Unpacking "Janus" Dolls: Understanding the Concept Behind Your Robber Baron Assignment

It sounds like your teacher is asking you to create a "Janus" doll, which is a two-sided figure, representing a robber baron. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to do: 1. **Robber Baron Theme**: You will be focusing on a specific "robber baron." Robber barons were powerful 19th-century American businessmen who were believed to have used exploitative practices to amass their wealth. Common figures might include Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, or J.P. Morgan. 2. **Janus Doll Concept**: In Roman mythology, Janus is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces because he looks to the future and the past. In your assignment, you will make a two-sided figure poster of your assigned robber baron. 3. **Two-Sided Figure Poster**: This means that you should create a poster with a figure (like a doll or silhouette) on it, and each side of the figure will show different aspects or characteristics of the robber baron. Here’s how you can get started: ### Step-by-Step Guide: 1. **Research Your Robber Baron**: Look up information about the individual. Focus on gathering details about their business practices, personality, contributions to society, and any controversies they were involved in. 2. **Design Your Doll**: - **Side One**: One side of the doll can depict positive aspects or the 'public face' of the robber baron. This might include their philanthropic efforts, achievements, and contributions to the economy. - **Side Two**: The other side should show the less favorable aspects such as their ruthless business practices, how they may have exploited workers or manipulated markets. 3. **Creativity**: - Be creative with your design. Use drawings, cut-outs, and colors to highlight the dual nature of the robber baron. - Add images or symbols that represent key aspects of their life and practices. 4. **Details and Annotations**: - Write brief annotations or notes around the poster to explain what each side represents. - Provide context for why you included certain images or details. ### Examples: **John D. Rockefeller**: - **Positive Side**: Depict him donating to charities, building institutions like the University of Chicago, or expanding the oil industry. - **Negative Side**: Show his aggressive strategies like creating monopolies, ruthless elimination of competition, or the harsh conditions in his refineries. **Andrew Carnegie**: - **Positive Side**: Carnegie as a benefactor, building libraries, universities, and concert halls. - **Negative Side**: His role in the Homestead Strike, the low wages paid to steel workers, and harsh working conditions. Use this framework to interpret the assignment and create a detailed, informative, and creative poster that fulfills the requirements. Good luck!