The Indiana General Assembly formally passed a law designating a new state capital on what is today downtown Indianapolis on January 6, 1821, now celebrated as Founders Day. The next order of business? Platting the new city! This lesson introduces students to the original city plat map, called the Ralston Plan, compares and contrasts the original plan to the current layout of the city, and opens a discussion about how our city has grown and changed over time. Students design their own city maps based on the principles of the Ralston Plan and learn early Indianapolis history. Optional lesson extensions introduce students to the history of surveying and invite students to locate their own neighborhoods in historical survey documents.
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