Whaling: New Bedford S Lucrative, Yet Dangerous Pursuit

Whaling: New Bedford’s Lucrative, Yet Dangerous Pursuit

Author: Joann Ross

Louisiana School for Math, Science & the Arts

About this Lesson

This lesson is based around the DVD The City that Lit the World, as well as two paintings by William Bradford that illustrate his experiences in the Arctic. A possible supplemental lesson is attached that includes two modern poems about contemporary whaling by the Japanese. This lesson can be used for a variety of purposes – i.e. maritime history, nineteenth-century economies, New Bedford history, nineteenth-century globalization, the use of art to understand historic periods and locations.

The lesson as designed is intended for high school students, but it could certainly be adapted for younger learners. While the entire lesson spans two class periods and one take-home writing assignment, it can easily be adapted for a shorter lesson. Additionally, it can be added to with outside reading and class discussion (see additional reading suggestions at the end of the lesson plan).

Sealers Crushed by Icebergs, William Bradford, 1866

Ice Dwellers Watching the Invaders, William Bradford, c. 1870

Background

The documentary The City that Lit the World speaks for itself; however, a brief introduction prior to viewing might be helpful to put it into context historically and regionally.

For background on the life and painting of William Bradford, teachers may consult William Bradford: Sailing Ships & Arctic Seas (listed in the additional reading section) or other sources on nineteenth-century American artists.

Objectives

Students will:

evaluate the history of New Bedford’s whaling industry
analyze two paintings that depict arctic maritime endeavors
weigh the financial benefits of whaling trade with the environmental drawbacks of the industry

Activities

Day 1:

After an introduction by the instructor, students will view The City that Lit the World, available from the New Bedford Whaling Museum. This 22 minute documentary describes the history of New Bedford’s whaling industry from its inception until sperm oil was replaced by petroleum products near the turn of the 20th century.
Discussion questions that accompany the documentary (available on page 5) should be handed out prior to viewing. Students should have the opportunity to read over the questions before the documentary begins and should jot down their responses as they view the DVD.
Depending on the time remaining, the teacher may decide to break the class into groups for brief discussion or jump right into a discussion with the entire class.

Day 2:

Class may begin with a review of the previous day’s discussion.
Using the internet and available technology, each of the two Bradford paintings should be projected so that all students may view them. Students should be asked to describe what they see, from the most obvious images to the smallest details. Color, lighting, technique may all be discussed as well as the physical objects they see.
Students will then more critically analyze the paintings using the discussion questions provided on page 6.
The remainder of the class will be used to evaluate the importance of the whaling industry on the development of New Bedford, while also discussing the environmental implications of whaling.

Assessment-Options

Students will be evaluated on class participation
Students will be given a writing assignment that synthesizes all of the materials covered. It will be assessed for its historical content, but also for spelling, grammar, and sentence structure.

The City That Lit the World

Discussion Questions

1. By the early 1800s, whaling was one of the most lucrative industries in New England. What influences did whaling have on the nation’s economy, everyday life of Americans, and patterns of American consumerism?

2. Whaling was certainly a labor intensive industry that involved long days, unsanitary working conditions, and dangerous activities. Given these conditions, what motivated men to sign on to whaling ships?

3. The average whaling voyage could last from three to four years. How did that impact the families of those who signed on to whaling ships? How might this have been different for the families of the owners, the captains, and the laborers?

4. Whaling wasn’t a self-contained industry; in fact, it spurred the development of other trades. What other businesses were integral to the success of the whaling industry?

5. How did whaling lead to the development of New Bedford as an important port city? What natural features and economic factors of the city made this possible?

6. Describe how whaling was responsible for the expansion of America’s economic and cultural reach across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Explain further how New Bedford became one of the most ethnically diverse areas in New England as a result of ties to the Azores, the Cape Verde Islands, Portugal and Africa.

7. By the 1850s, primary hunting grounds for sperm whales had been nearly depleted. How did whalers launch a last effort to sustain whaling? What was the result?

8. By the late 1800s, whaling oil was replaced by cheaper and more abundant petroleum products. What impact did this have on the New Bedford economy?

Discussion Questions for William Bradford’s Paintings

Sealers Crushed by Icebergs, 1866
Ice Dwellers Watching the Invaders, c. 1870

1. What do you see first when looking at each painting? Don’t think, just look and respond. To what is your gaze drawn? Why?

2. How does Bradford use light and shadow in these paintings?How does this light add to the drama of this scene?

3. Where is the viewer of each scene? How does this viewpoint emphasize the message and drama of the scene? How might this perspective influence our understanding of Bradford’s experiences being on a whaling ship traveling in the Arctic?

4. What emotions do the paintings evoke in you as a viewer? What elements of the painting help convey those emotions?

5. Imagine yourself as one of the sailors in the painting Sealers Crushed by Icebergs. Describe what you are feeling. What is going through your head?

6. In the painting Ice Dwellers Watching the Invaders, who are the dwellers and who are the invaders? How important is the title of this painting? Does the title itself evoke any emotions separate from the painting itself?

7. What do these paintings suggest about the maritime trades of whaling and seal hunting? How does this message compare to what you viewed in the documentary The City that Lit the World?

Optional Additional Activity:

To expand this lesson and bring its message forward to the present, the class can research and discuss modern whaling expeditions being conducted by Japanese sailors. Information on Japanese whaling in the twenty-first century can be found online. There are many news articles that document this controversial practice. This activity may be useful in demonstrating the relevance of history to the present. It also lends itself to the question of whether mankind has learned anything from the past. Finally, it allows students the opportunity to consider cultural diversity by looking at another country’s perspective.

To support this activity, the class might evaluate the two anti-whaling poems which follow.

DEATH OF A SPERM WHALE

~ Colin Ian Jeffery

With her calf she dives Into the darkness a mile below the waves Where the great squid abides Ferocious Goliath monarch of oceans deep. Singing a lilting lullaby to her calf In the darkness she swims in playful mood And can for an hour remain down in the deep Swimming side by side with her son. Biggest mammal on earth The sperm whale comes to the surface Spouting water through her blowhole Smacking her great tail on the waves. The Japanese harpooner takes aim And the deadly bolt plunges home The explosive charge detonates Mortally wounded she calls to her calf. Hauled up dying by her tail Against the side of the whaling ship In agony she dangles head in the sea Bleeding slowly to death. Her calf calls out in anguish Following the ship for hours But there is no lilting answering lullaby Only blood in the water.

Whaling

~ From the Japanese of Kaneko Misuzu, translated by Quentin S. Crisp
On a night when the sea roars,
A winter’s night,
With roasting chestnuts crackling, crackling,
I heard the tale told.

A tale of whaling, long, long ago
Here in the sea of Shizu-ga-ura.

The sea was wild in the wintertime
Blossoms of snow whirled mad on the wind
And across the flight of snow flew the rope of harpoons.

The crags and the pebbles are purple here.
And even the water of Shizu-ga-ura
But then it turned red, dyed red up to the shore.

In their thick winter coats the whaling men
Stood in the bow of the boat and looked on
And when the whale’s strength was broken
They stripped down to their skin.
Below, the red eddies of ocean; without pausing they leapt in.
The tale of the whalers, long, long ago –

Just listening to the story
My heart dances within me.

The whales of those days do not come any more
And Shizu-ga-ura is now lonely and poor.

Outside the sea roars
On a winter’s night
When the tale ends
When you stop to hear.