Lecture Videos

Readings & Resources

1. WHYY, "'Please Let Me Put Him in a Macaroni Box:' The Spanish Influenza of 1918 in Philadelphia" (listen and/or read the transcript)

2. US Navy, "Directive from Washington, DC, regarding treatment and procedures"

3. Influenza Encyclopedia, "Minneapolis, Minnesota"

Discussion Questions

1. What did you think of the US Government’s instructions for dealing with Influenza? What does that tell you about the understanding (or lack of understanding) of the pandemic?

2. How do you assess the divergent approaches to dealing with the Spanish Flu in Minneapolis and St. Paul? What worked well or didn’t work well in each city?

3. What memories do you think people will carry with them from their COVID-19 experience? What would an oral history of this moment sound like in the year 2100?

4. Finally, in what ways is it useful to compare the Spanish Flu to the current pandemic? What are the benefits and limitations of such a comparison?