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Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Lexington and Concord

For Students 5th - 7th
Find a good overview of the "shot heard around the world," the battle at Lexington, and the continuance at Concord. Read Paul Revere's account of his famous ride, and follow his route on the map. Then find a brief account of the capture...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Middle Colonies: Quakers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

For Students 5th - 8th
A good look at the philosophy of the Quakers who colonized William Penn's religious refuge in the colony of Pennsylvania. Read about Penn's liberal views about government, religious freedom, and relations with Native Americans.
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Clash of Cultures: Two Worlds Collide

For Students 5th - 6th
A learning module that begins with "Clash of Cultures: Two Worlds Collide" by UShistory.org, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Religious Transformation and the Second Great Awakening

For Students 5th - 8th
The first half of the 19th century saw the emergence of many social and religious movements. Read about the Second Great Awakening and how it related to and changed the practice of and participation in religious life. See also how it...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "Mc Carthyism" by Us history.org

For Students 9th - 10th
A learning module that begins with "McCarthyism" by USHistory.org, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free teacher and...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Boston Patriots

For Students 5th - 8th
Read about five famous Boston patriots who played a large role in the events prior to the American Revolution and the Revolution itself.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Beginnings of Revolutionary Thinking

For Students 5th - 8th
The American Revolution was close to 200 years in the making. Read about the philosophies and attitudes toward government, as well as the diverse populations who came to the British colonies, that eventually fomented rebellion.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Beginnings of Revolutionary Thinking: Impact of Enlightenment

For Students 6th - 8th
The ideas of the Enlightenment began in Europe, but they were acted upon in the American colonies. See how the philosophies of John Locke and Rousseau influenced the thoughts and actions of Puritan clergy and political figures like...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Hamilton's Financial Plan

For Students 5th - 8th
George Washington tasked Alexander Hamilton as the man to clean up the economic mess of the new republic. Read about his ideas, what they were unpopular at the time, but were really very forward thinking.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Revolution on the Home Front

For Students 5th - 8th
War is not confined to the battlefield. The economic consequences were great for the Americans during the Revolutionary War. Find out about what British occupation meant, and how women stepped up to keep the economy going while the men...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: New England Colonies: William Bradford; The First Thanksgiving

For Students 5th - 8th
Plymouth Colony did not suffer the same problems as the English colony farther south, Jamestown. Read about the leadership of William Bradford, and the relationship between the settlers and the Native Americans who helped those who lived...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "Martin Luther King, Jr." by Us history.org

For Students 7th - 8th
A learning module that begins with "Martin Luther King, Jr." by USHistory.org, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Sons and Daughters of Liberty

For Students 5th - 8th
A brief look at the Sons and Daughters of Liberty, clandestine groups who protested against the British with acts of intimidation and the boycotting of British goods.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Beginnings of Revolutionary Thinking: What Is the American?

For Students 5th - 8th
Even colonial America was a melting pot of people from far away. Read about the diversity of the population and why it had an effect on the possibility of rebellion and revolution.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Growth of Populism

For Students 5th - 8th
Western farmers organized in an attempt to have their issues heard politically. Read about the various farmers' organizations which developed into the idea of populism and the formation of the Populist Party.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Life on the Farm

For Students 5th - 8th
With the passage of the Homestead Act, settlers could own 160 acres for free. Read about the problems that faced the new farmers both economically and from Mother Nature.
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Ancient Egyptian Dynasties: Ruling Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms

For Students 7th - 8th
Egypt is famous for its enormous pyramids, many of which can still be visited today. The pyramids were built by the rulers of Egypt, called pharaohs. In the following informational text by USHistory.org, discusses the rise and fall of...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Stamp Act Controversy

For Students 5th - 8th
Read about why the Stamp Act caused such controversy in the colonies. The British Parliament had imposed several taxes previously, but find out why this one, in particular, struck such a chord.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Market Crashes

For Students 5th - 8th
Although not the only cause for the Great Depression, the stock market crash in October 1929, showed the weakness of the American economy in a concrete way. Read about how the stock market values were run up by speculation, and how it...
eBook
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Battle of Saratoga

For Students 5th - 8th
The weeks leading up to the Battle of Saratoga were filled with disaster for the British troops. Read about the problems General Burgoyne had, and find out how the Americans took advantage of those problems to deliver a stunning defeat...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Roe v. Wade and Its Impact

For Students 9th - 10th
The subject of the legality of abortion has been a contentious one for decades. Read about the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973, and the subsequent attempts to maintain it and overturn it.
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott" by Us history.org

For Students 7th - 8th
A learning module that begins with "Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott," accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "Showdown in Little Rock" by Us history.org

For Students 7th - 8th
A learning module that begins with "Showdown in Little Rock," accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free teacher and student...
Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Ancient Greece: Birthplace of Western Individualism by Us history.org

For Students 9th - 10th
A learning module that begins with "Ancient Greece: The Birthplace of Western Individualism," accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online...