This enquiry uses the personal story of Henry Plummer to work out generally what law and order was like in the new mining towns.
Henry Plummer migrated West when he was young and lived a very interesting and unconventional life. He ran for Sheriff in his new town, was involved in a duel, was sent to prison for murder and was released early. He then turned to crime and was in charge of a criminal gang which operated for a number of years outside the law. Eventually, Henry was lynched by a vigilante group.
This story provides your students with the backdrop they need to find out about law and order in the new mining towns. They will retell Henry’s story and correct some true/false questions. Finally, they will use this new knowledge to answer a classic exam question.
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