Lesson plan

Looking Backward

Looking Backward: 2000–1887 is a utopian time travel science fiction novel by the American journalist and writer Edward Bellamy first published in 1888. The book was translated into several languages, and in short order "sold a million copies." According to historian Daniel Immerwahr, "In the 19th-century United States, only Uncle Tom's Cabin sold more copies in its first years" than Bellamy's book. The novel inspired several utopian communities. In the United States alone, over 162 "Bellamy Clubs" sprang up to discuss and propagate the book's ideas. According to Erich Fromm, "It is one of the few books ever published that created almost immediately on its appearance a political mass movement." Looking Backward influenced many intellectuals, and appears by title in many socialist writings of the day. Owing to its commitment to the nationalization of private property and the desire to avoid use of the term "socialism," this political movement came to be known as Nationalism (not to be confused with the political ideology of nationalism).

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Article summary

Looking Backward: 2000–1887 is a utopian time travel science fiction novel by the American journalist and writer Edward Bellamy first published in 1888. The book was translated into several languages, and in short order "sold a million copies." According to historian Daniel Immerwahr, "In the 19th-century United States, only Uncle Tom's Cabin sold more copies in its first years" than Bellamy's book. The novel inspired several utopian communities. In the United States alone, over 162 "Bellamy Clubs" sprang up to discuss and propagate the book's ideas. According to Erich Fromm, "It is one of the few books ever published that created almost immediately on its appearance a political mass movement." Looking Backward influenced many intellectuals, and appears by title in many socialist writings of the day. Owing to its commitment to the nationalization of private property and the desire to avoid use of the term "socialism," this political movement came to be known as Nationalism (not to be confused with the political ideology of nationalism).

Key claims

  1. publication date: 1888 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  2. publication date: 1888 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  3. publication date: 1897 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  4. release date: 1889 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the publication date is "1888". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. The record states that the publication date is "1888". What evidence would count against this claim?
  4. The record states that the publication date is "1897". What evidence would count against this claim?
  5. The record states that the release date is "1889". What evidence would count against this claim?
  6. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  7. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1374606451

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.