Module 4

❓ Guiding Questions ❓

1. What can we learn from the process of ratifying the 19th Amendment?

2. How can stories inspire us to take action to contribute to a better world?

3. How and why can we encourage and support others to contribute to a better world?

Copy of The Hope Chest by Karen Schwabach.pdf

Our Class Text 📚

In 1920, eleven-year-old Violet runs away from her strict parents to find her older sister, Chloe, who was sent away for being too independent. Violet sets off on a brave journey. Along the way, she befriends a young Black girl named Myrtle, and together they travel to Nashville, Tennessee, where a massive historical battle is taking place over whether women should finally be allowed to vote.

In Nashville, Violet and Myrtle find themselves in the middle of the "War of the Roses," where Suffragists (wearing yellow roses) and Antis (wearing red roses) are fighting over the 19th Amendment. Violet even acts as a scout for the activists, learning that the world is often unfair to women and people of color due to segregation. When the amendment passes by just one tie-breaking vote, Violet realizes that she has found her own voice and that she can choose her own path in life instead of just following the old rules.

🗓️ Reading Calendar 🗓️

Chapter 1

3/11

Chapter 2

3/12

Chapter 3

3/16

Chapter 4

3/17-3/18

Chapter 5

3/19

Chapter 6

3/20

Chapter 7

3/24

Chapter 8

3/26

Chapter 9

3/27

Chapter 10

3/30

Chapter 11

3/31

Chapter 12

4/1

Chapter 13

4/2

Chapter 14

4/3

Chapter 15

4/13

Chapter 16

4/14

Chapter 17

4/15

Chapter 18

4/16

Chapter 19

4/17

The_Hope_Chest.mp4

A Brief Summary

📜 Historical Context 📜

1. The Time and Place

Setting: 1920, United States

The World: World War I had recently ended, and the country was changing fast. Women were demanding more freedom, and technology (like cars and telegrams) was making the world feel smaller.

2. The 19th Amendment & Women’s Suffrage

The biggest historical event in the book is the fight for Suffrage—the right to vote.
The Goal: To pass the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
The Players:
- The Suffs (Suffragists): Wore Yellow Roses, They believed women should have an equal say in the law
- The Antis (Anti-Suffragists): Wore Red Roses. They believed women should stay out of politics and focus only on the home
The "Perfect 36": To become a law, 36 states had to approve (ratify) the amendment. Tennessee was the 36th state, which is why the battle in Nashville was so important.

3. The "War of the Roses" (The Nashville Vote)

In August 1920, the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville was packed with people from both sides.

The Tie-Breaker: The vote was stuck at a tie. It all came down to a young man named Harry Burn.

4. Jim Crow Laws and Segregation

While the book celebrates women getting the vote, it also shows that the law didn't fix everything. In 1920, the South lived under Jim Crow Laws.

Segregation: Black people (like the character Myrtle) were forced to use separate and often lower-quality schools, bathrooms, and train cars.
Barriers to Voting: Even after the 19th Amendment passed, many Black women were still prevented from voting by unfair tests or threats.

5. Social Expectations for Girls

The Hope Chest: A wooden trunk girls used to collect things for their future marriage. It represented the idea that a girl’s only goal was to be a wife and mother.