Why is the Kansas-Nebraska Act considered a leading cause of the American Civil War? Class members examine the actions of Presidents James Buchanan and Franklin Pierce, the repeal of the 1880 Missouri Compromise, the passing of the...

Ken Burn's epic documentary miniseries The Civil War, broadcast in 1990, was the most-watched PBS program ever. A question sheet helps viewers keep track of events in the first episode of the documentary.

John Brown is considered by many to be a martyr for abolition and civil rights. The resource covers an important event in West Virginian history, the raid by John Brown, as a standalone that discusses Brown's last words and his reaction...

Scholars write letters as if they were someone who heard the story of John Brown's raid. The resource, a standalone, covers information from primary sources that is important to West Virginian history: the Harpers Ferry Letters.

How much can opinion influence a news story? A standalone resource discusses the importance of John Brown's Raid through the lens of journalism. Learners analyze two different texts, one from the perspective of the North and the other of...

Understanding how John Brown got his inspiration from the Declaration of Independence helps learners further understand both West Virginia and United States history. The resource, a standalone, uses worksheets, discussion, and essay...

The resource, a standalone, shows how news coverage of John Brown's Raid began when the event happened and how that reporting shaped perception in West Virginia history. The resource includes interesting anticipatory discussion...

An informative resource covers the event of John Brown's Raid, an event that became an important part of West Virginia history. It serves as a standalone and covers the event and John Brown's life in depth using group work, online...

Did you know that more than three million people fought in the Civil War? Through artifacts, graphics, and passages class members learn about the stark divide between North and South that led to the war, as well as about the events that...

Did he die for a cause, or was he crazy? Although the resource discusses John Brown and West Virginia history, many historical figures have the same reputation. Teach learners about different perspectives and highlight the importance of...

So who exactly was John Brown? John Brown fought for abolition during the Civil War. Scholars learn all about his legacy through the variety of activities in the sixth of 15 lessons, including viewing and analyzing primary source...

Free the slaves! Scholars research primary documents and videos while working together to create abolitionist posters. They examine the John Brown raid as a template to creating their own demonstration. 

What would you do to protect your own freedom? How far would you go to protest injustice? Class members are asked to consider these questions as they read primary source documents that detail events in the lives of Gabriel, Nat Turner,...

The four years of the Civil War resulted in 620,000 American deaths, which was 2% of the population in 1865 — the equivalent of which would be 6.5 million people in 2016. If you're interested in the Civil War and have 27 minutes to...

"Love it or leave it." "You're either for us or against us." Rhetoric and it's polarizing effects are the focus of a lesson that uses John Brown's attack on Harper's Ferry as an exemplar. Groups examine primary source documents,...

From Clara Barton and Harriet Beecher Stowe to Ulysses S. Grant and George Washington Carver, this research project will allow learners to gain an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of everyday heroes of the nineteenth century in...

Young historians act as detectives in order to examine the characteristics of controversial abolitionist John Brown in the 1850s, working to identify his ultimate mission regarding slavery and the larger impact he had on the Civil War.

From the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law and construction of a transcontinental railroad to the conflicts that arose as a result of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Dred Scott decision, this video will take your young historians through...

"A house divided against itself cannot stand," Abraham Lincoln famously said. This video series is aged and the sound cracks occasionally, but it does provide accurate information and visual imagery. This is part one of three.

The period of slavery and division in the United States is the topic of this lecture guide. Learners will answer each of the 32 questions as they view a slide show or lecture on the Free Soil Party, Fugitive Slave Act, Missouri...

Eleventh graders examine the event at Harper's Ferry.  In this American History instructional activity, 11th graders research John Brown.  Students participate in a trial on John Brown. 

Students explore the plight of John Brown to fight slavery. In this Brown vs. Board of Education lesson, students listen to a lecture regarding Brown's work to free slaves through rebellion. Students participate in classroom discussion...

Students explore the life of John Brown to fight slavery. In this Civil War lesson, students listen to a lecture regarding Brown's work to free slaves through rebellion. Students conduct further research in order to write historical poems.

A real find for a U.S. History teacher, this presentation could supplement many class sessions about the Civil Rights Movement. Pictures of events, major figures, and "Whites Only" signs are striking and effective for even your most...