Americans wanted to fulfill Manifest Destiny, and this pattern continued with the Mexican War. The resource specifically teaches about the Mexican War through a variety of exercises including a research project, group work, brainstorming...

If you've just covered a lot of territory in your social studies class and need a great cumulative review, look no further. Here is a hand out that includes 71 questions on 10 pages all related to slavery, the Civil War, Westward...

Students compare contemporary cultural differences with historical differences based on population percentage. For this cross-curriculum Gold Rush/math lesson, students analyze aspects of California's Gold Rush population and diversity...

There is a lot to learn from art. This teacher's guide provides you with extensive background information, activities, and a scripted commentary to accompany a slide show on French artists in California during the Gold Rush Period. The...

Explore the Great Depression! Discover the challenges people experienced during the time period. Learners investigate photographs from the Dust Bowl and WWII era and create a story line about the photographs, writing a newspaper article...

Using a variety of online resources, learners study life and society in California during the gold rush. They use a map to identify area where gold was located, explore pre-selected websites, describe mining practices, and create an...

Students, in groups, create a display showing a "train trip" to a destination of their choice from a teacher-made list. They also answer a series of questions related to their trip. Groups present their displays.

New ReviewA poem carved on Angel Island's walls is the guiding text of a lesson that challenges scholars to put movement into a written piece of art. After warm up-activities, learners play a game of "Pass the Clap" and "Pass the Line," in which...

New ReviewPrepare young historians for a study of Angel Island Immigration Station with a lesson examining primary and secondary source materials, maps, and websites. Using what they have learned, individuals create a map of Angel Island, labeling...

Most have never heard of Juana Briones, the incredible woman who came to own property and divorce her husband in 1850s California. Yet, her relatively unknown life reflects the historical dynamics of the American West, particularly those...

What was the true impact on Native American tribes when immigrants began to seize land in Western areas, such as California? Using images created by these migrants, as well as written descriptions, class members consider the various...

What was California like before the Spanish came? Class members discover the answer to the question using images of Native Americans and diaries of the early Spanish explorers. Scaffolded activities allow instructors to adapt the...

An interesting video uses photos and interviews to explain how American settlers coming to Californiafor the gold rush treated Californios and Mexicans. The resources focuses on one Californio, Mariano Vallejo, and his struggle to...

While the Spanish claimed to bring civilization to California indigenous peoples, in reality, they also brought violence and forced assimilation to European values. Primary sources, such as the reports of Catholic priests and Europeans...

It's time to hear about some adventures in travel! The Transcontinental Railroad changed life and travel in the United States during the 1800s. Practicing online research skills, pupils discover the features they would like to visit on...

The California missions transformed California. A short video discusses the missions, their purpose, how they eventually lost their power, and what happened to Native Americans when the missions closed. 

Upon hearing of the gold discovery at Sutter's Mill in California in the 1840s, a flood of migrants went West in search of wealth and fame. Others, such as Chinese workers, came from farther away. Using video clips from historians and...

A three-part lesson gives light to the Unites States expansion from the view of Texans, New Mexicans, and Californians. Through videos and written activities, scholars work collaboratively to research specific individuals and their...

An 11-minute video shines a spotlight on Carlos Vaquerano, an El Salvadorian who made his way to the United States of America at the age of 15 to escape the dangers that took over his country. Interviews detail how and why Vaquerano left...

An impactful video details the work of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta in creating the United Farmworkers. In the 1960s farm workers of California stood together to better their working conditions. Making their way to Sacramento,...