeds. | Episode 1 (Mon) at work | Machines help the company at the expense of the workers |
| No-3 | I overheard two workers talking about how they were not allowed to use the bathroom on their shift. | Episode 1 (Mon) after work in the Mill Yard | Work rules are rigid and dehumanizing |
| No-4 | The little immigrant boys told me many of the workers are in bad health. | Episode 2 (Tues) at the worker's house | Dangerous working conditions are condoned by the mill |
| No-5 | The mill's payroll ledger shows that managers earn much more than the workers. | Episode 2 (Tues) at work | Severe pay inequity exploits a vulnerable workforce |
| ANNA'S STORY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | When Learned | Why Classification is Correct | |
| Yes-1 | Franz and the Courier say that Southern mills are producing cloth more cheaply than the mill can. | Episode 1 (Mon) before work or after work in the Mill Yard | High labor costs are crippling the company and rendering it uncompetitive |
| Yes-2 | Stanley told me that Boylston Mills lost a big contract to supply cloth to a towel company. | Episode 1 (Mon) before work in the Mill Yard or right after work | The company is losing out on significant business |
| Yes-3 | I overheard the banker saying that the mill invested heavily in new machinery and is in debt. | Episode 2 (Tues) on my way home from looking for a job | The mill is over-extended financially |
| ANNA'S STORY | |||
| Evidence | When Learned | Why Classification is Correct | |
| No-1 | I overheard one of the Boylstons talking about his expensive new car. | Episode 1 (Mon) after work at McCool's barbershop | The mill's owners seem to be taking money out of the company |
| No-2 | Officer Moran told me the mill owners are throwing a lavish party for themselves. | Episode 1 (Mon) after work downtown | Cash does not seem to be in short supply for the company |
| No-3 | Amadeo said that five years ago the mill claimed they were going under, but they lied just to cut our pay. | Episode 2 (Tues) after work downtown | The company has a history of crying wolf about its finances |
| WALTER'S STORY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | When Learned | Why Classification is Correct | |
| Yes-1 | I talked to Jedediah and read in the Courier that Southern mills are producing cloth more cheaply than we are. | Episode 1 (Mon) before work on Mill Street | High labor costs are crippling the company and rendering it uncompetitive |
| Yes-2 | Jedediah told me that New York buyers not interested in our cloth. | Episode 2 (Tues) before work in the Mill Yard | The company is losing out on significant business |
| Yes-3 | The banker told me the mill invested heavily in new machinery and is in debt. | Episode 2 (Tues) after work Downtown | The mill is over-extended financially |
| WALTER'S STORY | |||
| Evidence | When Learned | Why Classification is Correct | |
| No-1 | Amadeo said that five years ago the mill claimed they were going under, but they lied just to cut our pay. | Episode 1 (Mon) after work Downtown | The company has a history of crying wolf about its finances |
| No-2 | Elizabeth told me about how lavish the mill owners' party if going to be. | Episode 2 (Tues) at home before work | Cash does not seem to be in short supply for the company |
| No-3 | Hiram told me that the new machines require far fewer workers than before to keep the mill running, so we'll save money. | Episode 2 (Tues) in the Heights before work | Production efficiencies will yield considerable savings for the company |
| ANNA'S STORY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | When Learned | Why Classification is Correct | |
| Yes-1 | Amadeo told me that in the carpenters' strike of 1890, a union won an 8 hour workday for some 28,000 workers. | Episode 3 (Weds) before work Downtown | Successful strikes have achieved remarkable concessions |
| Yes-2 | I read in the Siren that the strike organizers in Jonesborough are doing a great job at keeping the strike going. | Episode 3 (Weds) newspaper | Skillful labor organizing can keep the pressure on management |
| Yes-3 | I found a telegram that showed that the labor organizers would bring in some muscle to support the strike. | Episode 3 (Weds) after work on Mill Street | Striking workers might be able to prevent replacements from keeping the mill open |
| Yes-4 | Amadeo told me that the mill couldn't hire enough Poles and Portuguese to replace everyone if all the workers went on strike. | Episode 4 (Thurs) before work Downtown | The mill would have difficulty replacing strikers with untrained workers |
| ANNA'S STORY | |||
| Evidence | When Learned | Why Classification is Correct | |
| No-1 | Franz told me that labor organizers are too willing to use violence. In the Homestead Strike of 1892 they riled up the workers and the cops came in and broke heads and people died. | Episode 3 (Weds) before work Downtown | Labor violence in past strikes has doomed them to failure |
| No-2 | I read in the Courier that some strikes have ended in victory for the workers but 6 months later the owners cut pay and fired workers anyway. | Episode 3 newspaper | Clever management ploys can easily undermine labor gains |
| No-3 | Mr. Mellencamp told me that if the workers strike, it will be easy to replace them with Poles and Canadians. | Episode 3 (Weds) before work on Mill Street | Replacement workers can keep the mill operating during a strike |
| No-4 | My co-worker Dorotea told me people try to get their kids taken on by the mill even if they're underage. | Episode 3 (Weds) during a work break | Too many workers depend on the mill's pay to risk it by striking |
| WALTER'S STORY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | When Learned | Why Classification is Correct | |
| Yes-1 | Reverend Leverett told me that in the carpenters' strike of 1890, a union won an 8 hour workday for some 28,000 workers. | Episode 3 (Weds) before work in the Heights | Successful strikes have achieved remarkable concessions |
| Yes-2 | I read in the Siren that the strike organizers in Jonesborough are doing a great job at keeping the strike going. | Episode 3 (Weds) newspaper | Skillful labor organizing can keep the pressure on management |
| Yes-3 | Stanley said that it would be tough to train enough Poles and Canadians to take on all the work. | Episode 3 (Weds) at work in the Loom Room | The mill would have difficulty replacing strikers with untrained workers |
| Yes-4 | I found a telegram that showed that the labor organizers would bring in some muscle to support the strike. | Episode 3 (Weds) after work on Mill Street | Striking workers might be able to prevent replacements from keeping the mill open |
| WALTER'S STORY | |||
| Evidence | When Learned | Why Classification is Correct | |
| No-1 | Jedediah told me that if the workers strike, it will be easy to replace them with Poles and Canadians. | Episode 3 (Weds) before work Downtown | Replacement workers can keep the mill operating during a strike |
| No-2 | Moran promised me that if organizers tried to use violence, the police would shut them down. | Episode 3 (Weds) before work Downtown | An efficient security plan will foil labor violence and keep the mill operating |
| No-3 | Franz told me that the workers beg to work at the mill and even try to get jobs for their children. They are desperate. | Episode 3 (Weds) after work in the Mill Yard | Too many workers depend on the mill's pay to risk it by striking |
| No-4 | Jedediah and the Courier said that some strikes have ended in victory for the workers but 6 months later the owners cut pay and fired workers anyway. | Episode 3 (Weds) after work on Mill Street | Clever management ploys can easily undermine labor gains |
