Excerpts from Reconstruction: America After the Civil War, Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s documentary series provide young historians with insight into the struggles the country faced in the years after the Civil war. Viewers learn about the...

A four-lesson unit focuses on American foreign policy in the late 1800s. Young historians examine primary source documents, conduct a WebQuest, and use a timeline activity to reflect on the impact of American imperialism in Cuba, Puerto...

A three-lesson unit looks at the United States Civil War. In the first lesson, high schoolers analyze primary source materials to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the Union and Confederate armies at the beginning of the war. The...

Young historians examine song lyrics and slave narratives to uncover the realities of life for enslaved people. The six-lesson unit looks at the way enslaved people used music to provide hope, as well as to fight against oppression....

Worksheets guide 21st-century learners through an examination of primary source documents related to the presidency of George Washington. The worksheets in the collection allow students to identify the context, meaning, and significance...

The 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 are all statues pushed by Lyndon Baines Johnson. Presdient Johnson also established programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Head Start. Young...

Six lessons challenge 21st-century learners to interpret maps, analyze real-world data sets, and use technology such as GIS to understand key global issues. The lessons, which can be used sequentially as a unit or individually, are...

Innocent man or traitor to France? That is the question addressed in a five-lesson unit that looks at multiple interpretations of the Dreyfus Affair. As young historians examine primary sources, they also consider the bias that history...

From allies to enemies—the post-World War II period saw a dramatic shift in the relations between the United States and the Soviet Union. A three-lesson collection examines the turbulent period and the rise of the anti-communist...

Imagine the chances of a ragtag militia taking on the disciplined army and the majestic navy of the world’s largest empire. What were the colonialists thinking and what were their chances of success? Using primary source documents and an...

The “Grand Alliance” between the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union was established during World War II to counter the aggression of German and Japan. A four-resource collection looks at the differences in the members’...

Designed for teachers, a 15-lesson collection curated by the Smithsonian, examines how wars have impacted American society. Each resource includes a lesson plan, background information, a materials list, maps, images, and worksheets. An...

If you are looking for curriculum on the Spanish-American War, you just hit the jackpot! Find three options for teaching either a one, three, or five-day lessons. Learners consider why the United States invaded Cuba, and use primary...

Social studies and literacy skills go hand in hand, as one of the core components of history, philosophy, political science and the other social studies is the written word. The RH.9-10 CCSS standards place an emphasis on primary...