American Folk Ballads

The oldest category of eternal songs, at least those that we have documentation for, are folk
songs and ballads that were brought to the New World from the old. Some of these were
centuries old when the immigrants from England, Scotland, and Ireland boarded the ships that
would carry them to America; others were being sung on the docks and in taverns the day the
ships departed.
Ballads are folk poetry in a musical format, passed along orally from generation to generation,
set to conventional tunes and usually sung by a solo voice, the hearers joining in the refrain.
Ballads were at one time the popular music of the people, and their subjects are gripping and
popular: tragedy, false love, true love, violence, and the supernatural. (http://www.pbs.org/)

Ballad Characteristics:
Sensational, sordid, tragic subject matter
Supernatural events
The omission of details
A refrain (a repeated word, phrase, line, etc.)
A strong, simple beat (rhythm)
Diction
Rhyme
Conventional phrases
Question : Answer format
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Your assignment will have 3 parts:
1. All members of your collaborative group must first read the ballad. Each group will write a
paragraph summarizing the plot/story line of the ballad.
2. For the second part of the assignment, you must analyze the ballad. You will be asked to consider
the following:
a. Poetic elements such as tone, sound (rhyme, rhythm, onomatopoeia, repetition, alliteration,
assonance, and parallelism), imagery and figures of speech and discuss how those elements
influence the poem.
b. Themes found in the ballad. What morals or lessons are contained in the story? What is the
impact of the use of these themes?
c. Common ballad characteristics present, and effect of these characteristics.
3. Research your ballad. What historical significance is there? Cite your sources (MLA).

4. Each group must also present some sort of artistic representation of their chosen ballad. For
example, you may create a power point presentation representing your interpretation of the ballad,
create a 2-D or 3-D interpretation, etc., or rewrite the ballad for contemporary times. Please see me for
approval BEFORE you begin this step.
5. Each group will make a 5-10 minute presentation to the class. After reading your translated ballad
to the class, you must share both the summary and analysis, and your artistic representation.
6. You must create 3 quiz questions based on your ballad to be compiled into a quiz by me. Hand these
in separately.
7. EXTRA CREDIT OPTION: You may receive up to 25 points extra credit if you research the original
tune and sing it in front of the class.
To Choose Your Ballad:
Each group chooses a number between 1 & 7. Ballads are numbered, as well. Whichever
number you choose corresponds with a ballad. You will be working on this project with your
group members. Have fun!!
Jesse James = 1
Bonnie & Clyde = 2
Streets of Laredo = 3
Clementine = 4
Highwayman Pt I = 5
Highwayman Pt II = 6
Omie Wise = 7
Frankie & Johnny = 8
Rubric:
Group Members: ________________________________________________
Ballad Title: ____________________________________________________
Out of 20 points each:
Thoroughness

_____

Creativity

_____

Accuracy

_____

Works Cited

_____

Enunciation

_____

Visual

_____

All Components

_____

+ E.C.

_____

Total:

_____/140